Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

You want the best price to sell your home and you want to sell it yesterday, right?

Regardless of your home's listing price and all the pretty pictures online with expensive staging, Realtors still show your house live with buyers. And this is when too many deals fall apart or the offer you receive is way below what you expected.

Why? Because the home is not clean and appears not to be maintained with care. And this is the responsibility of both the homeowner and your Realtor.

Consistently, we read about surveys and horror stories about how little effort sellers invest in how their property shows. Dirt, rotten food in the fridge, pet odors (cats have caused more deals to go south than any animal on the planet), water leaks, mold on walls, dead mice behind washing machines--the list goes on. If your home looks, smells, feels unmaintained, the home inspector will not be on your side and the offer--if it ever is written--will not be what you expect.

As a former homebuilder, investor buying and selling and consulting on how to sell properties, I, like you, realize what critical areas in a home can cause heartburn and trepidation in buyers not wanting to have to fix/replace broken stuff in your house for sale.

If you're selling now or thinking about selling, here's a checklist to insure your home is looking it's best to secure the best offer. And if you're a Realtor, it's your responsibility to hold your client accountable to present a home that shows respectfully, and doesn't hamper your reputation of presenting a good product. If the homeowner doesn't realize what's important--it's your job to coach them, pure and simple. No excuses.

1.Clean the house to an inch of its life. Hire a crew if need be, but clean it. Every single corner should shine. No cobwebs, bugs, dirt, pet hair, soap scum, or grime under/behind appliances, tops of cabinets or under sinks. Show pride in the home.

2. If it smells like cat urine, get rid of the carpet that stinks and find a place for the cat to live for a while. Cat urine kills every deal. If it smells like cigarette smoke, do what is needed to eliminate it. Listen to your Realtor.

3.Dirty carpet gives the perception you don't care about how you take care of your home. True or not, that's the impression. Clean sells.

4.Dirty windows, screens and tracks need attention. Clean, lubricate and make them sparkle.

5.Front door damage, scratched, threshold dirty? Entries tell what condition the home will be in what pride a owner takes. Paint it, clean it.

6. If something is broke, fix it. Invest a little now or get a lowball offer later.

7.Utility rooms: Wipe and shine up the furnace and water heater like a new car! New furnace filter, clean behind it, wash the floor, add a brighter light bulb, clean the dryer vent and make sure it's hooked up properly. Wipe the washer and dryer too, clean the shelves of supplies and wipe out the utility sink. If your mechanicals are not spotless, they look like they don't work properly. Does the water softener even work? Is there salt or a dead body in the salt tank?

8. Sump pump pits: Spray paint the cover to make pretty, clean out the pit, wipe the discharge pipes to look white again.

9. Window wells: Have you looked in window well in the past 10 years? It's a jungle and cemetery in there. Clean out the bones of mice and frogs, clean the window and well cover so the sunlight can actually get through. Add more stone to level the area to look clean.

10. If there is any leaking faucets, drains under sinks, shut off valves, get them fixed now. If a shut off valve is frozen, this dangerous and it will cost you a lower offer. Run drain cleaner in every sink and clean out the hair balls hanging from tub and sink drains. Make sure drains run properly.

11. Label every shut off valve, every breaker, damper, etc. with a fresh, bright label to show you care and make it easy for the owner to see where things are. It shows you are aware of these simple things. This scores points with home inspectors.

12. Clean out ceiling vents and return air grills. Wipe the dirt, replace rusty ones and level every outlet cover to make things look crisp and well kept.

13. Crawl spaces. Clean out junk and add a fresh plastic liner to keep moisture and odors to a minimum and to show you take care of your home. Add a brighter bulb and remove any old dirty insulation hanging from the ceiling or side walls.

14. Check for mold in your attic. You can't hide it and if you don't fix it now, you'll have to fix it later. Bite the bullet and repair it.

15. Replace toilet seats that are ancient. Clean the caps and rinse out the water tank with bleach so it looks cleaner, working order and smells better.

16. Fix sink drains and dripping faucets. Secure towel bars.

17. Re-caulk bath and shower tile. Filthy scummy, hard water stained fixtures are not appealing.

18. Kitchen: Clean and level every door, every hinge and wipe out under every cabinet and make it shine and get rid of anything that is not pretty or clean. Run vinegar thru the dishwasher and clean the fried interior like your mother-in-law was going to inspect this weekend.

