When looking at the two options presented by Sound Transit for South Lake Union (SLU) in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), we’re struck by how poorly the station will serve South Lake Union. The Harrison option is deep at about 120’ and all the way on the western edge of SLU. The Mercer option is slightly less deep at about 85’ but its location west of highway 99 isn’t really in SLU and involves an extremely poor pedestrian environment. Both stations are monumentally difficult to build and expensive due to their proximity to highway 99. We can avoid all of those issues and build a station that serves South Lake Union far better by building the SLU station on Westlake.

A station under Westlake located approximately between Harrison and Republican has a lot of advantages. Though it’s still slightly to the west of the center of South Lake Union, the walkshed includes nearly all of this dense neighborhood. It’s aligned with the Denny station which means isolated construction impacts and the potential for a shallow station. It can also cross SR 99 further north where it isn’t as deep while avoiding the need for a complex and expensive mined station under the highway.

A SLU station under Westlake aligned north/south can also serve the dense population and job centers to the north and east far better than the proposed DEIS SLU station locations. Aligning the station north/south will also enable a future Link extension along the highway 99 corridor much easier – opening up one of the best corridors for transit oriented development opportunities in the country.

We were initially enamored by the SLU Harrison station due to the potential for bus to train transfers but the depth, location relative to SLU, and awkward pedestrian environment has convinced us a different option is needed. Sound Transit is looking for cost saving measures to help them deliver ST3. This is an opportunity to build the SLU station both cheaper and better. A true win/win.

Though a Westlake aligned station for SLU is close to the Denny Station, it’s far from the closest stop spacing in the system and is entirely appropriate urban stop spacing for a very dense part of the city. A Westlake station also means a far better combined quarter mile walkshed than Harrison or Mercer stations – which are both marred by their proximity to wide roads and a highway. If you consider the walkshed of the Monorail (which is adding capacity), moving the station to Westlake does almost nothing but gain critical high value walkshed coverage.

Ask Sound Transit to study a shallow central SLU station.

We will have our complete EIS recommendations available soon, but if you are commenting now please include asking Sound Transit to study a Westlake Station that really serves SLU.

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Designs for a new, six-story office project in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood must come back for an additional early design guidance meeting after failing to procure board approval last week. During the meeting, veteran developer Vulcan, along with Seattle-based Graphite Design Group, presented their initial designs for 630 Westlake, whose designs will be driven by its proximity to other commercial development and the lakefront.

“While the site may appear unremarkable in its current form as construction staging and parking, it is remarkably well-connected and diverse in context, surrounded by a collection of public and private uses,” explained Graphite Design Group’s Peter Krech. “It is also well-connected to an array of transit networks, bike trails, the trolley and Sound Transit.”

In all, the proposed project will include 289,000 square feet of office and 9,950 square feet of ground floor retail. 300 vehicle parking stalls, as well as 190 total bike spaces, are also planned. Other features include a mid-block connection, a plaza to the Northeast, and a “pedestrian only” zone.

The project team states in its plans that the development will complete the Lakefront Blocks, as the site is the “final missing piece, providing a bookend connection from one end of the through block plaza to the other.” Vulcan and Graphite Design Group also hope to add to the architectural diversity of the neighborhood via a number of unique massing moves and materials.

During the meeting, there were two schemes that were primarily discussed by the West Design Review Board: Step and Shore. Step, the second of three schemes presented, utilized recesses between building masses to provide relief to the facade. The city block was further compartmentalized, and multidirectional occupied terraces would be used at different levels. A primary plaza would also be created and would connect with Lake Union Park.

Shore, also the design team’s preferred option, took a different approach. The massing included additional facade angularity to “ease the merging of two city grids.” The ground level would have additional carved corners at the north side of the site to create widening view corridors, and Lake Union Park would be extended onto the site itself, wrapping on Terry Avenue. Additionally, materials would create a veil effect with a predominantly vertical pattern.

The review board deliberated for some time on the project, and overall felt that the three design schemes missed the mark. While the board did agree that Shore was the strongest in concept, it also noted that the preferred scheme was “two dimensionally-designed,” and needed another pass before its massing really stood out. The board also asked the design team to look more fully at all sides of the building and treat them equally in the design. The board further requested that the project team take a second look at the landscape plan, stating it needed to be better integrated into the overall scheme. The project plans also included six different departures; however, the board was hesitant to approve the departures until the overall design schemes were more finalized.

At the end of the meeting, the board voted unanimously for Vulcan and Graphite to return for an additional early design guidance meeting. At the next meeting, the design team can return with three updated designs, or choose to focus on the refinement of Shore or Step per the board’s guidance.

Meta Platforms occupies 1101 Westlake, a 153,708-square-foot creative office in Seattle’s South Lake Union submarket.

SEATTLE — Newmark has arranged the sale of 1101 Westlake, an office building located in downtown Seattle’s South Lake Union submarket. BioMed Realty acquired the property from Invesco Real Estate for an undisclosed price.

Built in 2015, 1101 Westlake is a six-story, 153,708-square-foot creative office building featuring LEED Silver certification and views of Lake Union. The property is 100 percent net-leased to Meta Platforms.

Kevin Shannon, Nick Kucha, Michael Moll, Ken White, Rachel Jones, Jeff Hodson, Jesse Ottele and Alex Foshay of Newmark represented the seller in the transaction.

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