On Thursday, Mayor Bruce Harrell promised the imminent release of housing data dashboard that will show his administration is on course to meet a campaign pledge of producing 1,000 units of emergency housing and shelter beds in his first six months in office. Until the dashboard is out, The Urbanist is unable to substantiate the veracity of that claim. The pledge came at a press conference held near the Woodland Park dog park, marking the removal of a large encampment of homeless people, with Councilmember Dan Strauss offering the Mayor his backing for the “human-centered” approach to encampment removal that included 89 referrals to shelter or supportive housing, the City reported.
In other housing news, House Our Neighbors’ social housing ballot initiative scored a big endorsement from the MLK County Labor Council and housing reports from the Seattle Office of Housing showed another big year of production, buoyed by a record year of Mandatory Housing Affordability proceeds and 502 new unit opening via Multi-Family Tax Exemption program. A public comment period is open on an affordable housing proposal on a County-owned park-and-ride site next to Northgate Station that would bring 232 homes to this transit-rich location.
At a design review meeting on Tuesday evening, the builder of a 45-story residential tower at 8th Avenue and Blanchard Street will be seeking design approval that would clear the way for a land use permit. The proposal would bring 418 homes and 57 underground parking stalls if approved by the Downtown Design Review Board. Will the discerning architects review committee deem worthy the project’s “pleated façade,” color palate, and street activation efforts? Tune in to find out. And sign up to testify or submit a comment to the assigned City planner to push the project over the top by sending an emailing prc@seattle.gov.
Just west down the Denny Way corridor, another 45-story apartment proposal has emerged and is getting an Early Design Guidance meeting on June 7th. The Belltown site (616 Battery Street) used to host an Elephant Car Wash with a neon pink elephant sign that became iconic as car wash signs go. The elephant sign is being preserved and will be displayed at the Museum of History and Industry, with Amazon chipping in to pay for the restoration.
