March 7, 2022

No concrete? No problem for 303 Battery

Photo by Brian Miller [enlarge]

SLI hopes to complete the “kit of parts” apartment project in August.

While the concrete strike, now into its third month, has halted almost all construction downtown, one building is steadily rising in Belltown. That would be Sustainable Living Innovations' 15-story apartment project at 303 Battery St. Its concrete foundation was poured last summer; then in October commenced the actual “kit of parts” assembly of its factory-made components.

With no concrete to pour, the 112-unit project has risen past its sixth level, with portions of its steel exoskeleton now reaching two floors above. Below one can see some of the solar panels already in place; the building will feature over 600 such panels, including a large crown-like array above its roof deck.

Those, and other energy-saving design elements, will help make 303 Battery the world's first net zero energy apartment building, according to SLI. It'll be powered entirely by electricity, and use 70% less than a comparable apartment building using conventional construction methods — including concrete floors.

SLI hopes to complete the project in August, at which time backer Equity Residential will buy and operate the building.

SLI is acting as its own architect and general contractor, with close assistance from Swinerton and UMC. By Design Steel Services, of Oregon, is erecting the exoskeleton.

The 895 flat-pack panels are assembled at SLI's Tacoma factory, then trucked to the site, on the corner of Third Avenue.