Seattle Times, Compromise reached on South Lake Union plan:
A majority of the council voted Wednesday to allow taller buildings on two blocks to accommodate Amazon’s expected move. In return, Vulcan will pay roughly $6.3 million to build affordable housing in South Lake Union.
Bonus link: Biodiesel station to open in South Lake Union
Popularity: 7% [?]
4 responses so far ↓
1 Kelly // Dec 13, 2007 at 10:57 am
It is smart that the city is going to allow Vulcan to build higher. I would rather see the buildings built higher with the affordable housing integrated into the buildings, rather then Vulcan building out and taking away more homes.
2 jcricket // Dec 13, 2007 at 11:08 am
I’m all for holding developers feets to the fire, but this sounds like a reasonable compromise. Unfettered grwoth is bad, but unfettered sprawl is worse, and that’s what happened the last time Seattle freaked out and imposed building height limits.
I do think the whole threat of leaving is over-rated (see Sonics) and too often legislators give in to the big pocketed companies in ways that are unfair for the average person (big giveaways with no checks/balances for if the company ever does what it claims it will).
I’m happy to see SLU and the north-end of downtown really get developed. Combined with increased housing in Pioneer Square and some of the new “Financial District” developments, perhaps downtown will end up more than a 4-5 block stretch.
3 jaap // Dec 14, 2007 at 8:33 am
Personally, I think this is tremendous news for the downtown condo market. Amazon will be moving several thousand people downtown, and many of those will be want to reloate close to work. I know I certainly would.
4 benk // Dec 14, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Amazon’s move is great news for the development & attractiveness of the SLU area, but in the short term it won’t make much of an impact on the housing front. They’re only moving from the South end of downtown to the North end of downtown. Two other developers have proposed large projects in the SLU/Westlake area which could add up to another 1.5 million square feet office, retail and residential space.
Leave a Comment