AT Monday nightsRegular Council Land Use Meeting, Surrey City Council granted final adoption to projects that have a combined total construction ofover $55 million that will create approximately 550 new jobs.

While we all have to do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is equally important to find ways to keep our local construction sector going that is so critical in creating so many meaningful and essential jobs, said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum.

Surrey City Council has made it a priority to ensure there is an environment for our builders and developers to carry through with their projects. Most importantly by doing so, we are making sure that projects are not only design ready, but shovel-ready as soon as possible in order for people to have access to the well-paid and skilled jobs created through the construction sector.

The total cost of the construction projects given final adoption, which include single family homes and a six-story rental apartment building, is $55,201,000.

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Surrey City Council focuses on job creation within local construction sector - Voiceonline.com

Tankless water heaters have come a long way in the last 10 years or so. One-third of respondents (33.2%) to our exclusive 2019 Multifamily Design+Construction Amenities Surveysaid they had installed tankless water heaters in an apartment or condominium community in the previous 12-18 months.

Sales of tankless water heaters in the overall residential marketmultifamily plus single-familyhave jumped from 7-9% in recent memory to 14 or 15% this year, according to Brian Fenske, Director of Commercial Sales for Navien, a tankless water heater and boiler manufacturer.

Navien NPE tankless water heaters "ganged" at West End Asteria Apartments, Boston. Photo: Navien Inc.

One particularly robust component of the multifamily marketnew urban luxury high-rise propertiesmay already have swung over to tankless systems, according to Steve Straus, President of engineering firm Glumac. Five years ago, the tank-to-tankless ratio on Glumac-engineered luxury high-rises was about 80/20; today, its 50/50, Straus said. The pace of adoption in this sector could portend greater acceptance in the broader multifamily market.

Despite these positive signs, many developers hold fast to the belief that tankless units cant produce enough hot water to meet the needs of hundreds of apartment or condo dwellers. Having used tank models for years, they see no reason to switch to tankless. Investors can be risk-adverse, said Straus.

According to Naviens Fenske, however, those days are over. Todays tankless units can supply a steady stream of hot water indefinitely. Manufacturers have markedly improved tankless units, overcoming the perceived drawbacks and improving performance to the point where developers, operators, builders, and engineers should consider using them in multifamily projects.

Navien tankless water heater being installed by Smith Plumbing & Heating, Nashua, N.H. Photo: Navien Inc.

The choice of water heaters should be preceded by a comprehensive analysis of all the options: tank vs. tankless, gas vs. electric, brand vs. brand, model vs. model. Lets look at 12 factors your team should consider in evaluating tankless water heaters for your next multifamily project.

1. Tankless water heaters solve the capacity problem. The most important advantage of tankless systems, said Fenske, is that they provide an endless supply of hot water to your tenants and condominium owners. Thats because tankless systems instantaneously heat the water based on immediate demand, whereas tank systems can temporarily run out of hot water after a period of heavy use. One thing you dont need is angry building occupants complaining about cold showers.

2. Tankless water heaters save space. Tankless units typically occupy 4060% less space than comparable tank units, according to Fenske, who also conducts training, design, and product development for Navien. This is especially important since the latest energy code standards require beefier insulation jackets for new tank units, adding several inches to their girth.

Reducing the space needed for water heaters by a half or so is a significant benefit for multifamily developers, especially in large high-rise projects, said Glumacs Straus. Ganging tankless water heaters in the basement could create more space for, say, a bigger dog washing room.

3. Tankless water heaters are easy to install and provide reliable hot water service. Tankless units can be ordered in pre-assembled rack systems that simplify installation. Centralized or zoned systems provide redundancy and reliability, and are often preferred for large multifamily buildings. Our clients almost always want centralized systems, said Straus. When arranged in parallel, if one unit fails, others can take its place.

Straus said his clients avoid using dispersed systems. They dont want the maintenance associated with servicing individual tankless heaters in every living unit, he said.