19. Closets: Clean it, deodorize it and your 30 pair of shoes too.

20. Vacuum under the beds and make sure closet doors work.

21. Clean the fireplace and make sure the damper works, the hearth is clean and the doors are clean, working and are safe. Make it appealing, not look like a fire hazard.

22. Do bath and bedroom door locks work? Are they loose, sticking or missing? Fix them now. Door bumpers broken? Holes in the wall? Closet pull chains not working?

23. The garage: if it looks like a disaster, buyers presume it will take too long for you to get out after closing. Clean it out, paint the walls and brighten the lite bulb.

24. Clean your gutters and downspouts, trim bushes from windows and clean the sidewalks and outdoor light fixtures. Does the front door lock work easy? Does the doorbell work? Make it look inviting, clean and safe.

25. Information accessible: Have warranty cards, instruction booklets, HOA info all neatly placed in a folder. Make it easy for buyers to see you care.

The cost and investment in completing these items is far less than what the offer on your home will be discounted to when you see it.

Show buyers you take pride, take care and are proactive in maintaining your home. Realtors don't like being embarrassed showing properties that are not kept up and they won't work hard to get you the best offer either. Realtors don't want to make excuses for a poor looking property and won't bring their best customers to show your house. They're paid and incented to sell the sellable houses for the best price. Don't blame the realtor if you home doesn't look as good as it could. Tough love conversations, but no one else is going to tell you the truth you already know.

Read more:
And They Want How Much For This Place?: Home Selling Tips Realtors Need To Reinforce & Owners Need to Hear. - Chicago Daily Herald

Today only, as part of its Special Buy of the Day, Home Depot is offering up to 45% off select tools from DEWALT, Milwaukee, and more. Free shipping is available for all or you can opt for in-store pickup. Our top pick is the RYOBI 18V Cordless Combo Kit for $349. Thats down from the usual $450 price tag and $20 under the last deal we tracked. As a comparison, this bundle holds over $530 worth of value. Looking to build out a complete tool kit? This bundle checks all of the boxes with eight tools in all, including two drills, multiple saws, a sander, light, and more. Youll also receive two 4Ah batteries plus an additional 1.5Ah power pack, along with a wall charger. Two carrying cases are also included to help you keep everything nice and organized. Rated 4.7/5 stars by over 5,600 Home Depot reviewers. Head below for more top picks from todays sale.

Update 12/7 @ 7:7 PM: CPO Outlets via eBay Daily Deals is offering the SKILSAW 15A 7.25-inch Corded Circular Saw for $42.49 shipped with the code PWRTL15 at checkout. Originally $80, and still going for as much at Home Depot, todays deal is the best available. Rated 4.6/5 stars and ships with a 2-year warranty.

Another standout is the RYOBI 18V ONE+ AirStrike Nailer for $199. Thats down 20% from the regular going rate and matching our previous mention. Ideal for tackling various tasks around the home, such as trim and detail work. It also ships with a1.5Ah battery and a charger alongside a 3-year warranty.Rated4.6/5 stars.

Browse through the rest of todays sale for more deals on tools from DEWALT, Milwaukee, and other big names. This promotion is good for today only and some listings are beginning to sell out, so act now if something catches your eye.

Building out a toolbox for the first time?Check out our DIY essentials guidefor a step-by-step guide to putting together a toolbox.

Enter the RYOBI ONE+ 18V System with the PCK600KN Cordless 8-Tool Combo Kit with 3 Batteries, a Charger, and 2 Tool Bags. The PCK600KN features a 1/2 in. 2-Speed Drill/Driver, 1/4 in. Impact Driver, Reciprocating Saw, 6-1/2 in. Circular Saw, Multi-Tool, Jig Saw, 5 in. Random Orbit Sander, LED Light, 1.5 Ah Battery, (2) 4.0 Ah Batteries, 18V Charger, and 2 tool bags. The (2) included 4.0 Ah batteries and (1) 1.5 Ah battery feature lithium-ion cells for longer overall life. The 18V Charger is compatible with all ONE+ 18V Lithium-Ion Batteries. Best of all, this kit is part of the RYOBI ONE+ 18V System of over 175 cordless tools that all work on the same battery platform.

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Today only, Home Depot discounts DEWALT, Milwaukee, and others by up to 45% - 9to5Toys

Coney Islands mini-development boom continues with developer LCOR planning to build a 461-unit residential development on Surf Avenue.

