The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce is reporting that the Benaroya Company has a buyer interested in purchasing the former Manning’s/Denny’s property at the corner of 15th Ave NW & NW Market. “A buyer signed a letter of intent last week for the multi-family site, according to Larry Benaroya,” Marc Stiles writes, “He expects the sale to close in two or three months, which is relatively fast for a commercial site.”
Demolition of the Manning’s/Denny’s building in June 24th.
The demolition of the old Manning’s/Denny’s building was controversial, with the Seattle Landmarks and Preservation Board voting that there was no economically-feasible solution to preserve the old building. On June 24th of 2009, just days after the demolition permit was issued, the building was razed.
Rhapsody Partners, the developers hired by the property owner, continued with the design process and won approval by the Design Review Board went through an entire design process and won final approval even though the rocky economy made it nearly impossible to get financing. “Our intention is to take this project through the MUP (Master Use Permit) and hope that this economy and the new president and all these things that are being put into place are a catalyst to move this forward,” Rhapsody’s Katie Vance told the Ballard District Council in January of 2009.
Marc Nemirow with Benaroya Companies sent us this response via email, “We have no comment at this time.” (Thanks Catherine for the tip!)
Yay! Maybe the homeless will do their drinking/drug use somewhere else once the property is actually in use.
out of site, out of mind?
Thanks for tearing down Denny’s …….. assholes.
No doubt the Ballard Chamber of Commerce is happy. I don’t remember them lending any support to the effort to save Denny’s.
Save Denny’s? The owner was approached by the city with a check remember the whole monorail fiasco?
“Thanks for tearing down Denny’s”
Why didn’t you buy it and save it then?
What a unintelligent thing to say.
Is that the best you can do? My comment reflects the buy, rush to tear down, can’t build so they sell fiasco that occurred.
Your no different than the genius that recommended someone build a bowling ally because they were disappointed it was razed.
Dork.
The Benaroyas were concerned (or SAID that they were concerned) about public opinion after they demolished the restaurant. Not enough to stop them, but they did claim to be concerned.
Sven should move on. He clearly doesn’t like Ballard anymore.
Really?
Because I found it ironic that the company who bought the Denny’s property from the city tore down the building before it could be stopped and had to sell it? Because of my comment to the “You should buy it” yahoo? Because I don’t like the money grabbing rush to develop over Ballard’s iconic institutions?
Third generation. Born in Ballard hospital. BHS class of 74, thousands of community service hours over the years.
I’m not the one that should move on.
“Dork.”
That’s right, believing people have property rights makes you a dork.
“Ballard’s iconic institutions?”
Did you ask the natives about their ‘iconic institutions’ that were remove before you came to town?
Actually I believe very strongly about property rights as I own quite a few properties in Ballard. Dork was used to describe the “buy it” comment.
Another silly statement, ask the natives… good one.
Did someone really just call a Denny’s an “iconic institution?”
Yes and no
Yes to to building (most recently a Denny’s and originally a Manning’s built in 64 in the Googie style) and no to Denny’s as in the chain restaurant.
It was an “important and enduring symbol” in Ballard that defined the entrance to Ballard for decades.
Wow.
I’m new to this site, but this Sven guy seems really annoying. Sounds like he might be very bitter about his own life and using this as a forum.
But anyways, thanks for the thousands of hours of community service you put in and all the other heroic acts you have probably performed over the years.
Wow, sure your new, what other alias do you use.
Bitter? I’m retired and enjoying the fruits of my hard work how could I be bitter?
I’m annoying because I point out what many of us in Ballard felt was an iconic building? Annoying?
Sven +1
“Third generation. Born in Ballard hospital. BHS class of 74, thousands of community service hours over the years.”
Have you ever lived anywhere else? I find that this old/new Ballard thing is really about people who stay somewhere forever and people who like to move around clashing.
Anyhoodle, it would have been nice if that intersection was left with vital businesses until the developers had their line of credit ready to go, but that’s not how construciton works.
I hope the folks who buy it have deep pockets and are ready to get busy, because anything is better than nothing right now.
The building WAS iconic, but that’s not to say it was aesthetically pleasing. It’s hard to argue that the vacant lot with slab is better than having the Denny’s still there, but I’d welcome something new and decent-looking built on the site. I *think* that’s what Sven was getting at, but I don’t want to put words in his mouth!
Not really, a few years in Anchorage and college in Bellingham. Traveled extensively for work, national and international so I’ve had a taste of other areas.
I liked the old and I like the new. I think Ballard has matured and become an even better place to live, even if I can’t double park on Ballard Ave anymore.
I agree with you on the corner lot. Hopefully it will get done sooner than later.
I’m also coming around to agreeing the trail needs to be built.
Mondoman, exactly.
Boycott the empty lot! The trail must be built!
That building was a great iconic landmark to Ballard. I do miss seeing it. What I REALLY miss is being able to get something to eat in this conservative little berg after 11pm for Odin’s sake.
“ask the natives… good one.”
Well that’s my attitude towards you old Ballardites so I guess what goes around, comes around eh?
Looking forward to the last of you moving to Kent.
Bark
Bark.Or is it Spandex or adk or?
What a strange thing to say.
Feel important now?
We will be here long after your gone…..
That’s the point. we never leave.
It’s my opinion that the Denny’s had really bad food and service. I think an upper scale fast food joint like Chili’s. TGI Friday’s, Applebee’s, etc; would be nice. Ballard doesn’t really have anything nicer than Matador. Matador was okay, except for the spice level. I couldn’t taste the food. A place that delivered something other than pizza or Chinese would be nice too.