Rinnai tankless water heater in rack formation. Photo: Rinnai America Corp.

4. Tankless water heaters score high on energy efficiency. The U.S. Energy Department standard for measuring energy efficiency in similar types of water heaters is the uniform energy factor, or UEF. The higher the UEF, the more energy efficient the water heater.

According to Energy Star, gas tankless water heaters have a UEF of at least 0.87 to as high 0.97 for the most efficient gas units, known as condensing gas models, which use a second heat exchanger to heat water with the exhaust gas. Electric tankless water heaters have a UEF of 0.96 to 0.99, while the UEF of commercial tank water heaters can range from 0.80 to 0.90 according to Energy Star. (Note: The UEF rating does not take into account the cost of producing and delivering natural gas or electricity.)

5. Tankless heaters have a reasonable payback period. Tankless water heaters cost anywhere from 30-40% more up front vs. tank systems, although this premium comes down significantlyand can even disappearwhen multiple (ganged) tankless installations are compared to multiple commercial tank and boiler combinations.

Tankless systems can save 15-25% on energy costs compared to tank systems, depending on the type, the brand, and specific product and model features. If your project is located in a service area with high utility rates, the payback period will be quicker. Your estimator, preconstruction expert, or MEP engineer needs to weigh all these variables to determine the anticipated payback periods for the various systems you may be considering.

If youre going to hold the property and youre looking at cost of ownership over a longer payback period, tankless is going to be a better value for you in almost every situation, said Ansley Houston, Senior Director of Commercial Business for Rinnai America Corp., manufacturer of gas tankless water heaters.

6. Tankless water heaters can contribute to your green marketing campaign. If youre seeking a green certification, such as LEED, or promoting your use of Energy Star appliances, youll want to mention your tankless water heaters in your sales and marketing initiative.

Developers in parts of the country where conservation is either mandated or valued by consumers can show what theyre doing to save energy and water, said Julius Goodman, Marketing Head with Stiebel Eltron, a manufacturer of electric tankless models.

Rheem tankless water heater installed in individual unit. Photo: Rheem

7. Tankless water heaters have a long lifespan. According to the DOE (https://bit.ly/3b0jqO6), most tankless water heaters will last more than 20 years; comparable tank units average 10-15 years. Thats because tankless units dont have the most common point of failure in tank unitsthe tank itself. Check the warranty for coverage of labor, parts, and the heat exchanger.

8. Tankless water heaters may soon be required by code. Tankless units may become a necessity, not a choice, as energy-efficiency codes become tougher. Glumacs Straus noted that tank units with a low UEF (0.80 or less) may fail to meet more restrictive state or local energy codes in the near future.

9. Tankless systems are relatively easy to maintain. The maintenance needs of tankless water heaters depend largely on the quality of the water being fed into them. Hard water can leave mineral deposits on heat exchange elements. When hard water is the only alternative, install a water softening system. Tank water heaters, which store large volumes of water, are more susceptible to mineral buildup than tankless models.

One manufacturer, Navien, uses stainless steel heat exchangers that are more resistant to corrosion from minerals in the water than the more commonly used copper tubing.

Polluted air and contaminated combustion also can be a problem in gas units, as air drawn in for combustion can leave deposits in the heat exchange chambers. Proper installation steps should be taken to assure clean combustion air for gas-fired appliances. Here, too, gas models with stainless steel heat exchangers will resist corrosion more effectively. For optimal operation the combustion elements should be cleaned during scheduled annual maintenance.

10. Gas tankless water heaters may earn utility rebates. Some gas utilities offer rebates for gas tankless units. Utility rebates for electric tankless water heaters are generally less available. Check with your local utility for current rebates.

11. Todays tankless units are getting smarter and smarter. The latest tankless models have sensors that detect when demand fluctuates and send a signal to smart electronic controls that automatically cascade the number of units in operation, so that hot water supply keeps pace with demand. Manufacturers are adding Wi-Fi capability to many models that allow your operations staff to monitor and adjust the units remotely. Check with your supplier, as the technology is getting more sophisticated almost by the minute.

