We all know Seattle is named for Chief Seattle, but considering the Duwamish chief's name was actually Sealth, shouldn't we change the name of the city to honor him correctly? That's what Richard Haag, landscape architect responsible for Gas Works Park and Bloedel Reserve, thinks. "Speak or whisper 'Sealth' in front of a mirror — it just flows out, effortless…. Sealth will be preferred by persons challenged by enunciation, by poets, graphic designers, typesetters, word processors, text messengers." Try it out and let's see if it catches on. [Crosscut, Image: Wikimedia] Sorrento Hotel Mural Vote; Seattle's Kid Population Shrinking
· Vote on mural for Sorrento Hotel's massive parking garage wall [CHS]
· Dempcys will operate Mayflower until 2025 [DJC]
· A Magnolia Midcentury Home Gets a Second-Story Addition [SM]
· Dare to Press the Mystery Button: Seattle's Enigmatic Soda Machine[Slate]
· Actually in the House budget: A bridge made of old aircraft carriers[Seattlish]
· City Consultants Agree That the Viaduct Is Safe. What Does That Even Mean? [SLOG]
· Seattle among Major Metros with Smallest Shares of Children [CL]
· Pronto is six months old, launches week of price cuts & deals [SBB]
· Mayor Murray's Departments Back Better Parking Solutions[Urbanist]
· Uwajimaya's corporate HQ sold as part of $63M sale [PSBJ]
· Want more housing in Seattle? Don't pass these new rules [PSBJ]
· Dempcys will operate Mayflower until 2025 [DJC]
· A Magnolia Midcentury Home Gets a Second-Story Addition [SM]
· Dare to Press the Mystery Button: Seattle's Enigmatic Soda Machine[Slate]
· Actually in the House budget: A bridge made of old aircraft carriers[Seattlish]
· City Consultants Agree That the Viaduct Is Safe. What Does That Even Mean? [SLOG]
· Seattle among Major Metros with Smallest Shares of Children [CL]
· Pronto is six months old, launches week of price cuts & deals [SBB]
· Mayor Murray's Departments Back Better Parking Solutions[Urbanist]
· Uwajimaya's corporate HQ sold as part of $63M sale [PSBJ]
· Want more housing in Seattle? Don't pass these new rules [PSBJ]
What $1,300/Month Can Rent You in Seattle Right Now
Welcome back to Curbed Comparisons, where we scour Seattle's rental listings to see what your monthly budget will get you across the city. Today we find out what $1,300/month can get you. You tell us which lease you'd sign.
↑ Let's begin in U District where you can find a 447 sf 1-BR at Muriel's Landing for $1,295/mo. It looks like the unit is actually somewhere between a studio and one-bedroom. The building is geared towards being an "Active Building," encouraging residents to build a profile so you can connect with your neighbors. You're either really into that or really not.
With Algorithms Buying Homes, What Could Go Wrong?
Photo by Travis Wise/Creative Commons
The Wall Street Journal reports that big players in the real estate industry have started to embrace quantitative data analysis and mathematical modeling, utilizing algorithms to evaluate how homes are scouted and purchased. For instance, Blackstone Group's Invitation Homes calculates how much a potential property may cost to renovate based on location, size and age, while comparing it to a database of thousands of properties. This computer arms race by players such as Silver Bay Realty Trust means homes with good scores are evaluated in minutes and bid on, often sight unseen, in order to beat rivals to any remaining bargains in the market. While in many ways it's a sign of a slightly healthier market, since the low hanging fruit of foreclosures and short sales have begun to dry up over the last few years, the practice recalls computer-aided trading (when has that ever gone wrong?) and the dreaded B-word, and can drive up the cost of rental properties.
Renton's Evergreen Market is Taking Marijuana Retail Upscale
In almost a year we've seen folks in Washington go from "Oh my God, a retail marijuana store is opening!!!" to "Oh, another retail marijuana store is opening" pretty quickly. So it takes a little something to get our attention now when a new dispensary sets up shop. That's probably why the folks behind The Evergreen Market in Renton decided to step things up a bit. Renton's first retail cannabis store will open on April 18 and when it does it won't look like your stereotypical pot shop. Designed by a former Starbucks architect, the store features wood reclaimed from a 100-year-old barn in Lynden, WA, a wall and gate comprised of twisted willow, an eleven-foot "library" with samples and information as well as over 2,000 feet of space for customers to explore. Owner Cass Stewart, who previously ran The Apothecary on Capitol Hill, says he wants to put "the focus on the grower and celebrating the product in a way that respects the culture." The grand opening will take place from 10am until 6pm on Saturday and will include food trucks, live music, a live artist and special pricing.
