As we reported earlier, Wood Partners is scheduled to begin construction tomorrow, June 1st. Today, the Seattle PI Real Estate Blog posted an updated along with a rendering of the project.
According to the Seattle PI post, Steve Orser with Wood Partners is quoted as saying, “We are thrilled that our initial project is in Wedgwood, a terrific neighborhood well-known for its excellent walkability and small-town feel…The area is very desirable and has seen steady growth since 2000, and we expect that to continue.” Wood Partners is “committed to developing a project that has a strong sense of connection to the community, including incorporating Wedgwood art into the project.”
The Wedgwood Land Use Committee has been trying to work constructively with Wood Partners to bring ground floor retail back to the project as it was originally proposed. However, to date the project still proposes only 7 live/work units and no retail space. We trust that Wood Partners will continue to pursue potential retail partners for the project.
In related news, the Wedgwood Action Group (WAG) has reactivated their blog today after a long hiatus. According to WAG, they will “chronicalize and monitor the developments at this location.”
Our thanks to WAG for their work with the previous owner’s (Murray Franklyn) and the strong agreement that they reached.
I thought this project was permitted stating retail space would be created (just not a bar or restaurant) and it certainly must have gone through design review given the size. I am surprised and saddened that this change can be made within the existing permit. Can anyone comment on this who has had dealings with the city or developers. Thanks.
Geoff,
Per the code, the project is required to provide ground-floor commercial. Murray Franklyn’s designed called for ground-floor retail space, but due to the economics of projects at the moment many mixed-use developments are shying away from retail and opting for live/work units (also considered commercial). They’re less risky versus retail, in the eyes of developers at the moment, in terms of finding a sustainable tenant.
The land use committee believes our commercial core is deficient in retail space and that retail space can be successfully filled. We have approximately 14 months before the project is completed. We are continuing to support Wood Partners in their search for suitable retail tenants and adjust their plans accordingly.