Noritz tankless water heater assembly. Photo: Noritz

12. Work with your tankless water heater supplier. If youre new to tankless systemsor just have a questionconsult with the manufacturer or dealer, especially in the early stages of design, when important decisions are being made. They are eager to provide technical advice to make your project successful.

Stiebel Eltron electric tankless water heater. Photo: Stiebel Eltron

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Tankless water heaters: 12 things to know about these energy savers for multifamily housing - Building Design + Construction

A new transit-oriented development is on the way in Carrollton with office, hotel and retail space.

The $300 million Carrollton Gateway development is planned along Interstate 35E at Broadway and Dickerson streets.

Local developer Namhawk LLC is building the project, starting with a six-story, 325-unit apartment block with retail and restaurant space on the ground floor.

A 150,000-square-foot office building is planned in the second phase.

The Carrollton Gateway mixed-use project is across the street from DARTs Trinity Mills commuter rail station.

Ratliff Group LLC will be the manager for the development, and Page Architects designed the first phases of the project and the master plan.

Construction is set to begin later this year.

The first phase apartment community will include a fitness center, a third floor terrace, a pool with cabanas and a coworking and meeting space.

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$300 million Carrollton development includes apartments, retail and office - The Dallas Morning News

UPTOWN A parking lot that for years served patrons of the Uptown Theatre and other entertainment venues will be redeveloped into a five-story apartment building.

Developer JAB Realty is seeking a building permit to begin turning the parking lot at Lawrence and Magnolia avenues into a five-story, 54-unit apartment building with ground-floor retail space, city records show. The project is a transit oriented development, meaning it can offer fewer than the citys required number of parking spaces because of its proximity to major public transit lines.

A building permit has yet to be approved, city records indicate. The development would replace a parking lot behind the Uptown Theatre that has been around for nearly 60 years, according to Uptown Update.

Chicago-based JAB Realty bought the parking lot last year for $3.45 million, property records show.

Little else is known about the planned development, however. The developer is not seeking a zoning change as the propertys current zoning allows for high-rise housing. That means the project does not require aldermanic approval, like many developments that require zoning changes.

Ald. Matt Martins office only learned of the development proposal after a 47th Ward staffer saw construction signage at the site. Josh Mark, Martins director of development and infrastructure, said he then searched the propertys address in building permit databases, and then asked City Hall staff for help learning more. The developer is using the address 4806 N. Magnolia Ave., which previously was not used for the property, complicating the search, Mark said.

As-of-right building highlights a dichotomy in Chicagos development approval process, Mark said.

Either [aldermen] have veto power and full say, or we have zero power, Mark said.

Renderings of the development have not yet been made public, Mark said. A representative for JAB Realty did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

Once built, the building would neighbor the Uptown Theatre, which is undergoing a $75 million renovation that would make the long-dormant theater the center of Uptowns reinvigorated entertainment district. After years of fits and starts, work on the theater renovation is scheduled to ramp up this year, Ald. James Cappleman (46th) previously said.

JAB Realtys project is just the latest large-scale apartment project planned for Uptown and it isnt the only one where a parking lot property will be repurposed for residential use.

A few blocks east of the JAB site, Cedar Street is working to turn another long-time parking lot off Lawrence Avenue into an 84-unit rental complex. Closer to the lakefront, developers are seeking to redevelop a parking lot at the former Immaculata High School campus into a 23-story senior living center.

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Parking Lot Behind Uptown Theatre Will Be Turned Into 5-Story Apartment Building - Block Club Chicago

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. City Manager Mark Watson told a crowd of about 50 people last week that construction will begin on a line of five stores in the next couple of weeks at the Main Street Oak Ridge development.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. City Manager Mark Watson told a crowd of about 50 people last week that construction will begin on a line of five stores in the next couple of weeks at the Main Street Oak Ridge development.