LCOR filed plans with the New York City Department of Buildings last week to build a 16-story development, with 139 affordable units included, at 1515 Surf Avenue between West 15th and West 16th streets, city records show. The development was first reported by Crains New York Business.

The project, which Studio V Architecture is designing, will have an outdoor pool, a gym, tenant lounges, coworking spaces, an indoor basketball court and a parking garage, according to LCOR. It will also have 11,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor.

At LCOR, we pride ourselves on identifying sites for new development that generate opportunities for both our residents and the surrounding neighborhoods at large, and I am confident that our latest project in Coney Island fits this bill, LCOR Executive Vice-President and Principal David Sigman said in a statement. With several new developments underway on Surf Avenue, along with the zoning changes and public infrastructure investment, we are bullish about how much demand there will be to live here, and are excited to be a part of this next chapter for Coney Island.

LCOR acquired a 99-year ground lease for the property from the owners of Gargiulos Restaurant, who have used it as a parking lot, late last year, Crains reported. The developer plans to break ground during the summer of next year and finish construction in 2024, a spokesman said.

Coney Island has experienced a mini-development boom in recent years, after the city passed a rezoning for the neighborhood in 2009 that allowed for more residential developments and high-rise hotels.

Developments include Cammebys International Groups Neptune/Sixth project, which will have a 42-story tower with 576 residential units; and Taconic Investment Partners, BFC Partners and L+M Development Partners mixed-use complex at 1709 Surf Avenue, which will have 1,000 residential units.

John Catsimatidis Red Apple Group started leasing for his pair of 21-story, luxury residential buildings, Ocean Drive, at the start of this year. The development has rents climbing just over $4,000 a month for a three-bedroom unit.

If you cant afford it, work harder and move into the next building we build, Catsimatidis previously told Commercial Observer. Were looking for people that know what its like to live on the beach and dont mind spending the extra few dollars.

Despite the pandemic, Catsimatidis is still confident in the neighborhood and recently told the Brooklyn Paper that he plans to build three more buildings in the Ocean Drive complex in the future.

Originally posted here:
Developer LCOR Plans 461-Unit Apartment Building in Coney Island - Commercial Observer

Dive Brief:

Aldis decision to place a supermarket within a residential project reflects a trend among real estate developers in recent years to include food retailers within mixed-use projects with residential components. The fact that the new store will be among the chains largest locations only underscores the importance grocers and neighborhood planners are placing on offering people the convenience of having a full-fledged supermarket just steps from where they live.

Apartment-dwellers have shown a willingness to pay extra to be able to walk from their homes to a food retailer. According to a study by RCLCO Real Estate Advisors, apartment buildings that contain a Whole Foods or Trader Joes bring in a 5.8% rental premium compared with other multifamily communities located close by. Although including a grocery store in a building can bring added construction costs, the developers have calculated that the extra rent they can collect by offering such an amenity to tenants is likely to compensate for the higher initial expenses.

Other examples of grocery stores within developments with substantial residential space that have opened recently include a Giant Food supermarket in Fairfax, Virginia and a Safeway in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C.Aldi plans to open another 25,000-square-foot store in the Washington, D.C., area in 2022. It has also built stores abroad that are as small as 6,000 square feet, underscoring the company's focus on flexibility.

The median size of a U.S. supermarket was 41,651 square feet in 2018,statistics compiled by the Food Industry Associationshow.

Continue reading here:
German grocer Aldi working on $5B US expansion plan - Construction Dive

SOMERVILLE, N.J. A Bound Brook man has been indicted by a Somerset County Grand Jury in connection with the Jan. 12 fire that destroyed two apartment buildings under construction on Main Street, Bound Brook and several adjacent buildings.

Juan Hector Padilla, age 29, of East Second Street facescharges of 2nd Degree Burglary, 2nd Degree Aggravated Arson, 3rd Degree Aggravated Assault (for injury to a firefighter), and 3rd Degree Hindering Apprehension of Oneself, according to Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson.

The seven-alarm fire that began at the construction site of the Meridia II building on East Main Street was first reported at 7:53 p.m., and raged throughout the night into the early morning of Jan. 13.The Bound Brook Fire Department, along with thirty-six fire companies from Somerset, Middlesex, Union, Hunterdon and Mercer Counties., as well as the New Jersey State Forestry Service responded.

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Due to radiant heat and wind, the fire spread quickly throughout the building and to adjacent buildings located on Main Street, according to Robertson.A firefighter was injured, suffering a sprained ankle.

Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutors Office, the Bound Brook Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Fire Investigation Unit, fire officials from Somerset County, and State and Federal investigators collaborated on thefire investigation.

Witnesses told investigators they had seenPadillawalking in the area of the Meridia II building several times leading up to the fire; footage from video surveillance cameras also captured the suspect on film, according to Robertson.

Padilla was arrested Jan. 13and charged on a criminal complaint with 2nd degree Aggravated Arson and 3rd degree Hindering Investigation Apprehension/False Information. Based on subsequent investigation, the defendant was later charged with Burglary and Aggravated Assault.

Padilla has been detained at the Somerset County Jail since his arrest.

The indictment was issued Dec. 2.

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Suspect Indicted for Setting Fire that Destroyed Apartment Buildings - TAPinto.net

Kodulahe O, a subsidiary of Arco Vara AS, has entered into construction and financing contracts for conducting the next residential development project of Kodulahe Kvartal.

In Merimetsa, Tallinn, the joint development of the 4th and 5th apartment building of Kodulahe Kvartal will be started at addresses Pagi 3 and Pagi 5 where 72 apartments will be constructed. On offer will be apartments with 2 to 5 rooms and with a total GSA of 4,777 m2. The buildings were designed by KAMP Arhitektid O, the main contractor of construction is RAMM Ehituse O and the construction is financed by AS LHV Pank. The buildings will be completed in the summer of 2022 and the expected income of the project is approximately 11.7 million euros.

Miko Niineme, the Executive Manager of Arco Vara AS, The interest of the clients in living in Kodulahe and the Merimetsa region is stably high and we think that the continuing the qualitative development of the region is important for the development of the entire city of Tallinn. It is worth to mention that it is the last stage of the planning area of Paldiski mnt 70c which Arco Vara has developed already as of 2014.

Tiina MalmCFOArco Vara ASTel: +372 614 4630tiina.malm@arcovara.com

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Arco Vara begins with the construction of the next Kodulahe stages - GlobeNewswire

The massive, roughly $350 million project to redevelop Tampas West River area is entering a third phase, which will include a market-rate apartment building and a grocery store.

Related Group, the Miami-based company with a leading role in the project, is planning a 325-unit, market-rate apartment building across North Boulevard from Howard W. Blake High School, according to Albert Milo, president of the companys affordable housing division. Rents in the new complex will start around $1,400.

Related also does intend to bring a national/regional grocer to the project, Milo said.

In an interview with the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Related president Jon Paul JP Perez said it would be a Publix. But Thursday, Milo stopped short of naming a company that had been selected, saying Related Group cannot provide any further details on that particular facet of the project at this time.

Publix did not return calls or emails seeking comment.

Milo did say that having a grocery store is important to fulfill the purpose of the project.

This is more than just a straightforward affordable housing redevelopment Related is looking to transform West River into a thriving, diverse community, where all residents have access to a home they can be proud of, including all services necessary for modern life and more, he wrote. Having a place where residents can find fresh, nutritious and fairly priced food is a key part of that vision.

Leroy Moore, the chief operating officer of the Tampa Housing Authority, also said he wasnt allowed to say which grocery store would be part of the development, but added: We do have a grocer and I refer to it as Floridas grocer of choice.

Moore said the neighborhood where the store will go is currently a food desert a term for areas without easy access to affordable and high-quality fresh food.

Without a doubt, its a huge need, he said. All too often workforce and affordable communities are left with less healthy food choices, more costly food choices and convenience-type stores as opposed to mainstay grocer stores, so this is a huge accomplishment.

Moore also said the grocery store will provide jobs within walking distance of many of the apartments, helping nearby residents earn income without transportation costs. Other aspects of the West River redevelopment project are also aimed toward that same goal, including the future construction of a multi-tenant office building, and possibly a hotel, south of Main Street, he said.

This newest phase of development follows the rehabilitation of the 150-unit Mary Bethune High Rise Apartments and the ground-breaking of the three Boulevard Towers, which each have at least 80 percent of their units priced for lower-income residents. Those three towers are still under construction, and other residential buildings are scheduled to begin construction within the next three to six months said Milo, of Related Group.

All in all, there are nearly 1800 units that are either under contract, funded completely or will be reasonably funded within the next year, Moore said, including 820 public housing units plus a mix of market-rate and affordable housing.

