March 1, 2023

601 Dexter looks to be Alexandria's next project in SLU

Renderings by NBBJ [enlarge] [gallery]

The ground-floor lobby and amenities are now more pronounced on the corner of Mercer and Dexter.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities has one life-science project now rising above grade on Dexter Avenue North. A few steps south, at 601 Dexter, on the Copiers Northwest corner, the developer and architect NBBJ are readying what looks to be next in line to start in South Lake Union. (We'll recap Alexandria's four big projects below.)

March 15 will mark the likely final design review for the now 10-story life-science project. The last design review was nearly a year ago. NBBJ now says that one level has been lost from the old design, and that floor-to-floor heights have been reduced a little.

The building is now over 14 feet shorter (reduced to around 243 feet), but with a much taller, loftier ground-floor entry and amenity area. That'll also have a mezzanine, meeting areas and cycling lounge.

What was previously lab and office space on the 11th floor has now become a reduced rooftop amenity area. Roof decks will total some 4,000 square feet. Size above grade is estimated at 270,831 square feet.

Floor plates are still around 24,000 square feet, and the floor-to floor heights have been reduced by eight inches to 14 feet. A side-core design pushes the stairs and elevators to the north side of the building.

No retail is planned. Three levels of underground parking would have 180 stalls. The bike parking would offer about 100 stalls in the lobby level, along with shower rooms for cycle commuters. A roll-out door would lead to the elevated sidewalk above Mercer.

NBBJ's angular design is little changed: a bit more bulge in the floorplates toward Dexter; more pronounced balconies; more exposed stilt-like structural elements; a slightly revamped west facade (facing Aurora); and various tweaks to the entry area and landscaped “gateway corner.”

As before with the city-approved design, the offset facade elements create many terraces, decks and overhangs.

The site on the corner of Mercer Street hasn't yet been cleared of its old buildings. (Copiers Northwest, which sold for over $28 million four years ago, hasn't yet relocated.)

The 601 Dexter team also includes BNBuilders, general contractor; Bush Roed & Hitchings, surveyor; Westlake Consulting Group, construction manager; Coughlin Porter Lundeen, civil engineer; Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, landscape architect; KPFF, structural engineer; Coffman, electrical engineer of record; Stantec, electrical reviewer; O'Brien360, sustainability consultant; Lerch Bates, elevators; Glumac, energy modeling; McKinstry, mechanical and plumbing; and EA Engineering, SEPA consultant.

There's no indication yet of a broker; Newmark is representing 701 Dexter to the north. Lease Crutcher Lewis is now building the that 11-story project, which was designed by ZGF Architects. That'll have about 234,000 square feet.

East across Dexter, NBBJ also designed the two buildings of the Mercer Blocks. A master use permit appears relatively close for the two 13-story buildings at 816 Mercer. They'll have about 865,000 square feet. No broker or start date have been announced.

And immediately north of the Copiers Northwest corner, at 615 Dexter, will be the modular, “kit of parts” apartment building by Sustainable Living Innovations. That 18-story, 394-unit project is part of Alexandria's overall agreed plan with the city. That corner, once home to a gas station, has some manageable pollution issues. That project has been quiet for the past year.