How Much for This West Seattle Water View Craftman?
PriceSpotter is Curbed's asking price guessing game. We provide you with some details and pictures from a real estate listing, and you take a crack at the price in the comments. Tomorrow we reveal the answer. And hey, no cheating!
What Is It?: 3-BR, 2-bath home in West Seattle near the waterfront
Home Square Footage: 3,078
Annual Taxes: $6,327
The Skinny: Here's a 1920 view Craftsman tucked away on the waterfront in the Genesee neighborhood of West Seattle. The home has been kept in great condition without losing a lot of the vintage charm, including the stone-trimmed fireplace, wood stove and classic kitchen. There have been modern updates however (hello, bidet!). Out back, the 720 sf deck boasts an impressive view. So, know that you know all of that, how much do you think they're asking for it?
Home Square Footage: 3,078
Annual Taxes: $6,327
The Skinny: Here's a 1920 view Craftsman tucked away on the waterfront in the Genesee neighborhood of West Seattle. The home has been kept in great condition without losing a lot of the vintage charm, including the stone-trimmed fireplace, wood stove and classic kitchen. There have been modern updates however (hello, bidet!). Out back, the 720 sf deck boasts an impressive view. So, know that you know all of that, how much do you think they're asking for it?
According to Zumper, Seattle maintained its position as the 10th most expensive rental market in the country last month in spite of a 1.8% dip in 1-bedroom rents. The city's median of $1,600/month for a 1-bed came ahead of San Diego ($1,480), Philadelphia ($1,350), and Minneapolis ($1,320). Central Business District (Downtown) was the most expensive neighborhood on their list with a median 1-bed of $2,260 while Lawton Park in Magnolia came in as the cheapest with $1,050. [Zumper]Here's a Tiny Greenwood Cottage From the 20's for $265K
Welcome to Tiny Homes, an idea that is more popular with minimalists than with neighborhood associations and zoning boards. We'll point out the fun parts. You'll have to check out the logistics and legalities - but this one's been around a while, and just came onto the market.
Once upon a time, 504 square feet would have been a small, not a tiny house. This one was built in 1920, just as the Twenties were about to Roar. With only 1 bedroom and 0.75 baths, maybe it was a good bachelor pad, just a place to crash after working, or partying, or both. Now, it has seen a series of remodels that are far more refined, but still has an asking price below that of many condos, $265,000. You don't get much more, because the lot size, 2,003 square feet, is smaller than the average house; but maybe you don't want much more than that. From Greenwood, with its shops and bus lines, there's enough to do outside the house that you don't need as much inside. Even with that, the inside is at least photogenic. That kitchen isn't original, but the appliances have a few years on them, and the cabinets may be a few decades behind modern unless they're now retro. The rest of the house has been updated, so there's less for you to worry about. With so little floor space and yard, the greatest value may be all the extra time you'll save taking care of a house the size of some rooms, and a yard the size of some houses.
Last week, a 10′ x 20′ cabin in Loon Lake was stolen right off it's foundation. "They even took the steps and the paving blocks," said the owner. When news got out, local police received a tip that the cabin was now in the town of Springdale on someone's private property about ten miles from the original location. KREM has the whole, absurd story. The lesson here? Build a cabin around your cabin, we guess. [KREM]
POPULAR
'Is Ballard a City?': What People Google About Seattle
Inspired by a recent Curbed NY exploration into what folks Google about when they're Googling about New York City, we decided to do the same kind of hard-hitting analysis about Seattle. So, we started typing a basic question about Seattle, it's neighborhoods and surrounding cities and then let the autocomplete function do the rest. What we learned was...everyone really, really wants to feel safe.
First up, Seattle, where everyone has their priorities in order. Yes we want to know if the water we drink is okay and whether or not we can walk down the street without getting mugged, but, most importantly, can we have the Sonics back already or what?
Windermere Realty Prez OB Jacobi Lists Home for $3.25M
If you're OB Jacobi, you don't really have a lot of options when it comes to deciding which real estate company is going to list your Seattle home. He went with Windermere Real Estate, which was probably an easy decision considering he's the president of the company. He's asking $3.25M for the 6,100 sf Laurelhurst home that he had custom-built in 2003. Inside, there's four bedrooms, five wood-burning fireplaces (including one in the master bath), a game room, home theater, two offices and a 700-bottle, Mediterranean wine cellar. One of the most striking features is the chandelier above the outdoor living space, which was apparently designed to resemble the ones from the wedding scene in Shrek (which it totally does...). We're assuming they're taking that Seattle Sounders cleat children's bed with them, though we can imagine a few adults who might want something like that.
