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Objections Raised to Proposed 103-unit Ballard Condo
By Tom Herriman
The Ballard Square building on Market Street. |
The Northwest Seattle Design Review Board took a first look at the proposal in a well-attended meeting February 12 at Ballard High School.
The Ballard Square building, which fills the Market Street side of the L-shaped site, would not be torn down, but disruptions and loss of parking would be so severe, according to Ballard Licensing owner Fred Maxie, "that most of the businesses would be forced to move."
The six-story condo unit would be built on the current Ballard Square parking lot and the adjacent vacant property directly to the west.
The developer, Intracorp, has asked the Design Review Board for a variance from current open space requirements (20 percent of residential floor space) and building height requirements. In exchange for the variances, Scott Starr, representing building design firm Driscoll Architects, explained, a mid-block connection open during business hours would be built, permitting pedestrians to walk from Market Street through to NW 56th Street. Part of the walkway would be through the Ballard Square building, and part would be a 10-foot-wide paved walkway between the condo building and the adjacent building directly east. The developer is also asking that a private residential lobby, private terraces and a rooftop deck be counted as open space.
Several members of the audience and Design Review Board questioned whether the proposed walkway would meet the needs and approval of the community.
Ballard Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Beth Miller said, "It's got to be better than that. The neighborhood plan calls for access between Market Street and the proposed library site (NW 56th Street and 22nd Avenue NW). It's going to have to be much more pedestrian-friendly."
Mary Hurley, owner of Best Regards a couple doors down the street, said the meeting was well attended "because the site is very sensitive and central to the whole Ballard Civic Center plan." But she added, "Intracorp was ill-prepared to follow the Ballard Civic Center guidelines. Where do they think they're coming from, counting a walkway and a private lobby as open space?"
Another design issue raised in the public comment period was the potential "canyoning effect" of a 65-foot-tall building with no setbacks along NW 56th Street.
"We don't plan on having setbacks, but then we haven't actually designed the building yet," Starr said.
Scott Clark, chair of the Northwest Design Review Board, said after the meeting, "We're unwilling to recommend any of the departures they requested. The Ballard Square Building is the epicenter of Ballard. It's a gateway, a very sensitive spot. I hope they can come up with a more sensitive approach."
Clark said the Design Review Board is recommending an interim review, an additional step in the design review process because of the critical importance of the site. He also said a series of community meetings will be convened to provide broad opportunities for public input.
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