Everything's Eventual: WSDOT Suing Bertha Contractor
Back when Seattle was deciding whether or not to go ahead with the Seattle Tunnel Project, detractors laid out a series of events that they expected would happen if it were approved. The project would be met with massive delays, would run wildly over-budget and would end with the contractors and city locked in a legal battle over who's going to pay for the whole thing (which we all know will end up being taxpayers). So far, they've gotten it just about 100 percent right.
The latest predicted turn of events came in the form of a classic Friday afternoon news dump from WSDOT that they were now suing Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP), the state's contractor for Bertha and her ever-increasing costs.
Downtown Seattle Macy's Sells Top Four Floors For $65M
There's probably some enterprising developer who could do wonders with the Macy's property at Third & Pine in downtown Seattle. Well, Macy's isn't going anywhere (least not yet), but they did make the top four floors in their landmark "The Bon" building available and they've now been sold for $65M.The buyer is an "affiliate" of investment firm Starwood Capital Group which will convert it into office space. Macy's will continue their retail business on the lower four levels plus lower level, which totals 283,000 square feet. New express elevators and shared lobby space and doors at the sixth-floor skybridge entrance will be added and two 11-foot-tall glass "clerestory penthouses" will be added to the seventh and eight floors. Macy's 265 employees are expected to all keep their jobs, though some may be reassigned.· Macy's sells top 4 floors of downtown Seattle store [ST]
· Macy's sells top floors of downtown Seattle store in $65M deal [PSBJ]
Image: Joe Mabel
Reel Places: Empire, Lucious Lyon, and Music Mogul Mansions
The real life and on-screen appearance of a mansion in Barrington, Illinois, that served as the home of Lucious Lyon in the FOX show Empire.
The life of a music mogul isn't easy, based on the portrait painted by Empire Entertainment don Lucious Lyon. When dealing with so many power struggles and record deals, the payoff, in part, comes in the form of incredible real estate. Lucious began the series inhabiting an elaborate home, which, as Curbed Chicago has previously pointed out, is actually the former real-life suburban residence of a local strip-club owner (and was on the market for $13 million earlier this year). While the French country-style estate—which took five years to build due to its elaborate ornamentation and woodwork—seems a fitting home for a self-made record exec, even boasting eight acres of gardens and a pair of lakes on site, it's also is one in a long line of magnificent homes owner by other industry masterminds. Empire creator Lee Daniels has said the main character was based on an amalgamation of similar stars including Barry Gordy, Quincy Jones, and Jay Z; It seems like the mansion Lucious inhabits also took cues from their elaborate homes.
Washington's Most Instagrammed Spot? The Space Needle
300 million monthly users log on to Instagram to share photos of themselves, their pets, the alcoholic beverage they're currently drinking and of course the places they are located. Bus ticket site busbud wanted to know what the most Instagrammed spots in each U.S. state were and so they found out. Washington State had a few options to choose from. It could have been Mount Rainier, Grand Coulee Dam, Mount St. Helens, Pike Place Market or Rialto Beach. No, it's the Space Needle. The iconic Seattle structure is just about the one thing you can assume every visitor to Puget Sound will post to Instagram. We figured we should check and see what all those people are posting so sit back, scroll down and enjoy the Space Needle show.
This Week in Strange, Weird & Terrible Seattle Real Estate Listing Photos
As the weekend approaches, let's take a look around the Seattle real estate listings to find some examples of the strange, the weird and just the plain terrible. (Come across one we missed? let us know…)
It's great for entertaining, terrible for dinner.
Cornerspotted: The Now-Landmark Wayne Apartment Building
Yesterday, we asked you to guess what this old timey Seattle building is and where it's located. If you'd been paying attention to the news this one should have been pretty easy. Walker-d was clearly aware of the story, guessing that it was "a hodge podge of shops, mostly funky saloons, that Clown Bar, which is the subject of a campaign to keep all the associated businesses and the apartments above them from a date with the wrecking ball." All of that it a long-winded way to say this is the Wayne Apartments building.
Image: Wikimedia
As we said yesterday, pieces of this place have been around since before the Denny Regrade and the Great Seattle Fire. It's been so many things and home to so many businesses since, including Belltown Funky Studios and Lava Lounge. It's architectural-signifigance goes without saying, so many were shocked to hear developers intended to raze it and put up a generic condo building in it's place. Thankfully, the building won landmark status from the city this week, which means anyone who wants to write the next chapter of this building and this block of Second Avenue in Belltown will have to make sure the Wayne is a part of it.
· The Wayne Apartments Are Officially a Landmark [ish]
· All Cornerspotter coverage [CS]
· The Wayne Apartments Are Officially a Landmark [ish]
· All Cornerspotter coverage [CS]
Obama Visit Bringing Traffic; Amazon Bookstore to U Village?
