A steep, vacant slice of Harbor Avenue SW could trade blackberry bushes for bodies in apartments, with a plan that would add roughly 200 homes to West Seattle. There is one big catch: the whole thing rests on a single call from City Hall about an unimproved stretch of SW City View that cuts right through the property.
The Seattle-based developer, Bode, says its latest take on the project leans into bike and pedestrian access, a more generous sidewalk, and public-facing amenities while it waits for the City Council to decide what to do with that unopened piece of right-of-way.
Project plan and amenities
Bode told West Seattle Blog that the current proposal anticipates about 200 apartments, with a mix of studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. At this stage there is no off-street parking in the plan.
Instead, the concept leans heavily on bikes and feet. The design calls for private bike storage, a public repair station, temporary bike parking and community water fountains. Bode also says it intends to widen the sidewalk along SW Harbor Avenue to roughly twice its current width. Those details came from an email exchange with Bode representative Rae Hendricks, as reported by West Seattle Blog.
Site history and earlier design
Earlier design materials sketched out a much bigger building. The developer's project page and an accompanying design packet previously described an eight-story plan with up to 308 units at 3257 Harbor Avenue SW.
City design-review documents note that the site is bisected by an unimproved portion of SW City View and outline potential public stairways and frontage improvements that would come into play if the parcels are combined. Those developer listings and design packets are available through Living Bode, the city's design-review packet on file with Seattle's Department of Construction & Inspections (DPD design packet) and Seattle's street-vacation guidance from the Department of Transportation (SDOT).
Why the street vacation matters
According to the developer, the entire proposal is probably only viable if the city agrees to vacate that unopened segment of SW City View that splits the two parcels. Bode has told neighborhood reporters it has heard positive feedback from the community about the current concept.
If the Council ultimately turns down the street vacation, the company says it would not be able to assemble the site in the way it has proposed and would pause progress toward building permits, according to West Seattle Blog.
Timeline and financing
Bode describes itself as a vertically integrated outfit that develops, designs, builds and manages its own projects. The company says that structure helps it manage both costs and market risk from start to finish.
The firm lists roughly 40 properties in the Puget Sound region and says tight coordination among its development, design and construction teams is central to keeping projects on track, according to Living Bode.
What neighbors will notice
If the Harbor Avenue project moves ahead, the most obvious change for passersby would be a much wider sidewalk along the water side of the street, paired with public water fountains and bike facilities. The vacant, steep lot would be replaced by a substantial apartment building.
Because the current concept does not include off-street parking, neighbors should expect continued pressure on curbside spaces and related enforcement issues as design and permitting advance.
For now, the proposal winds its way through the city's street-vacation and permitting channels. Neighbors and other interested residents can track filings and outreach materials from the developer, along with the city's design-review docket, as the street-vacation request moves toward any eventual Council vote.
