April 26, 2019

Intracorp to start 321 apartments in Little Saigon with Asian vendor hub

Images by Tiscareno Associates [enlarge]

Exxel Pacific will begin construction on the 321-unit project next month.

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A pedestrian retail corridor with small- and medium-sized spaces for “Asian-inspired” vendors will run between Jackson and King streets.

Crews from Exxel Pacific will soon break ground on a seven-story, 321-unit apartment building in Seattle's Little Saigon neighborhood.

The developer, Intracorp, acquired the midblock site at 1029 S. Jackson St. for $11.3 million last year. The property housed the Acme Poultry complex, which has since been demolished.

Construction on the unnamed apartments is slated to begin in May.

Tiscareno Associates designed the building, which Intracorp described in an announcement as having “a modern look and feel while preserving the cultural identity of Little Saigon.”

Nakano Associates is the landscape architect, and ObjectSpace is the interior designer.

Intracorp said it worked with local community groups and stakeholders such as the Friends of Little Saigon and the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority to create the design.

The team created a “wood, weave and greenery” aesthetic for the building, which includes design features such as bamboo, woven textures and artist-inspired elements.

A major element of the project will be a 10,000-square-foot marketplace with small- to medium-sized retail spaces housing an array of “Asian-inspired” vendors and shops, and a pedestrian passageway between Jackson and King streets. The marketplace was created with community feedback, and “will become a vital and vibrant part of the neighborhood once the project is completed,” according to the developer.

The building will have a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom units. Apartments will be furnished with stainless steel appliances, quartz counters, tile backsplashes, plank flooring, large windows and in-unit washers and dryers.

Intracorp is participating in the city's multifamily tax exemption program, and will set aside 69 of the units for lower-income households.

Residential common areas include a two-story lobby, game room, fitness center, courtyard and a “sky lounge” with indoor and outdoor spaces that offer expansive city views.

An underground parking level will hold around 170 spaces. Residents will also have access to bicycle storage and nearby transit, including the First Hill streetcar line.

The project will be built to LEED gold standards. Completion is slated for 2021.

Other team members include Terracon Consultants, geotechnical engineer; GroundSupport, shoring engineer; Bush, Roed and Hitchings, surveyor and civil engineer; and Y&T Engineers, structural engineer.