· U Village rumors fly that Amazon bookstore is coming [ST]
· 1.2M square feet planned for downtown Bellevue sites [DJC]
· An Open Letter to Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff [Faira]
· Expect traffic delays when Obama visits Seattle Friday afternoon [ST]
· Beacon Hill Homes by Barcelo [UL]
· Pike/Pine vs. Pike-Pine [CHS]
· Tiny Seattle home makes 'best of' list [SPI]
· A look at the mountains and rivers moved to build Seattle [CC]
· Rainier Valley warning signs spark race conversation [MyN]
· 1.2M square feet planned for downtown Bellevue sites [DJC]
· An Open Letter to Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff [Faira]
· Expect traffic delays when Obama visits Seattle Friday afternoon [ST]
· Beacon Hill Homes by Barcelo [UL]
· Pike/Pine vs. Pike-Pine [CHS]
· Tiny Seattle home makes 'best of' list [SPI]
· A look at the mountains and rivers moved to build Seattle [CC]
· Rainier Valley warning signs spark race conversation [MyN]
Cornerspotter: A Seattle Landmark, 125 Years in the Making
Cornerspotter is the Curbed Seattle feature in which we show you a historical photo taken somewhere in the city and you identify the location. Impress fellow Curbed readers with your knowledge by leaving guesses in the comments or send them to our tipline: seattle@curbed.com. We'll post the answer on Friday. And hey: no cheating!
This building is a bit of a hodgepodge of Seattle history. The upper level apartments were originally three two-story wood-frame attached rowhouses constructed sometime between 1888 and 1893. That's pre-Denny Hill regrade. In 1911, the rowhouses were raised and the one-story commercial structure was constructed underneath. It's like a living reminder of Seattle's history. Good thing then that it was recently named a Seattle Landmark in the face of development that might have demolished it. So, what building is this and where is it located?
One of Ellsworth Storey's Brehm Brothers Houses For Sale
At the turn of the 20th century, William and George Brehm made a name for themselves as grocers and meat-sellers at Pike Place Market. The brothers seemingly did everything together, which might explain why they had noted architect Ellsworth Storey build them two adjacent homes in the Denny-Blaine area around 1909. Of course that might have also been Storey's idea. The paired structure design was very similar to his own home built right next door to his parents's house in Denny-Blaine. Now, one of the Seattle Landmark Brehm Brothers Houses is up for sale (219 36th Avenue E), asking $1,495M. As he usually did, Storey used Northwest materials to construct the homes, including stained wood, clinker brick and the river stone that makes for a standout chimney and fireplace. Storey was notable for mixing up traditional and regional architectural styles and it feels like a mixture of Craftsman and Arts & Crafts at work here. A fire actually damaged the 4-BR in 1978 but it just so happened that architect Robert H. Eyrewas living in the adjacent Brehm Brothers House and ended up contributed to a restoration of the original design. Outside the garden has been kept in pristine shape and you'll get to know your next-door neighbor quite well since you share a common entry walk. We suppose that was the point of the dual design.
POPULAR
Eight Years Later, 43-Story Civic Square Project Will Begin
Roughly eight years ago, Triad Developmentproposed a massive project on the block along Fourth and James called Civic Square. At the time, Seattle gave them until the end of this year to close the purchase on the land or pay $1M in extension fees. Instead, Triad has agreed to provide $1M promissory notes that hold its principals responsible. Over two years ago they said they still intended to go through with the project and now it sounds like it will finally happen. Triad SVP Brett Allen announced that construction will begin on the 43-story projectsometime next year, though it's still unclear exactly when as it's currently in review. They still have to lock down the sale of the property but are already working with King County Metro on an entrance to the transit station under the property. The current plan calls for 125 condos, 600,000 sf. of office space and 40,000 sf of retail space.· Civic Square to start next year [DJC]
· After 8-year delay, Civic Square construction set to begin next year[PSBJ]
· Tweak In Civic Square Tower Deal May Help It Happen [CS]
#ThisPlaceMatters: Touring Historic Theaters Across the U.S.
All month long in October 2015, Curbed and National Trust for Historic Preservation are teaming up on #ThisPlaceMatters, a social campaign highlighting the most beloved places across America. Our motto at Curbed is "Love where you live," which ties in succinctly with the National Trust's mission to highlight everyday buildings and places alongside those officially earmarked for historic preservation. We're looking to you, our readers, to submit photos of your favorite places, preserved or not, on Instagram and Twitter by tagging them with #ThisPlaceMatters. Don't forget to tag Curbed and @savingplaces, too.
The interior of the Fox Theater in Spokane, Washington, which opened in 1931. Image courtesy NAC Architecture.