Last Week's Biggest Sales: Arnold Gangnes Home Doubles Asking Price, Pomeroy Penthouse Sold
Listed for: $880K
Received: $1.6M
Size: 4-BR, 2.25-bath, 2,940 sf
Location: 2101 22nd Ave E, Montlake
The Skinny: So we're not sure what the details are behind this sale but when we mentioned this mid-century modern home by Arnold Gangnes in mid-March, it was asking $880K. Now we see it's sold for almost double that! Clearly, someone thought pretty highly of this 1957 vintage gem. With four bedrooms and a lot of utilitarian space, there's potential to take this place to the next level, which is clearly something the buyer is willing to pay for.
Received: $1.6M
Size: 4-BR, 2.25-bath, 2,940 sf
Location: 2101 22nd Ave E, Montlake
The Skinny: So we're not sure what the details are behind this sale but when we mentioned this mid-century modern home by Arnold Gangnes in mid-March, it was asking $880K. Now we see it's sold for almost double that! Clearly, someone thought pretty highly of this 1957 vintage gem. With four bedrooms and a lot of utilitarian space, there's potential to take this place to the next level, which is clearly something the buyer is willing to pay for.
$11M Madison Tower Penthouse Actually Two Units in One
We don't get that many $11 million-dollar house listings in Seattle, let alone an $11 million-dollar condo one. So when one hits the market, as the 6,758 sf penthouse atop Madison Tower just did, all eyes turn towards it. Technically-speaking, we're talking about two penthouse units, Unit #2400 and Unit #2401, which would run you $4,995,000, and $5,995,000, respectively. But the offering gives you the opportunity to bundle them into one pricey package (don't forget the $6,702/mo. in HOA dues). Altogether you're looking at five bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, seven fireplaces and seven separate decks, most of which give you THE view of Elliott Bay and Puget Sound. Because the building shares space with Hotel 1000, you're also privy to concierge & room service, valet parking, housekeeping and the requisite fitness studio & spa. Combined, you also get five parking spaces. We're not sure why you'd want to ever leave once you're here, but, at least it's an option.
This Solar-Powered Stained Glass Can Charge Your iPhone
Call it a sustainable halo effect. Dutch designer Marjan van Aubel's new Current Window, stained glass that works like solar cells, may turn the colorful artwork adorning churches into a glowing symbol of eco-awareness, all while charging your phone mid-mass. Made with dye-sensitized solar cells, which utilize different colors of light to generate energy like chlorophyll, the multi-hued glass offers a forward-thinking take on a classic architectural element.
"Harvesting power with an old design element really creates this awareness of energy use and the environment," she says.
The Trouble With Megaprojects; Fremont Bridge Bike Counts
· Where the Game of Thrones Families Would Go House Hunting in Seattle [Redfin]
· Kilroy's got big plans for KING 5 studio site [PSBJ]
· Residents fight to save Bothell golf course from developers, mayor[ST]
· Big plans for big property in the heart of downtown Kirkland [PSBJ]
· A Broadway clock that tells history, not time [CHS]
· City of Seattle admits it wasn't ready for major traffic jam [MyN]
· King County Rural Roads: How They Got So Bad [KUOW]
· Will Washington state stop neglecting its own history and heritage?[CC]
· 2015 Fremont Bridge bike counts have broken records every month so far [SBB]
· The Trouble With Megaprojects Like Bertha [NYer]
· House That Wouldn't Budge (or Float Away) Faces a Last Stand [NYT]
· Kilroy's got big plans for KING 5 studio site [PSBJ]
· Residents fight to save Bothell golf course from developers, mayor[ST]
· Big plans for big property in the heart of downtown Kirkland [PSBJ]
· A Broadway clock that tells history, not time [CHS]
· City of Seattle admits it wasn't ready for major traffic jam [MyN]
· King County Rural Roads: How They Got So Bad [KUOW]
· Will Washington state stop neglecting its own history and heritage?[CC]
· 2015 Fremont Bridge bike counts have broken records every month so far [SBB]
· The Trouble With Megaprojects Like Bertha [NYer]
· House That Wouldn't Budge (or Float Away) Faces a Last Stand [NYT]
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