The stores, as stated on developer RealtyLinks website, will include Five Below, a discount store. The other four stores are not identified.

Watsons announcement came during a talk at the League of Women Voters Lunch with the League meeting which took place Tuesday, March 3.

The line of stores, proposed by RealtyLink, has faced its share of controversy. Among other issues, citizens have criticized it for closing off a previous entrance to the development from South Rutgers Avenue which had a roundabout.

However, Watson spoke of the five upcoming businesses and the development as a sign of progress.

We all remember the black hole in the center of our community, Watson said regarding the vacant spaces at Oak Ridge Mall in its last days.

At an earlier meeting of the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, Watson said the transfer date for the new businesses will be in August.

Itll move pretty fast during this time, he said.

Watson said the contractor is Vanoy Construction, which he described as the folks that knocked down the old Sears Building, also at the Main Street Oak Ridge site.

The five new stores fit with Watsons general theme about change in Oak Ridge.

He described the current South Illinois Avenue shopping center which includes Aldi, Panera, Dos Bros, Aubreys, Fast Pace Urgent Care and Aspen Dental as formerly just a grassy lot that now is jam packed with users.

Watson spoke positively about recent and upcoming changes in the city during his time as manager, including the new Senior Center, new fountain in the center of Jackson Square, new housing for the International Friendship Bell, and residential developments like The Preserve at Oak Ridge, formerly Rarity Ridge.

He also spoke of several developments in the future including the new Water Treatment Plant, renovations to Scarboro Park and the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool.

Applewood Apartments

Watson spoke positively about the demolition of the Applewood Apartments on West Hunter Circle, East Hunter Circle and Hillside Road, which were in violation of several city codes. He described working with the owner as an obstacle.

Today the old site is ready for development. Unfortunately it still has the same owner, he told the crowd. That owner, although Watson did not mention him by name, is Joe Levitt.

Vacant buildings

An audience member asked Watson about vacant retail buildings.

Watson said the city can take some vacant buildings owners to court for not upgrading their buildings. For example, he said, the city is currently looking at an old Chinese restaurant site that was not inhabitable.

When the market changes, youll begin to see some new things happen, he said.

Data Center, test track

Watson spoke about a future data center either at the Heritage Center or the Horizon Center. He said there had been inquiries over the last five years, including one the city is negotiating now. During an interview, when asked about the low number of jobs data centers generate, Watson explained the data center would generate new property tax revenue for the city.

Also at the meeting, Watson touched on another Horizon Center project, a proposed motorsports complex and test track. City IDB Chairman David Wilson is still negotiating the projects details and the IDB will also have to agree to sell the land. At the meeting, however, Watson did give some details about the proposal. He said people would use it for some testing of cars and some recreation.

This is not Bristol, he said, referencing the Bristol Motor Speedway. Were not talking 100,000 people coming to watch a race. He also said the project wont sear the landscape with total tree clearing.

Main Street Lofts

Another development Watson talked about to the League of Women Voters was the Main Street Lofts apartment development at the former American Museum of Science and Energy site. The project will involve demolishing the old building to build the apartments.

Watson has said there have been continued delays with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development concerning the development.

Well continue to push that along, he recently told the IDB.

Ben Pounds is a staff reporter for The Oak Ridger. Call him at (865) 220-5502 and follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal.

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City manager: Construction of five stores to begin soon - Oak Ridger

March 11, 2020

Chicago-based developerMoceri + Roszak is launching sales forParkline Chicago, a new 26-story luxury tower featuring 24 residential condominiums,190 apartments and 6,400square feet of ground-floor retail at 60 E. Randolph St. in the Loop. The buildings sales gallery is slated to open on March 18.

Currently under construction, withClark Constructionas general contractor,the condos are expected to deliver in spring 2021. Leasing of the apartments will begin closer to the completion of the building, which is scheduled for mid-2021.