In our time-shifted, mobile-enabled, go-anywhere entertainment landscape, there's something radical about the design of classic theaters. Between the elaborate facades, illuminated marquees, and ornamental interiors, these structures celebrate a time, not so long ago, when entertainment was only experienced in a crowd, when plays and movies were communal.
Seattle's Refreshed List of 38 Essential Restaurants; Next Level Burgers to Expand to Seattle
This week's top hits from Eater Seattle, Curbed's sibling bar, restaurant, and nightlife blog.
EATER MAPS -- It's time to update the Eater 38, your answer and ours to any question that begins, "Can you recommend a restaurant?" This elite group covers the entire city, spans a myriad of cuisines, and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs, save for those occasions when you absolutely must spend half a paycheck. Every quarter, we add pertinent restaurants that were omitted, have newly become eligible (restaurants must be open at least six months), or have stepped up their game. Head over this way to see the updates.
BURGERWIRE -- Bend, Oregon-based Next Level Burger is possibly headed to Seattle, the restaurant's co-founder Matthew de Gruyter confirmed to Eater Seattle. Next Level Burger specializes in so-called "plant-based" food; all burgers, hot dogs, shakes, salads, sides, and sandwiches are made without animal products.
COMING ATTRACTIONS -- Three bicycle cafes—each with some combination of repairs and food and drink offerings—are headed to Capitol Hill and the Central District. Peloton is opening at 12th and Jefferson, Metier is coming to Union Street, and there's a "mystery rider" coming somewhere soon.
Add Another $78M to Bertha Cost; New Seattle Landmarks
· Two projects, three towers may not fly in SLU [DJC]
· The low-key lawyer behind Seattle's 'Grand Bargain' on affordable housing [ST]
· State says idled Bertha may add $78M to its cost for tunnel [ST]
· Capitol Hill's Gaslight Inn wins Seattle landmark status [CHS]
· Build Your Dream Home on Capitol Hill [UL]
· Fight to save 'heart and soul' of Belltown in Seattle [K5]
· The most transformative local retail company? It may not be Amazon[CC]
· The Wayne Apartments Are Officially a Landmark [Seattlish]
· The UW Burke-Gilman Detour Strikes Back! [SBB]
· The low-key lawyer behind Seattle's 'Grand Bargain' on affordable housing [ST]
· State says idled Bertha may add $78M to its cost for tunnel [ST]
· Capitol Hill's Gaslight Inn wins Seattle landmark status [CHS]
· Build Your Dream Home on Capitol Hill [UL]
· Fight to save 'heart and soul' of Belltown in Seattle [K5]
· The most transformative local retail company? It may not be Amazon[CC]
· The Wayne Apartments Are Officially a Landmark [Seattlish]
· The UW Burke-Gilman Detour Strikes Back! [SBB]
New York is Really Concerned About Seattle's Well-Being
A lot of people from other parts of the country (See: York, New) seem really invested in what the future holds for Seattle. The New Yorker scared the bejesus out of us all with their earthquake report. Gawker wants everyone to know that Amazon ruined the entire town. Now the New York Times is wondering what Seattle can do to save it's soul as it grows up and gentrifies alongside the tech boom.
$600K Roosevelt Time Capsule Has Original Avocado Appliances
They call it avocado. Whether the color has come back or not, shades of it live throughout this 1973 one story. Very retro, or very well preserved. It's even the color of some of the appliances, which, if they're original, will be an opportunity to redefine the house's color scheme, or a good challenge for the color matching software at the home improvement store because few appliance last that many decades. Welcome to a model of the seventies from avocado and gold appliances to period lighting fixtures to parquet floors to sliding glass doors that lead out to an in-ground squiggly shaped pool. This 3 bedroom, 2.25 bath house looks like the setting for martinis, a nuclear family, and pot roasts on Sundays. Or, it is a Before picture that a new owner will transform into an After shot. (If so, maybe we'll feature it in Extreme Makeovers.) The opportunity is priced at $600,000 for the 3,000 square foot house on the 0.19 acre lot. It is appealing to find such a complete preservation of an era. Regardless, see if the velvet Elvisposter stays. It looks right at home.
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
FOLLOW CURBED SEATTLE
See On
![[ shipping container home ]](http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/237x/a3/e3/11/a3e311fa875bc4da50b7b86bbaf16724.jpg)
Your answer to the question, "Where should I stay in Seattle?"
Curbed University delivers insider tips and non-boring advice on how to buy or rent a house or apartment.
NEWS BY NEIGHBORHOOD
MASTHEAD
- EditorSean Keeley
- PublisherVox Media
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
All archivesFROM OUR PARTNERS
PREFERENCES
Open external links in new tabs?
Get daily updates and breaking news alerts from Curbed Seattle delivered straight to your inbox:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment-- or suggestions, particularly of topics and places you'd like to see covered