Much of the new construction is in the space left behind by the now-demolished North Boulevard Homes public housing project that used to occupy the area. Other projects on nearby land owned by the city could add to the total number of new housing units, Moore said.

Times staff writers Sara DiNatale and Christopher ODonnell contributed to this report.

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Is a new Publix part of next phase of Tampas West River project? - Tampa Bay Times

BEVERLY The former McDonald's restaurant on the Beverly waterfront was finally demolished last week to make way for a planned new restaurant. Not far away on the other side of the Beverly-Salem bridge, people are moving into a new apartment complex, which includes a waterfront walkway that gives the public access to that area for the first time.

Those developments mark the most significant signs of progress in decades for an area of the city that hasfailed to live up to its potential. After years of planning and delay, many are hoping the long-sought revitalization of the city's waterfront is starting to become a reality.

"That waterfront is a gem," said Mike Procopio, whose company built the new Sedna apartments on Congress Street. "It's one of the neatest spots on the North Shore. Bringing residents down to the water will lead to a kind of renaissance of that strip."

Marty Bloom, owner of the restaurant that will replace the McDonald's, said the symbolism of the long-vacant McDonald's finally coming down could wake people up to what is happening on the waterfront and eventually lead to more changes.

"Is this the beginning of the beginning?" Bloom said. "Hopefully it spurs on more rethinking. There are a lot of old buildings down there. Maybe this makes it viable for people to look at what they have and reimagine it. There's no reason in the world why Beverly should not have a world-class waterfront."

City officials dating back to former Mayor Bill Scanlon's administration have viewed the McDonald's site, which the city bought in 1995, as the key to unlocking the waterfront's potential. Previous efforts to lease it out for a restaurant ran afoul of zoning regulations, lawsuits and neighborhood opposition, leaving the former fast-food building to sit mostly idle for decades.

Bloom was the only bidder when the city sought another round of proposals two years ago. He secured final approval in October when the state OK'd a waterways license and neighbors who had opposed the project decided not to appeal.

The restaurant on Water Street will have 350 seats and will be called Mission Boathouse. Bloom saidhe plans to start construction next spring and open in the spring of 2022.

'An experience on the waterfront'

On the other side of the bridge, another long-delayed project is nearing completion. The Sedna apartments is a two-story complex on Congress Street with 62 apartments. One of its buildings opened in October and is 25% occupied, said Procopio, of the Lynnfield-based Procopio Companies. The other building will open in January.

Procopio said the company has gotten an "overwhelmingly positive" response from prospective tenants, particularly from older people who are looking to downsize. Rents range from $2,200 per month for a one-bedroom to $3,900 for a two-bedroom with the best views of the water.

Procopio said the new restaurant will be a "huge amenity" for residents of the new apartments and will help tie the waterfront together and make it more walkable.

"It makes it an experience on the waterfront, not just a place where somebody comes if they have a boat," he said. "Beverly has long been very desirable because of its unique location on the water. Yet much of Beverly has been restricted to single-family homes. We think Sedna really complements that. It brings that lifestyle out of the single-family and down to the waterfront."

Ward 2 City Councilor Estelle Rand, who represents the area, said the new apartment buildings have already had an impact on the neighborhood with its new sidewalks and public walkway. The walkway, which was required under the permitting process for the project, runs along the back of the complex and has benches, new landscaping, five public parking spaces, and great views of Beverly Harbor and the Danvers River.

The site, which was once the home of a business that produced uranium metal powder for the first atomic bomb,was previously occupied by shuttered industrial buildings and had been inaccessible for years.

"The walkway is gorgeous," Rand said. "That's an immediate and positive impact."

Rand said the full impact of the apartments on the neighborhood won't be known until they are fully occupied. Residents have expressed concern about traffic increases and parking crunches as a result of the apartments and the restaurant.

"It's important for me to keep my ears and eyes open for any problems that I can help solve when it comes to congestion and safety," Rand said.

Rand said the next step is to continue the effort to connect the public walkways on the waterfront, which as they stand now don't allow for a continuous route along the water. The apartments and the restaurant might not be accessible to all people from a socio-economic perspective, she said, but the public walkways are for everyone.

"Whether you support a restaurant or the apartments is not as important as realizing that these are landmark projects that should help us achieve our goal of connecting the waterfront," Rand said. "The access to the waterfront is just huge, because that's free. We can all enjoy that."

Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2535, by email at pleighton@salemnews.com, or on Twitter at @heardinbeverly.

