Six buildings on Broadway will be demolished for a six-story, mixed-use development:
The city’s Department of Planning and Development will hold a design oversight meeting with the developer on November 18—for a much larger building than previously planned. As of August last year, SRM Development proposed a 113-unit apartment building. But there were rumors that the project would expand; now the proposed building has doubled in size, and the developer is planning a 235-unit building with retail and office space on the ground floor. It will devour most of the block.
A building of this mass isn’t surprising—even amidst a recession—considering that a light-rail station will soon be complete a half-block south. And, while a few of the fated buildings are attractive, the only real cultural institution left on that block is Cafe Septieme. Septieme’s Rodney Bradshaw is the best server on earth, but the owner—Victor Santiago—has steadily driven the business into the ground since he bought the restaurant a few years ago. Santiago fired a manager for allowing employees to take the day off for an immigration march in 2006. And last time I went into Septieme, they were blaring smooth jazz.
*We’ll see if it actually gets built. Murray Franklyn bought all the property on Pine Street and Belmont Avenue a couple years ago, razed the buildings, and then did nothing—unless you consider a gravel parking lot something.
Prefect, with no sight to an end of the recession, building vacancies at an all time high, and construction nearing a stand the absolutely best thing we should do is tear down more buildings on the hill.
broadway is shaping up to be one ugly ass street
Ahhhh, are all the hipsters gonna have to move to Kent and Renton because they can’t afford the rents? Such a shame.
there’s no way this is happening anytime soon. the stranger should call SRM and ask.
and attend the DRB meetings – only you can prevent another POS like @ the n. end of b’way.
Your spellcheck failed again. It’s spelled “smoove jazz”. I’m pretty sure.
But I’d be very hesitant to base one’s preservation decisions on the pros and cons of any one particular current resident. We’re talking about the next hundred years here, when Septieme will probably be long gone.
I’m opposed to mega-projects in principle, but I’m willing to wait and see what horrors are produced here. If the retail spaces are shallow and wide, I’ll be pissed; if the facing along 10th is devoted entirely to loading docks, parking entrances, and blank walls, I’ll be irate. (It’s almost all surface parking now, with two charming houses along Thomas).
The Seafirst and First Security Bank buildings are of minor (but not zero) historical interest. The real problem with projects like this is the too-rapid injection of too much brand-new construction into a very mixed-vintage neighborhood. The question isn’t “should this building be saved?” but “can the character of this neighborhood survive this project?”
This becomes a question of what kind of businesses will the new construction attract? Broadway is changing; and while the kind of businesses that are hanging on there may seem rather low-value, cruddy immigrant-run businesses like nail salons and pho do contribute to a neighborhood feeling of sorts. Nostalgia for the old Broadway is pointless; that’s gone. And new multistory mixed-use buildings with expensive square footage, not so much, not based on the record in Seattle, not unless you see cruddy chain stores as an improvement (i.e., China First is not an improvement over Pho 900, even if it makes the developer happier).
Someone from this development came to the last Capitol Hill Community Council and encouraged lots of input from the neighborhood. So go give it to them.
We can’t stop development, but we can influence the way it impacts our neighborhood. We should be encouraging these developers to build smaller storefronts for a diversity of business plus affordable housing.
Sweet.
More Transit-Oriented Development is what we in Seattle need.
Now stop whining.
These buildings and businesses disappearing is unfortunate, but what I’m more curious about is to where will the farmers market be displaced?
I think Fnarf has also made some cogent and astute observations on the topic. On the loading dock question, from what I’ve seen it doesn’t look like the new big buildings up at 7th and Broadway have those issues…if that’s any indication…
At this point, I can’t imagine anything worse on Broadway, especially along that stretch. There’s virtually nothing of value in that area. I live right by there, and if I want decent food, I have to walk all the way to Pike/Pine or 15th. Worst case scenario, nothing improves.
Although I do agree with Fnarf that mega-projects are generally evil.
Fnarf, as someone who can see one of those buildings out his window, and who would see nearly the whole complex once it’s built, I agree with that comment 100%.
I wish new buildings on Broadway would have a little more architectural similarly to the building on the corner with American Apparel in it. It’s one of the few multi-story old buildings on broadway. If I had my way, new complexes that substantially change a street scape would have to be built in a compatible architectural style.
According to the map, it looks like the Bank of America and the parking lot behind where the farmer’s market is held are not part of this project. Unless I looked at it wrong.
As to projects resulting in big holes – they’re finally doing something at the one over at N 40th and Stone Way N …
“a light-rail station will soon be complete a half-block south”
I’m afraid that yours and my definition of “soon” differ greatly.
my apologies – I did look at the turned-sideways map wrong.
Oh well, maybe they could have the Farmer’s Market in the closed street when they make 10th a pedestrian only street on weekends …
This is starting to remind of a person who, as he gets older, has his organs replaced by those of a monkey.
Septieme’s food sucks, but I’ll miss Pho 900.
Septieme is one of the only places to get breakfast on the Hill where you never have to wait for a table, and the chilaquiles are the best. Plus they have cute little pots of tea. It’s my favorite low-key breakfast spot and I’d miss it if it disappeared. I have nothing really to add to the discussion, but damn.
What the duece? I’m sure those 200 plus apartments will be the really affordable ones too. Like $1400 a month for a studio for starters.
More like $2000 is my guess, once the riff-raff is forced to move to South East Seattle.
*It’s Official, Dominic is an idiot!*
The project on Pine was raring to go but stopped because 1 person sued over compliance with the neighborhood plan… that lawsuit will take several years to make the docket and be decided. I think that might have even been reported in The Stranger.
1) fuck cafe septieme and its stuck up waitstaff and shitty food
and 2) I think cap hill could use another gravel parking lot like the block where the manray, etc used to be
I agree with 7.
I grew up on E. Broadway. I lived in an apartment there and delivered newspapers there. I remember the little cafe that was there BEFORE septieme moved in. And I’m ready to say goodbye. here’s why.
These are one-story buildings, essentially strip-mall.
If this were Phoenix, they’d just make Broadway longer. But this is urban-density promoting Seattle. Residents and retail occupancy per square mile MUST go up within city limits, this is the best way to do such a thing.
No one-story building is safe. I’m glad to hear about this.
1. Septieme sucks and has for some time.
2. They better relocate Noah’s somewhere close.
3. Oh noes, my safe deposit box is in that BofA!
I’m hoping light rail will help expand Broadway’s horizons. Right now there’s nothing on that street that justifies a trip from another neighborhood. Anyone looking for a payday loan, a manicure, a bong, or a below-average meal can get that without making a special trip to Broadway.
I still miss Andy’s Diner, so I’m prolly the wrong person to ask for a subjective opinion on this.
The city should insist on a completed permit and proof of financing a year before demolition is scheduled to start. Who cares if this is an undue burden on the developers – the lost sales tax is too crucial.
Or, have the developer pay the estimated sales tax (based on existing businesses) while they putz around looking for financing.
Agree w/ Fnarf, but I do love that old bank facade. Maybe they could incorporate that into a new building and restore (or more likely recreate) a lobby for an entry to the apartment building.
Yeah on the bank facade. Why don’t more developers do that? They have to know that they aren’t going to pay for anything that nice now, or design anything so spectacular that it would be better than the bank facade, so why not incorporate it? Is it really so hard? I mean, I guess Sound Transit didn’t even try to incorporate any of the existing buildings at the light rail stop.