The other day I received an e-mail from a reader that I thought I’d post here for every one to respond to:
I was wondering if you had heard anything about condos being built on stone way and 40th. They tore down the Safeway there awhile back and I had heard that they are going to build a QFC with condos above it. Have you or your readers heard anything?
My husband and I stopped by the Azul Flats preview this weekend and checked out their model home. I thought they did a nice job with the interiors, but my husband pointed out that the dark cherry hardwood floors and dark slab counter tops made the model unit seem dark and cave like, it was on the first floor behind another unit. The units on the south side seemed much brighter, but they are right on busy 39th street and will undoubtedly be loud. They have 30 units available and 3 have sold. prices range from $220k for a 429sf open/1 to $490k for a 1,010sf 2/1.75. www.azulflats.com
Also I was wondering if you or any of your readers have any strong opinions about the central district? Especially the area between 15th-24th and Yesler and Cherry. There are several condos and homes up for sale, but I am unsure of the neighborhood. When we first moved to Seattle, I was told it wasn’t a really great hood, but I’m wondering if that is true now.
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10 responses so far ↓
1 richard // Apr 20, 2007 at 12:50 pm
That store went out of business in 2002 and the lot sat for 5 years while this QFC/condo plan was talked about.
Here’s a link to some of the project plans:
http://land.iactivesite.com/page.aspx?vpageid=402&itemid=13
2 r // Apr 20, 2007 at 1:23 pm
The CD is scary. I would stay away.
3 brian // Apr 20, 2007 at 1:41 pm
That’s an asinine comment, unless by “scary” you’re talking about home prices being nearly the equal of Ballard…
4 chris // Apr 20, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Damn neighbors kept appealing the development. They didn’t like the truck access near them
5 Bob // Apr 20, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Has “scary” become a political incorrect word? Central District is not as scary as White Center or other slums in Seattle. But it is a safe assumption that it is not high on many people’s list of “places to rent or buy.”
6 r // Apr 20, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I used to work on Yesler. A lot of druggies, aggressive homeless, drug dealers and gang bangers, a high crime area. If that’s not scary…i don’t know what is. Yes you are right that goes for the home prices too. ASorry for not expanding earlier or if I offended.
White Center isn’t part of seattle.
7 jpsfranks // Apr 20, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Anybody who calls the CD a “slum” I suspect has no idea what a real slum is. No it’s not Queen Anne, but it’s perfectly safe (and surprisingly expensive). I spent 3rd grade through high school in the CD and never had any reason to think it “scary”. And it’s gentrified a lot since then.
There are plenty of neighborhoods in this country that would really scare the hell out of me, but none in Seattle.
8 jasonC // Apr 21, 2007 at 6:13 am
Agreed jpsfranks. I find Federal Way, Sea-Tac, Lynnwood etc scary personally but nowhere in Seattle proper.
9 jaap // Apr 21, 2007 at 1:26 pm
hey, there are parts of *Belltown* that are pretty scary, depending on the time of day/night!
Folks have different comfort levels with street mixes - explore a prospective neighborhood on foot at various times of the day/evening. If you or your family feel uncomfortable don’t buy there, no matter how good a ‘deal’ it is. And eventual gentrification doesn’t solve all urban ills.
On the other hand, ’scary’ can be code for ‘not-like-me’ and there is a lot to be said for just enjoying the amazing diversity we have here. Personally, despite the challenges I love it! Seattle is starting to feel more like a ‘real’ city by the day.
10 Sir-Mix-Alot // Apr 23, 2007 at 8:50 pm
The Central District has long been known to have a high crime rate. In the 1980s and 90s, the neighborhood struggled with gang violence, most noticeably with the West Coast Crips and Bloods in a similar way to Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood. This has declined significantly in recent years. However, the neighborhood remains dangerous and violent crime rates are among the highest in the Seattle area. The Central District has perhaps the highest crime rate of any neighborhood in the state of Washington. Much of this crime however, occurs at night and is related to drugs and gangs. The neighborhood is relatively safe at daytime.
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