October 12, 2021

$5.5M land sale at Grand Street Commons, where construction still awaits final cleanup

Rendering by Runberg Architecture Group [enlarge]

The entirely affordable south building is at right, facing the central plaza. Rainier is in the foreground.

As planned, Mt. Baker Housing has purchased its development site at Grand Street Commons. King County recorded the nearly $5.5 million sale last week for 1815 23rd Ave. S., where the south building of three will be constructed.

The seller was an LLC associated with Lake Union Partners and HAL Real Estate, which previously assembled the 3.2-acre site for about $22 million. Mt. Baker Housing also used an LLC for the deal, which was worth about $149 per square foot. Public records indicate a $7.5 million loan from the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund.

The entire project is expected to have around 771 units, 360 of them to be affordable, and 60,000 square feet of retail/commercial space. Grand Street Commons will be about a five-minute walk north to Judkins Park Station, where light rail service begins in 2023.

The east and west buildings will evidently proceed first for the other two partners. Both have their master use permits, with their construction permits pending. Runberg Architecture Group is also designing the south building for Mt. Baker Housing. The early numbers there are seven stories, 202 affordable units and about 11,581 square feet of retail/commercial space. Structured parking would have 30 stalls.

No permits have been issued for the south building, which passed through design review last year.

Environmental remediation has been underway on certain areas of the site for some time. The state Department of Ecology hasn't yet issued a determination of no further action, which would be required for construction to begin.

No start date has been announced for the east and west buildings, which W.G. Clark Construction will build. The project website suggests a start later this fall; summer had been the prior goal.

As part of the south building plan, and to help create a large plaza among the three buildings, the city is now considering the vacation of a short alley now splitting the south site. Seattle City Council will address the matter in a Nov. 8 meeting. The plaza, also to face Rainier Avenue South, will mostly be created by a reconfiguration of the now complicated junction of Rainier, South Grand Street and 22nd Avenue South.