The hybrid apartment/condominium model allows for the inclusion oftwo additional floors of best-in-class amenities that would be challenging to include in a condo-only project, said Moceri + Roszaks Thomas Roszak. All amenities will be professionally managed and maintained, and the thoughtful mix of offerings will greatly benefit each condo owners lifestyle and property value.

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Hybrid Apartment/Condo Tower Coming to the Loop - ConnectCRE

A San Antonio developer is starting work this month on nearly 300 luxury apartments in northern Bexar County.

Embrey Partners LTD is building the complex, a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, on U.S. 281 just outside Hill Country Village.

We worked closely with officials from Hill Country Village to ensure that our community concept plan would fit the context of the adjacent neighborhood, Jimmy McCloskey, executive vice president for development, said in a statement.

On ExpressNews.com: Owner of former Lone Star Brewery complex wants at least $13.5 million for property

The firm bought land in the area last month, deed records show. Much of the property is outside the city limits, and Embrey has an agreement with the Hill Country Village requiring it to pay an annual fee of more than $40,000 in lieu of taxes.

Embrey also will apply for permits from the city and follow its landscape ordinance, Mayor Gabriel Durand-Hollis said.

We felt that it was a win-win, he said. They stay in the extraterritorial jurisdiction rather than be subject to our city taxes, but its still a lower fee than if they went into San Antonio.

Rents at the complex, dubbed the Estates at Hill Country Village, will range from $1,200 to $2,500 per month. Embrey declined to disclose the cost of the project.

Residents are expected to begin moving in during the second quarter of 2021 and construction to wrap up in early 2022.

Embrey is known for building upscale apartments in Texas and other states. In San Antonio, the developer has built complexes at the Pearl, near the Rim and on the far West Side.

On ExpressNews.com: Terramark building mixed-income apartment complex on near West Side

The company is working on a mixed-use development with luxury apartments and office space near Alamo Heights thats expected to be finished in fall 2021. Embrey plans to move its headquarters there, taking about half of the office space and leasing out the rest.

The firm also is teaming with Area Real Estate, a San Antonio developer led by David Adelman, to demolish several self-storage buildings near downtown and construct apartments and office, retail and commercial space. The plans also call for removing several billboards that have long been viewed as an eyesore.

Construction is expected to start this spring and take roughly a year, Adelman said in November.

madison.iszler@express-news.net

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Developer building nearly 300 luxury apartments in north Bexar County - San Antonio Express-News

Treasure Coast Newspapers Published 4:00 a.m. ET March 11, 2020

Would-be Centennial Place architect Andres Duany wants to convert towering "Big Blue" into a conference center. He doesn't understand Vero. Height restrictions have given our town an envied tree canopy. We want to keep it that way. "Big Blue" must go.

Stephen Madeline, Vero Beach

Gil Smart's Feb. 26 column about the Stuart Springtree development is factually erroneous and poorly reasoned. Smart incorrectly described the proposed project as "a 280-town home plan on 13.5 acres along U.S. 1." The project actually consists of 270 or 280 "resort style" apartments in seven four-story buildings. No workforce or affordable housing units are proposed.

The property was annexed by the city in 2017. It is surrounded by single-family homes and mobile homes that have been around for decades. The developer wants to change commercial zoning like the zoning on other properties along Federal Highway to multi-family residential zoning. Only two of the seven proposed apartment buildings are on the highway. The others are farther back on the property near surrounding homes. Vehicles entering or leaving the project will use the existing neighborhoods' entry drives, adding an estimated 1,500 trips a day.

As a resident of a single-family neighborhood in Stuart, should I worry that the city will approve a four-story apartment building on the vacant lot up the street? Should residents of existing neighborhoods outside the city worry that Stuart will annex adjacent properties and destroy their neighborhoods by changing the development pattern and rules to benefit developers and city coffers?