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On the rise: At last, signs of movement on the Beverly waterfront - The Salem News

This5-story, 7-unit congregate residence with 132 sleeping rooms and 4 live-work units is proposed to be built at 5011 15th NW in Ballard. The design has been under development since 2018. A Land Use Application has been filed with the City of Seattle.

Hybrid Architecture image

A Land Use Application has been filed with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections to allow a 5-story, 7-unit congregate residence with 132 sleeping rooms and 4 live-work units to be built at 5011 15th NW in Ballard. No parking is proposed. The existing building willbe demolished. Early design guidance is conducted under 3032087-EG

The project has been in process since 2018 and is called PONTE and is being designed by Hybrid Architecture in Seattle.

It's been the subject of public meetings and has been through some design review board changes since the first submission.

Development Objectives

Provide mix of congregate and small efficiency dwelling units for single residents to live in an efficient but communal setting with shared kitchens and amenity lounge areas.

134 units

101 bicycle parking stalls (as req)

0 vehicular parking stalls (none are req)

The site is along a very busy intersection with a high volume of auto traffic at all hours of the day.

The site is located just north of the 15th Ave bridge and just southeast of downtown Ballard, which will provide future residents of this building with a variety of civic, commercial and recreational activities.

This project will activate a site that is currently occupied by a one - two story office / retail building along with an at grade parking lot.

This area is transitioning from industrial to residential and is in the process of establishing a new architectural character. This project aims to both acknowledge some of the industrial charm of the area while helping bring a contemporary architectural nature to the context.

Create welcoming courtyard environment

- a place for residents and guests to engage with outdoors

Provide a variety of efficient units

- maximize height and light / bright colors and tall ceilings

Establish sense of enclosure and privacy within busy context

- try to block noise from car wash & traffic from 15th Ave NW

Ecological & Sustainable

- harness rainwater in bio planters, use efficient and durable materials

PUBLIC COMMENT

The following public comments were offered at this meeting:

Concerned that parking is not proposed and resulting impacts to on-street parking in the surrounding area.

Concerned with the design and location of bicycle storage.

Questioned the timeline for approval and construction.

Concerned regarding the setback from the west property line and relationship to the adjacent structure.

1. Massing:

a. The Board expressed disappointment that massing options 1 and 2 were not developed to the same level as option 3. However, the Board agreed that option 3 best responds to the character of the three frontages and supported this option as the basis for further refinement. (CS2-C-1 Corner Sites, CS2-D-1 Existing

Development and Zoning)

b. The Board felt the L-shaped volumes were too boxy and gave guidance to further articulate the massing. (DC2-A-2 Reducing Perceived Mass)

c.The Board agreed that the massing volumes should be perceived as two separate structures. This could potentially be accomplished by differentiating the height of the L-shaped forms. (DC2-A-2 Reducing Perceived Mass, CS2-C-1 Corner Sites, CS2-D-1 Existing Development and Zoning)

d. The Board discussed the horizontal modulation along the alley faade which is driven by the alley dedication requirement. Modulation of the alley faade should be developed as a cohesive element of the overall design concept. (CS2-C-1 Corner Sites, CS2-D-1 Existing Development and Zoning)

2. Courtyard & Amenity Area:

a. The Board discussed the size of the courtyard and noted that the precedent image provided in the EDG packet (pg. 29) showed a courtyard approximately 18 wide. The Board agreed that the proposed 10 width did not provide adequate privacy and access to natural light and air for units facing the courtyard. (CS2-B Sunlight and Natural Ventilation)

b. Noting the communal aspect of the building, the Board emphasized the importance of amenity area for small residential units and strongly agreed that the amount of amenity area provided should be adequate for the number of users. (PL1-C Outdoor Uses and Activities, DC3-B-1 Meeting User Needs, DC3-C-2 Amenities/Features, PL1- A-1 Network of Open Spaces)

3. Arrangement of Ground Floor Uses & Street Level Activation:

a. The Board noted that the structure will be precedent setting for new development along 15th Ave NW and agreed that the proposal should consider the future character of the street rather than responding to the current context. Therefore, the Board requested active uses be located along 15th Ave NW to interact with the street frontage. (CS2-B-2 Connection to the Street, CS3-A-4 Evolving Neighborhoods, PL1-B Walkways and Connections)

b. In addition to the lack of activation of the street, the Board was also concerned with privacy, noise and air quality impacts for ground level residential units along 15th Ave NW and the alley. The Board provided guidance to resolve the ground plane design to mitigate these impacts for ground level residential units. (PL3-B-1 Security and Privacy, Pl3-B-2 Ground-level Residential)

c. The Board supported the location of the residential entry on NW 51st street. (PL3-A Entries)

d. The Board discussed the high number of move-ins anticipated and recommended consideration of how and where loading will occur. (PL1-B Walkways and Connections)

