For nearly 80 years, the Kolstrand Marine Supply Company worked out of this building just south of Ballard Hardware at 4743 Ballard Ave NW.
Last summer, the building sold, and workers have been busy stripping the inside, but they’ve been careful to leave many original touches: exposed hand-painted brick, masonry block walls and exposed old growth re-sawn lumber.
Developers are planning to adapt the early 1900’s structure to include a retail and restaurant space, as well as offices and work/loft units. The plan includes adding another floor. Here’s a look at a preliminary sketch:
The developers are still waiting for approval on city permits, but this Friday they’re inviting the public to attend an open house. “They’d love to get feedback from locals and suggestions about what they’d like to see in the building, which is why they’re holding the open house so early in the process,” said Abby Calvo, who sent us a press release on the event. Graham Baba Architects and developers evo Properties and CD-Dev will be on hand to discuss the project. That’s this Friday, 3 to 9 p.m., at 4743 Ballard Ave. Refreshments will be provided.
You can see a lot more photos and details on The Kolstrand Building’s website.
I had a chance to tour this building with one of the owners the other day. This old building is full of Ballard history and they plan to incorporate as many uniquely Ballard features as possible. Even sitting empty, it's easy to see how this multi-faceted project will add to the evolving charm of Ballard Ave.
Now this is an approach I can get behind.
Not only another floor, but a pretty large addition to the back of the building.
The work that has already happened to the face of this building is 100x better than what it was 6 months ago. What great photo’s on their site. I’m excited to see more and excited to hear they are leaving parts untouched. Seems like it will be a great addition to Ballard without ruining the traditional charm like so many of the new eyesores.
OMG! I am thrilled to pieces. Developers that value the original architectural details and what the locals think?!? What a concept!!
The work done so far is great. Thank you for preserving the character of this building. I'm excited for the open house!
Looks like the evil developers have figured out just how to play in Hooterville. Simply have a feel-a-thon with concerned neighbors, and voila, you're in. They already have restrictions up the wazzoo. And kissing ass never runs up costs does it? So we have 1 street resembling “old Ballard”. Take a look everywhere else. Whaddaya see? One here says they can “get behind” this building. Really? Just how? Investing in it? Time to play feelings on the old accordian again. How charming!
I would like to see a hockey rink or maybe a new bowling alley in this building.
I'm not sure what they really expect from locals. Do we get to pick the type of retail or type of restaurant going in?
it looks like a great old building and the addition in innocuous enough. however, this is a marketing ploy at best.
Oh my cynical friends – I believe we expressing appreciation for preservation of character and structure. I'm glad its not another sterile box. I'm not overly concerned with what kind of business goes in there; economic Darwinism will make the final judgement; and I don't believe the developers are asking us for that direction. I believe the ask is simply to look at the work done so far and share opinion.
If all you can see is pandering and marketing, I believe you have blinders on. I prefer my rose-colored glasses.
Nice job, guys! That's doin' it right!
I love that they're leaving the hand-painted brick signs on the interior!
Re-using existing buildings has got to be better for the environment that tearing them down to build new ones!
I was going to express shock that there was a development that people in the comments liked… and then I read the last few comments. Oh well. *I* really like it. Obviously the prelim sketch will be prettier than reality, but it looks like a very nice mix of new and old. Applause.
This does appear to be an excellent use of old mixed with new! With the luck we've been having with restaurants in the area, maybe we can add on to that! Shoot, with this usage, I don't even care if it's a chain!
what does the sketch above actually show?
it appears there's some sort of black steel frame window boxes on the upper left side.
but what the heck is that supposed to be below? the right side looks like it has a canopy but the left side is kind of muddled. are those spiral stairs?
I realize it's just a watercolor, and they threw enough bikes in to describe the type of world we will live in when the project is finished. And they're obviously trying to be good neighbors by letting folks come in and give their two cents.
re-using these old structures often entails essentially rebuilding them to make them conform with current codes. I'm not saying that re-use isn't green (especially w/ regards to street scale), but there are times when building a new building IS better for the environment.
I read each post with great optimism, thinking perhaps here's one piece of news we can all get behind. Then I came to this one by The Norwegian and had flashbacks of past posts bashing: the homeless; meth and crack heads; illegal immigrants; the food bank; Bergen Park; ugly, character-less condos; Old Ballad; New Ballard; Snuggies; people who drink while wearing Snuggies; vigilante justice; the Seattle Police Department; yuppies who enjoy shopping at Trader Joe's; etc. ad nauseum.
Just one question, Norwegian: Have you kicked any puppies today?
the proper contraction for “they are” is “they're” not their as in your thrid sentence form the end. Spell check does not catch correctly spelled but mis-used words.
It's great that they're keeping the old and updating. We need to look at Portland's Pearl District to see what can be done with these warehouses.
“…thrid sentence form the end” in a comment about spell check! That's rich!
Keep your accordion, Norwegian. Somebody finally listened to all the horrified screams of 'That's not Ballard!' Good for them!
They took something old and crumbling and are making it useful again without destroying it. Being old and crumbling, myself, I tend to appreciate that.
“Just one question, Norwegian: Have you kicked any puppies today?”
Gene: you got it all wrong: mornings are for pissing on parades, afternoons are for puppy kicking and nights are for staking out Bergen and the food bank to keep an eye on all the meth addicts who are secretly scheming to take over Ballard and convert it all into condos. You've got to pace yourself. ;)
You just have to be the contrarian, don't you? No matter what it is, you know better.
BTW, why do you have to create a new alias for every story?
aliases
jeffo
walkie
teach by example
ads too big
boaty
pirate go home
booty call
laughing cow
waterless
temp
parker posey
clothes horse
church dweller
Worry wort
bishop timothy
bishop
piglet
sterile
Janet
queen
rook
knight
flotsam
white herring
sparky
practice
oh boy
here we go…
eyewitness
new material
here we go..
Boss Hog
cop admits, “I was stupid”
tv brat
jonathon richards
priviledges
common person
faux norwegian
hungry
Ehound
?
spot
backofmyhand
ballard complainers society
indifferent
lazy
peppy
Looking through the slideshow on their site I'm really impressed with the effort to undo the last remuddle and remove the veneer. I think that this old building will be a very nice anchor to the expansion behind it.
Good design, good use of existing structure, great use of character. I'm really looking forward to seeing this project move forward.
hmmm Maybe I do need to move my office after all…
Heh, heh! Made me do a coffee spit take. Nice! :-)
I love it. And all those well heeled people with kids, on bikes. It's soooo gentrified! I love it!
“We need to look at Portland's Pearl District to see what can be done with these warehouses.”
Totally gentrified and yuppified. I love it!
wow SPG!
you make me sound like Madonna on her 'RE-Invention' Tour.
I don't think I'm contrarian at all. take my comment on the guy with the segway for example. I loved it and said as much.
nice catch Gene!
Armed Pacifist, are you afraid Ballard's dense diversity will be forced out if crumbling warehouses are transformed into functional businesses? When you infer Ballard is ethnically diverse, are you referring to Swedes, Norwegians, Finns, and Danes?
Seriously…how diverse is Ballard? How diverse has it ever been?
You can also follow them on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Kolstrand Great idea to keep everybody updated on progress.
I stand (or make that sit) happily corrected, SeaSpider. Good one!
Why Ballard has the neutral whites of the Swedes, the blueish whites of the Northern Finns and the almost swarthy pinks of the Danes.
That's why I moved here, all the diversity.
Nice open house, good snacks, good beer, and a great project.