Smart asks what can be done when a property owner wants to build an incompatible development next door. The answer is simple: Work with the neighbors. Don't be a bully. Design your project in a way that will complement, not destroy, the character of existing neighborhoods.

We can protect our neighborhoods by using common sense in planning, designing, and approving new development. Good developers make good neighbors. Bad developers destroy our quality of life and community character.

Virginia Sherlock, Stuart

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign rally in Dearborn, Michigan, on March 7.(Photo: Paul Sancya, Associated Press)

Sorry, Gil Smart, but you completely missed the mark in your March 4 column declaring that the Jensen Beach Boulevard widening/resurfacing project is the most annoying road construction project on the Treasure Coast.

I submit that the Kanner Highway widening project tops the list of most annoying. First we suffered through almost three years (2016 to 2019) of widening Kanner Highway from three to six lanes between the I-95 Interchange and Monterey Road.

Now those of us who live south of the I-95 Interchange are suffering through another projected two years (2019 to 2021) of widening Kanner Highway from two lanes to four lanes between I-95 and Pratt Whitney Road (CR-711). Were currently enduring the fourth year of construction between us and Downtown Stuart.

At present the Florida Club turning lanes have been eliminated. The entrance to the Florida Club is almost totally obscured and impossible to find at night. The Florida Club entrance is a rear-end collision waiting to happen for those attempting to make a left turn into the club.

Karl Saal, Stuart

Another year has passed without answer to the basic question on claims of pay inequities. Suzanne Jones March 1 letter claims that working women and racial minorities are victims of sex- and race-based discrimination, and that women are paid only 80 cents for every dollar paid to a man.

The question, again, is why a single sane employer would employ a man if he or she had to pay a 25 percent premium over what a female employee could be paid for exactly the same or comparable work? Clearly, employers would not do so and many men would be unemployed, priced completely out of the labor market. Is it at all possible that factors other than misogyny and racism may influence pay disparities in the United States?

Jim Trout, Sebastian

I do not want Bernie Sanders as the Democratic candidate for president of the United States. I don't like the way he talks. I don't like his socialistic agenda. I don't believe some of his statements are accurate. I don't like the fact that he won't release his doctors' records. You can pay people enough to write what you want them to write, so letters from three doctors are not the same as the medical records. He has had a heart attack.

Being president of the U.S. is a very stressful job. Electing a person like Bernie Sanders will create upset like we had with the election of President Trump, but in a different way.

Margaret Eubank, Port St. Lucie

Andy Marlette(Photo: Andy Marlette)

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Letters to the Editor: March 11, 2020 - TCPalm

Despite being twice delayed, a new 15-story apartment building soon should be coming to Duluth's downtown skyline.

Adam Fulton, deputy director of Duluth's planning and economic development division, expressed optimism the project will be ready to go soon, beginning with the demolition of the Voyageur Lakewalk Inn, the former Hacienda Del Sol restaurant and a building that was formerly home to the First Oriental Grocery store.

"The City has been in close conversation with the development team on this project, and we anticipate they will be finalizing financing over the next few weeks. As far as next steps, we anticipate that demo, site prep, and construction will begin in the spring of 2020," he said Thursday.

Initially, Northstar Development Interests LLC was to have started work on a sleek glass-paneled apartment building in August of last year, but the Duluth Economic Development Authority twice amended a development agreement for the $75 million project, extending the deadline to commence work first to Dec. 31, 2019 and then to April 30 of this year.

Lakeview Tower at 333 E. Superior St. is expected to boast 204 apartments, with commercial space on the ground floor, perhaps even a grocery store.

The project involves Duluth-based Titanium Partners LLC and Madison-based Landmark Development. Brian Forcier, Titanium's managing partner, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The development is expected to proceed with the help of $6.2 million in tax-increment financing a form of subsidy that uses new property taxes generated by a project to cover certain qualifying development costs.

