The empty lot at 5423 Shilshole Ave NW, near the old Yankee Grill may soon become a four-story building. A Land Use application has been submitted for the building which will have 100,000 square feet of office, 1,715 square feet of retail, parking for 160 vehicles and one caretaker’s unit.
This is right next to the proposed hotel, The Point at Salmon Bay. Construction on the 166-room hotel was supposed to start last year, but so far there’s been no activity at the site. We touched base with owner Don Schwartz who says they’re still working on financing and could break ground on Ballard’s newest hotel as early as November.
New building planned near proposed hotel
You mean Ballard's only hotel? That's be awesome though!
Now that is a building design I can get behind. That looks like it belongs in Ballard.
Didn't I just read in the PI or Times today that Seattle office space is at an over 18% vacancy rate?
… for some reason I suspect that they will still be too expensive for most people to stay at… and with few business' in the Ballard area bringing in consistent business people I don't see how they could stay afloat.
Good point! I thought nationwide commercial/office realestate is in the dust.
Interesting but how is that relate? (asking honestly)
I remember in the 2000ish Seattle recession that city of Seattle (king county) lost a lot of residence as people moved to Kitsap and other counties that were less expensive. At the time a lot of companies had too choose between Bellevue vs Seattle and compare Cost/SqFoot. After 2000 there were some better deals on down town Seattle office space… but usually it was those building in Pioneer Square that give you the creeps if you were to be in earthquake.
But now… I think business owners would need to make a decision… do I want to be on the East Side or on the West Side before the 520 construction starts.
“in the dust”… never heard that phrase.
Yes, but that's right now. That will likely change by the time the buildings actually get built. Takes a few years for a building to get built and as we've once again learned, things can change quickly.
They will stay in afloat because it is by many tourist spots and within busing distance of the zoo and within a shot of downtown Seattle. The only question is what kind of rates travelers can expect.
To be clear, I was talking about the 100,000 new square feet of office space, not the hotel. I wasn't aware that there was much of a demand for new office space in Seattle.
I think he meant to say “in the sh**tter”
there's much to see in the area and transportation is just one bus downtown. i find this to be appealing if i were visiting and if one would want to get away from the downtown area. and visiting family doesn't have an excuse.
if they can keep rates under $109/night on average (average folks) i don't see why this wouldn't work.
Wow. A hotel, and office building, more condos, and another “Ballard Blocks” project all here in Ballard but the same transportation infrastructure that has been in place for many, many years. There will be a bike trail extension at some point and an elimination of parking. It seems that a parking structure may be needed for the businesses along Market Street and Ballard Ave, as well as the rest of the area.
At times seems like 10 lbs of “stuff” is being packed into the proverbial 5 lb bag.
that bike trail extension sounds great!
then people can visit Seattle, stay at this hotel, and not even rent a car! they can have their belongings sent right to the hotel. what a concept!
kinda like nyc? well, maybe not as bad.
Like they say: “All real estate is local” and there might be plenty of office space downtown in big expensive buildings, but for a lot of small companies, those buildings are the last place they'd be interested in going, so to them there may be a real shortage of office space.
I know that I'd never move my business into one of those office towers, but I'd look at a small office building in Ballard.
It'd be absolutely fantastic to have a hotel in Ballard. It's such a pain having to put the rents up in downtown when they visit.
What about those lovely motels on Aurora?
I'm not against development, but I thought this area was zoned for industrial use only. I remember the hotel had to convince somebody that one of the local companies would use the hotel to house workers at least part time before they could get approvel.
Also, the road there is only two lanes, with no turn lane, if I remember correctly. What is the developer going to do to alleviate congestion? (I sent these questions to the DPD, thanks for the link to the application. Comments may be submitted until the 14th!)
By most people do you mean you? My folks will love having a good hotel nearby to stay in when they visit.
I think that died With Fred Meyer, Ballard Blocks, Mars Hill etc; basically now if you say you enjoy looking at boats you are a maritime industry as far as zoning goes. They are more interested in service and office jobs then industry, it is prettier and nicer then actually making and/or harvesting widgets. I know that 24 out of 27 of the neighbors I know who work for companies who make things now commute to the East side or up north to Bothell etc. Basically living in the city is as trendy as the suburbs were just a short while ago and allowed uses are changing to reflect that. I don't think there is a thing that we can do about it it's just reality now.
I think that area is all part of the re-zone, isn't it?
Industry has been fighting the missing link for years because of the impact it will have on on their business. Meanwhile this hotel and a big mixed use office building is moving in. The city likes tourist tax dollars way too much to not allow this development. Ballard's industrial corridor in in for it.
my point.
You know they built a cruise ship terminal in Magnolia? I'd think a Ballard hotel could draw a few guests from that.
As healthy cities grow they tend to become less industrial. Manhattan once had a lot of industry but eventually that moved to the outer boroughs and now a lot of it is moving even further out to the cheaper land. Seattle is no different.
Does any one know who the general contractor is?
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