urbnlivn, a seattle condo blog

6 responses so far ↓

• 1 Kerrie // May 18, 2007 at 9:41 pm

  I’m drooling! This place is fabulous.

• 2 Jason // May 19, 2007 at 6:49 am

  I saw an open house for another condo in this building — $850k for about 1600 square feet. That’s less money per sq ft, but damn that’s a lot to pay to live next to a gay bar and an auto shop.

• 3 Frosaker // May 21, 2007 at 3:56 pm

  I’ve been in almost all the lofts at 1310 Union. They are pretty cool. Very minimalist and kind of cold. That is their appeal. A blank slate from which to create your cool life. A few years ago, pike pine was all gay bars and auto oriented. That too was it’s appeal. The antithesis of Belltown. I’m all for change, I look forward to it. I also relish in the past as it too was a fine time. The future will look on this building as one of the great ones. The same way the banner building paved the way for Belltown to be what it is.

• 4 kh // May 21, 2007 at 9:02 pm

  these are the kinds of projects architects & interior designers can create if given the opportunity instead of VE after VE after VE… :) (value engineering to cut project costs)

  i’m all for innovative and quality minded design! we definitely have the talent in seattle to design a lot more of these distinct buildings to make us drool.

• 5 chris // May 22, 2007 at 7:42 am

  Okay. now lets take the challenge up a notch and create something people can afford. Anyone can design a solution when cost is no limit - that’s not real architecture or real estate IMHO. Some architects get all geared up to design private homes becaue budget doesn’t limit creativity but I have much more respect for those who challenge themselves to design for the masses.

• 6 kh // May 22, 2007 at 10:41 am

  chris, i completely agree. i guess i was referring to projects where a developer wants this “high-end transitional look” (with the standard granite slab counters, GE appliances, painted wood millwork) which the marketing firms are saying is the safe bet that will sell. i don’t know about the rest of you, but i don’t fall in love with the cookie cutter projects, there isn’t enough detail to catch my eye. developers are sometimes a bit too timid to step outside the traditional box of construction to make projects that have great design details.

  “Anyone can design a solution when cost is no limit - that’s not real architecture or real estate IMHO.”

  while i don’t agree with your statement, i understand why you would say it. it is much easier to end up with a great design when there is no limit, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not “real architecture”. A&D magazines rarely mention the prices of projects unless it’s a government or high rise project where the price is so insane in the first place that you get no relationship to the price per SF.

  the new lofts going up on 12th & pike seem to get this concept! i’m hoping to rent there in the fall. and i actually thought lumen did a nice job of stepping out in the “lower budget” cabinetry and design solutions, but after they sold all the low-priced units, their middle range units(above $400k) are still sitting in inventory. so IMO, like chris mentioned, we need to see a lot more lower priced projects that allow for innovative design elements.

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