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Final preparations in works for construction to begin on downtown Duluth high-rise - Duluth News Tribune

For a building still behind construction fencing, with plywood strewn around because of the mud, Station House on Capitol Hill sure is a popular place.

Though the 110-unit apartment building isnt set to open for another five weeks, its already received 1,300 rental applications which equals more than 10 people or families lining up for a shot at each apartment, sight unseen.

Three hundred applications were filed in the first ten minutes, like show tickets going on sale. It reached a thousand in the first day, says Capitol Hill Housing, the developer of the building at the corner of E. John St. and 10th Avenue East.

Were in the thick of an affordable housing crisis, and this is what it looks like, said Yiling Wong of the nonprofit developer.

The building is subsidized to be affordable to renters making 60 percent of Seattles median income meaning the most you can make to live there is $66,000 for a family of four (family median income here now tops $110,000). The buildings rent for a one bedroom maxes out at $1,210 a month. That may not sound that cheap, but its about 40 percent below Capitol Hills average one-bedroom market rent of $2,100.

This is how its going whenever affordable housing opens around Seattle. Last week the online site Crosscut reported that a new nonprofit building in the Central Area drew 850 applications for just 74 spots.

Its quite the contrast to where I work, down in Seattles crane-pocked crater where the prosperity bomb went off. In South Lake Union and also downtown, its been common during the past year to see signs begging renters to apply.

UP TO 8 WEEKS FREE! says a deal right now at West Edge, a new luxury tower downtown.

Resident-Only Exclusive Memberships to SLUs Hottest Social Club, says a leasing deal at The Marlowe, in the Amazon jungle.

The four-quarter average of vacancy rates in South Lake Union is 12 percent meaning about one of every eight apartments has been empty over the last year, according to figures from Apartment Insights/RealData, which surveys landlords here quarterly. Thats better than it was a year ago, when 18 percent were vacant.

The rents in some of these new buildings are astronomical. The West Edge, for example, is advertising that21 units are available immediately (out of 339). The average rent for these 21 units is $7,000 per month (it ranges from $2,500 for a one bedroom on the second floor to $19,000 a month for a 38th floor penthouse).

The luxury building boom downtown is driving rents to San Francisco heights. Apartment Insights surveyed the buildings that are going through lease-up (which typically means theyve opened in the past 12 months), and found that in these new buildings the average rent in South Lake Union was $3,241. In downtown Seattle, it was even higher, at $3,489. The most rarefied neighborhood of all, downtown Bellevue, saw the average rent in new buildings hit an altitude-defying $4,580 a month. Two Lincoln Tower in Bellevue currently has one empty apartment going for $21,700 a month or more than a quarter-million dollars a year, just for rent.

In New York, which is well ahead of us in hollowing out its middle class soul, theyve coined a term for this: bluelining. In the redlining of 50 years ago, the financial industry deprived entire neighborhoods of resources. Here the worry is the opposite: That certain parts of town are being deluged with so much investment aimed only at the uber-wealthy (the blue bloods) that entire neighborhoods are becoming off-limits to anyone else. Plus, money chasing ever more luxury causes shock waves of higher rents down the line.

New Yorks example is extremethe squeezed middle class, shrink-wrapped into tiny bedrooms, beneath a canopy of empty sky palaces, The Atlantic magazine wrote about the phenomenon.

That is extreme here our sky palaces arent exactly empty (the Apartment Insights report said theres a very healthy appetite in Seattle for $5,000 per month apartments). But we are well on our way to becoming what inequality activist Chuck Collins calls a swanktuary city. When you have 1,300 people lined up for a shot at a modest apartment building, but its the sky palaces that keep rising in huge waves of development, something is getting seriously out of whack.

More subsidized housing (which likely means more taxes) is one obvious answer. But at some point society may also have to grapple with the meaning of housing altogether: Is it for people to live in, or our money?

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Swanktuary city: No vacancy in Seattle, except at the top - Seattle Times