Harbor Properties is teaming up with Vulcan Inc. on the 307 Westlake building. The 112,000-square-foot project is expected to be finished in early 2004. Rendering courtesy of Harbor Properties

Harbor Properties Executive Vice President Denny Onslow said the South Lake Union and Cascade neighborhoods should continue to be a focus for development in the next few years.

Harbor Properties has a joint development with Vulcan Inc. for a seven-story, 162-unit apartment building in Seattle’s Cascade neighborhood. Construction is under way.

The building will be called the Alcyone, and will follow LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines and include features such as water reclamation for a rooftop P-patch, use of environmentally friendly paints and energy-efficient lighting. Light-gauge metal, rather than wood, will be used to frame the 200,000-square-foot building. It will be the first light-gauge metal residential structure to be certified by Seattle’s Build Smart Program.

“Sustainable building will become a stronger driver for building locations and housing choices,” said Onslow. “We are starting to see that in the Cascade neighborhood. We think people will make choices for sustainable buildings.”

Onslow said South Lake Union and Cascade also will benefit from their proximity to public transportation and cultural opportunities. He predicted that biotech will continue to be a bright spot for Seattle, due to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute and University of Washington.