Comments on: The Good and the Ugly: A Tale of Two Capitol Hill Condo Developments http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:04:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Foster http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/comment-page-1/#comment-10084 Foster Mon, 25 Jun 2007 07:26:52 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/#comment-10084 Thank you, CG. Thank you, CG.

]]> By: seattle67 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/comment-page-1/#comment-9830 seattle67 Sat, 23 Jun 2007 07:17:08 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/#comment-9830 Responding to Chris' point. I don't buy the 'do we prefer design or affordability' argument anymore? The answer is that you can do both, construction materials keep getting better and tons of developers have already proven you it can work. I personally feel that this is the argument of lazy developers and designers who would rather just build according to their good ole 'micro-balcony' blueprints. If we want to bring density to this city that fits into our neighborhoods, we need to make sure all of our new multi-unit residential buildings are each uniquely designed to best integrate into their respective environments. I mean, wouldn't you rather live in a building that your neighbors think is an asset to their community instead of a drain? Responding to Chris’ point.

I don’t buy the ‘do we prefer design or affordability’ argument anymore? The answer is that you can do both, construction materials keep getting better and tons of developers have already proven you it can work. I personally feel that this is the argument of lazy developers and designers who would rather just build according to their good ole ‘micro-balcony’ blueprints.

If we want to bring density to this city that fits into our neighborhoods, we need to make sure all of our new multi-unit residential buildings are each uniquely designed to best integrate into their respective environments. I mean, wouldn’t you rather live in a building that your neighbors think is an asset to their community instead of a drain?

]]> By: Former Lamplighter owner http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/comment-page-1/#comment-9775 Former Lamplighter owner Fri, 22 Jun 2007 20:58:16 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/#comment-9775 I recently sold my condo unit that was in the building across from this proposed 500 Belmont development. I will be completely stunned if they agree to the parking swap. In the years I owned there, when this topic came up in homeowner meetings, it was met with an extreme amount of resistance. The Lamplighter has a large group of older residents that have lived there 20+ years and who are not open to anyone stirring the pot - either for simple changes within the complex or something like this that would impact the owner's assigned to the current spots across the street while construction occured. There is one resident in there that is so litigiously minded, he would almost certainly try and sue to block this. Just my two cents on the subject, but I did live there, so I know a lot about the characters the 500 Belmont developers will be "negotiating" with. Best of luck to them!! Oh and the 500 Belmont project will have zero westerly views - the Lamplighter is 11 stories tall and covers the entire width of the space this development is going into. I recently sold my condo unit that was in the building across from this proposed 500 Belmont development. I will be completely stunned if they agree to the parking swap. In the years I owned there, when this topic came up in homeowner meetings, it was met with an extreme amount of resistance. The Lamplighter has a large group of older residents that have lived there 20+ years and who are not open to anyone stirring the pot – either for simple changes within the complex or something like this that would impact the owner’s assigned to the current spots across the street while construction occured. There is one resident in there that is so litigiously minded, he would almost certainly try and sue to block this. Just my two cents on the subject, but I did live there, so I know a lot about the characters the 500 Belmont developers will be “negotiating” with. Best of luck to them!!

Oh and the 500 Belmont project will have zero westerly views – the Lamplighter is 11 stories tall and covers the entire width of the space this development is going into.

]]> By: Chris http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/comment-page-1/#comment-9743 Chris Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:06:34 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/#comment-9743 must...edit...post.... sorry, I can't type or do grammar this early must…edit…post…. sorry, I can’t type or do grammar this early

]]> By: Chris http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/comment-page-1/#comment-9742 Chris Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:05:29 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/#comment-9742 Well, if $500k condos (I'm sure I'll like them from the description, BTW) are what makes capitol hill a better place, than so be it. Architects/developers know what that want to build from a design standpoint and know that they're prospective buyers/tenants can afford. Usually they are not the same thing, and so compromises have to be made - juliet balconies, vinyl siding. etc. So do we prefer design or affordability? Well, if $500k condos (I’m sure I’ll like them from the description, BTW) are what makes capitol hill a better place, than so be it. Architects/developers know what that want to build from a design standpoint and know that they’re prospective buyers/tenants can afford. Usually they are not the same thing, and so compromises have to be made – juliet balconies, vinyl siding. etc.

So do we prefer design or affordability?

]]> By: j http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/comment-page-1/#comment-9689 j Fri, 22 Jun 2007 02:36:59 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/#comment-9689 Cool -- the parking lot swap is great. Will be interested to see if it works out. I remain a sucker for green elements so I get jealous of developments I read about in Portland, etc. Seems like these developments have environmental focused design even if not focused on 'traditional' green elements like sustainability, etc. Cool — the parking lot swap is great. Will be interested to see if it works out. I remain a sucker for green elements so I get jealous of developments I read about in Portland, etc. Seems like these developments have environmental focused design even if not focused on ‘traditional’ green elements like sustainability, etc.

]]> By: Curious http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/comment-page-1/#comment-9685 Curious Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:56:34 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/06/21/the-good-and-the-ugly-a-tale-of-two-capitol-hill-condo-developments/#comment-9685 Are they any renderings for the proposed development? Are they any renderings for the proposed development?

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