Seattle Press on Line - Designer of New Fremont Buildings Honored by Architect Group

Designer of New Fremont Buildings Honored by Architect Group

Jan 11, 2001 -- Bumgardner, the Seattle architectural firm that is transforming the Fremont waterfront with three large new buildings, was selected for special recognition in the 49th annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle Honor Awards.

The firm was cited for design excellence for its Saffron development, a pedestrian-friendly mixed-use project on the Sammamish Plateau. The selection was one of only 12 from 150 entries announced at the Honor Awards presentation November 13 at Benaroya Hall.

Bumgardner designed the two buildings just opened in the Quadrant Lake Union center just west of the Fremont Bridge, and is the architect for the Block 40 project, the mixed-use residential project on the Red Door parking lot. The Red Door building is scheduled to be moved this spring to a new site at North 34th Street and Evanston Avenue.

The two canal-side buildings are owned by Limpopo Properties LLC. The tenants, who are still unpacking, include Indaba, a virtual reality developer, and CapitalStream, which provides online financing for business-to-business marketplaces.

The Saffron development combines 99 upscale condo apartments with approximately 50,000 square feet of retail shops and restaurants. Each building is clad with colorful, industrial materials loosely inspired by a Moroccan marketplace. The Honor Awards jury said they were impressed with how the Saffron development created the unexpected in a suburban environment.

The jury explained in a statement, "The site plan clearly demonstrated the appeal of living in one of these apartments. Residents have the choice of taking a short walk to buy something instead of being forced to use their car."

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