4. Facade Composition

a. The Board noted the severe wall condition proposed on 15th Ave NW as well as the high visibility of the faade and gave guidance to break down the boxy character and further articulate the mass, which could include lowering the height. (DC2-A-2

Reducing Perceived Mass, DC2-B-1 Faade Composition)

b. The Board observed that the signage feels applied to the faade and provided guidance to integrate the signage with the design concept and create a cohesive faade composition. (DC2-B-1 Faade Composition, DC4-B Signage)

c. The Board discussed the material cladding strategy described on pg. 26 of the EDG packet and questioned whether the materials for each L-shaped volume should be more related. The cladding relationship of the two masses should be further studied. At the Recommendation phase the Board expects to review a fully developed concept for the exterior cladding. (DC4-B-1 Exterior Finish Materials, DC2-B-1 Faade Composition)

5. Bike Storage

a. The Board stated concern with the security of the exterior bike storage and encouraged internal storage areas. Further development of the design should create secure bike storage. (PL4-B-2 Bike Facilities, PL4-B-1 Early Planning)

6. Universal Access

a. As concerns regarding the amenity area are resolved, one Board member recommended consideration of including an elevator to provide universal access throughout the structure. (PL2-A Accessibility)

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Five story 132 "sleeping room" apartment coming to 15th NW in Ballard - Westside Seattle

This is Scheme 3, the preferred massing scheme for the 77 unit, 5 story apartment building proposed for 9208 20th SW. No parking is proposed.

Image by Atelier Drome

A Land Use Application has been filed with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspectionsto allow a 5-story, 77-unit apartment building with 73 apartments, 4 small efficiency dwelling units, and office at 9208 20th Ave SW.

No parking is proposed. The existing building wouldbe demolished. Early Design Guidance conducted under 3036618- EG.

The project is being designed by architectural firm Atelier Drome.

CONTEXT + SITE

The project is located in the Westwood Highland Park residential urban village, a neighborhood currently in transition since much of it was up-zoned through recent HALA legislation. A mixed area, comprised of primarily single family and low rise zones served by pockets of commercial zoning clustered along Delridge Way SW and also Westwood Village Shopping Mall to the west; the urban village serves as both an anchor for the Westwood Highland park neighborhood, and an intersection point for much of the expanding public and bicycle transit planning in the area. New development in response to the increased height and density potential of the rezoning has begun and is expected to continue at a larger scale. With a full block of frontage along the north end of the parcel, and located at the intersection of the Delridge Way SW arterial and two neighborhood access roads, the project has the opportunity to be a foothold for the larger scale commercial development to come. At present, there is low-scale commercial activity along both sides of Delridge Way SW in the form of single-story, stand-alone buildings as well as a mix of older single-family homes with newer townhouse and 3-4 story apartment building developments (the project is located kitty-corner to the larger developments to the NW including Bluestone and Livingstone apartments). On the west side of the site is an existing single-family residential neighborhood that was recently up-zoned to LR3(M) from LR3 and RSL(M) from SF5000. The parcel immediately to the south is zoned NC3-55(M) and is developed with a cell phone tower as well as smaller scale accessory structures. Beyond that parcel are LR1(M) lots which were rezoned from SF5000. The site has good solar access throughout the day and year as most of the nearby buildings to the south are of a smaller scale. For now, the future building will provide views towards the Puget Sound and downtown at the upper levels.

The site is well served by public transit along Delridge Way SW, with multiple bus routes providing connections to downtown Seattle, Georgetown, Tukwila and Southcenter. The planned H line Rapid Ride line will provide transit stops at SW Henderson Street and SW Barton Street within easy walking distance of the proposed building site. Pedestrian sidewalks and main vehicular access are provided on all three street fronts of the parcel. The closest cycling routes are the neighborhood greenways along 16th Avenue SW and 30th Ave SW, and Delridge Way SW is currently hosts a sharrow with future bike lanes planned.

See original here:
5 story 77 unit apartment bldg. proposed for 9200 block of 20th SW; No parking - Westside Seattle