After a 2021 with almost no design review sessions for area developments, 2022 will begin with a major project coming before the East review board in February as the set of two five-story buildings planned to rise at the site of the Capitol Hill Safeway will face Seattle’s public process.
“Option 3 is a two-building scheme that creates is configured to provide an impactful Grade related courtyard along 15th Ave E that aligns with the E Thomas St,” lead developer Greystar says of its preferred proposal in the draft design review packet submitted in December. “Above the Grocery store, the generally S-shaped Building A provides a blend of broader, yet articulated, facades and smaller facade elements. The western courtyard space above the Level 1 grocery store faces south, breaking up the building massing. The Eastern Courtyard above the Level 1 grocery store faces north and connects to the grade-related courtyard that aligns with Thomas.”
You can view the full draft design packet here.
CHS reported in October on the continuing plans to redevelop the grocery store site and the developer’s meeting with architects and community members with the Pike/Pine Urban Neighborhood Council to discuss priorities for the project.
Representatives from the development team of architectural firm Weber Thompson, Pine View Development, and development and construction firm Greystar said they expect at least two years of planning and “entitlement” process will be required for the project to run Seattle’s public process gauntlet including multiple rounds of design review and then another two years of construction before the project opens for new residents, new small businesses, and a new Safeway grocery store.
Early plans showed two, five-story residential buildings rising along the 15th Ave E side of the project mixed with first-floor commercial spaces separated from the grocery by an “internal pedestrian plaza.”
The draft proposal submitted in December and scheduled for review in February is said to have incorporated community feedback. It calls for the two, 5-story buildings, with a total of 386 apartment units and retail, plus underground parking for 387 vehicles — about twice what the current surface lot at the corner provides.
The developers also told PPUNC they are digesting work from a series of 15th Ave E neighborhood design workshops organized three years ago by the street’s resident designers at Board and Vellum and Environmental Works. The design guidelines from the process mixed a general wish to preserve the quaint and quirky vibe on 15th with a desire for new and plentiful commerce on the street.
Representatives for the development team have said design issues also prioritized included how to make the nearby bus stop and street crossings safer, how best to connect to nearby Williams Place Park, and which “Capitol Hill” a project at the busiest intersection of 15th Ave E should most relate to — leafy and relatively quiet 19th Ave E or bustling Broadway.
The design review process is ostensibly limited to details of land use and architecture but frequently becomes a rare opportunity for community members and neighbors to air grievances about everything from parking to noise and the environment despite the board’s focus on elements like bulk, scale, and setbacks. Through the pandemic, the process has continued even as the pipeline of active new projects around Capitol Hill trickled to a near stop.
There have also been efforts to streamline the expensive, time consuming review process. Under emergency rules passed in spring of 2020 to help keep design and landmark reviews on track during the pandemic restrictions, for example, publicly financed affordable housing developments qualify for a fast track path to construction and will not need to pass through public design review.
This situation is playing out on Broadway where plans for a seven-story affordable housing project that will require demolition of the 118-year-old, two-story commercial building currently home to the Jai Thai restaurant, a collection of businesses including a Mud Bay pet supply store location, plus 14 upper floor apartment units is moving forward on the design review fast track.
The 1410 E John Safeway project will face review starting on February 9th. You can submit public comment here in the meantime. Learn more about submitting design review public comment here.
Design Review: 1410 E John St
Design Review Early Design Guidance for 2, 5-story buildings, with a total of 386 apartment units and retail. Parking for 387 vehicles proposed.
February 9, 2022 5:00 pm
EDG–Early Design Guidance
Project Number
Abby Weber
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God two years of going through planning meetings, UGH just BUILD ALREADY
Agreed! New density & new biz in the neighborhood will be amazing! Just let’s gooooo
My first thought in looking at these plans is that having the garage entry so close to the corner of 15th & John would be a mistake. I can see a potential line of cars queued up waiting to enter, holding up traffic both on 15th and maybe even at the traffic light on Thomas, as well as needing to wait for pedestrians at that crosswalk. Also, cars trying to exit would have to be pretty careful due to traffic turning that corner quickly from 15th onto John to beat the light, as I’ve seen so often.
Please submit this comment to the design board. Those were my concerns as well.
Very good point.That little left turn right turn jog is already aggravating enough for buses too (or anything large) without having another “intersection” close to the light. Someone has not done their basic due diligence. This is Architecture 101.
“Representatives for the development team have said design issues also prioritized included how to make the nearby bus stop and street crossings safer, how best to connect to nearby Williams Place Park, and which “Capitol Hill” a project at the busiest intersection of 15th Ave E should most relate to — leafy and relatively quiet 19th Ave E or bustling Broadway.”
Relate to Broadway or 19th, and just pretend that 15th doesn’t exist? Cool. Maybe try to relate to the part of Capitol Hill that the project is actually in and not put another giant parking structure in the middle of a pedestrian area?
That didn’t make sense to me, either. 15th is it’s own district. design it as such.
Curious about the story of the house on the lower right of the image? Is this a holdout who decided to not sell for any reason/price. Or are they just in negotiation phase with the property owner. I remember the original store not too long ago with parking in front. Now parking in back and soon parking underneath? Is the upstairs housing and if so what type? Will there be other retail? And when for gosh sakes will the underused Key Bank site be redeveloped. The bank is a cavernous space lightly used. The parking lot speaks for itself. While we are at it, just about every space on 15th could use a rebuild to a multiuse format. Most of the stores are of non-descript, ugly design that will not be missed. No more mistakes like our suburban Walgreen’s. The entire street is largely a mistake begging for correction. Will be interested and hopeful to see what will happen with the QFC site, as it is owned by a decent developer. Those who want upzoning on every street can look to the current situation on 15th, and see the missed opportunity for good mixed-use design.
The Key Bank site was at the beginning stages of redevelopment into a 4-story 45 unit condo development back in 2006, but was a victim of the recession. Key Bank has done a number of tenant improvements in the intervening time to maintain the existing building (which I believe they own)–so I’d suspect that they’ve not had a lot of offers to do something similar since then.
I am not aware of major improvements, vs. basic maintainance. But whatever has been done does not foot with the vastness of the branch, that usually has zero to one customer in it, and the generally empty or near empty parking lot. Combine that with the angst many have about density, and we have a space that can be developed without any obvious conflict. The bank can continue to own if they wish, and make a lot of profit in developing it with a good partner. And they can open a new branch. I wonder how many of the safe deposit boxes are in use? The Safeway parking lot has always been a bit of an enigma, insofar as the number of parked cars seem to very much outnumber the people in the store, many of whom are pedestrians. Likely it has become free parking for local apartment dwellers. I shop from time to time at the Trader Joes and never have lacked for parking in their lot.
Am really hoping that the Safeway ultimate design is befitting the city in terms of quality, materials, usage and more. I really hate the compliance in law but not spirit of the windows that are backed by fixtures or in the case of the Walgreens, fixtures and faded posters. This is a real design crime, as is much of what is permitted and built in our city. Good design should be a requirement to build, and it need not be edgy or expensive.
Re: the little white house next to the property. That belongs to the Seattle Aquarian Foundation and it’s been around since 1955. It’s a total mystery to me. I’ve never seen anyone enter or leave that building in the 30+ years I’ve lived/worked near 15th. I don’t think they are ever planning to sell, no matter what goes up around them!
I would LOVE some sort of investigative report about The Aquarian Foundation. Lived here since 97, and the place is a complete enigma!!
Tough to park? Then forget shopping there.
It’s a good question. Fortunately, within a 15 minute walk of this Safeway is another Safeway . . .and also 2 other QFCs. Add another 5 minutes to the walk and there is a PCC, a Co-op, and a Whole Foods. Essentially 6 other large food markets. So there are plenty of places to go within walking distance or a 5 minute Uber/bus ride.
Easy if you’re not elderly.
This is why the Route 10 reroute was opposed by so many.
Totally agree. It’s really too bad that $9 Uber rides and grocery delivery is not an option to people in America. I see your point that having 6 grocery stores within 10 blocks is problematic because ideally we would all have a major grocery store across the street from where we live.
Even the 10 and 43 buses go to within 2 blocks of a QFC.
#1stworldproblem
There will also be an H-Mart opening soon at the light rail station, a few blocks away from that Safeway.