The Northwest Design Review Board got its first look at Market Street Landing, an eight-story condo planned for the spot where the boarded-up Denny’s now stands. And they didn’t like it. The board criticized the design for lacking a Ballard character, especially since it would be located on the “gateway corner” to Ballard, on 15th and Market. It looks like a “sprawling octopus,” said the board’s chair. “I don’t see Ballard in there at all,” said another board member.
The board has asked for the developers to make some changes and come back for another review. Meanwhile, the battle still rages over whether the old Denny’s should be given a landmark status, which could threaten the project. Seattle’s Landmark Preservation Board meets on January 2nd to consider it.
My Ballard
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New condo looks like ’sprawling octopus’
December 26th, 2007 · 6 Comments
Tags: Ballard
6 responses so far ↓
1 John&Karen // Jan 1, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Denny’s(formerly Manning’s Cafateria) should be given Landmark status.
2 Kelly // Jan 2, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Didn’t You hear?? they’re tearing down Dick’s Drive in too.
Just kidding….
Before you know it everthing we love about Ballard will be gone and replaced with over priced codos. God bless America!
One more thing…the guys that own Smittys Barber shop tell me that Taco bell and Blockbuster are on the chopping block as well…making room for more codos.
3 Ben // Jan 3, 2008 at 11:38 am
So what? Should we seek landmark status for Taco Bell and Blockbuster too? A landmark should be a thing of beauty, not a fast food place or a diner.
4 Kelly // Jan 4, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Dear Ben,
The comment about the taco bell and Blockbuster was not to seek landmark status but rather just pointing out that if they keep tearing down all the business to make way for more conods ballard will end up being all condos with no place to shop and eat at. I don’t know about you but I like being able to walk to all the stores and such …but if I’m going to have to drive to northgate to rent a movie I’m moving.
I just don’t want the charm of ballard to be lost because we over build…pretty soon it will look like belltown.
5 korey // Jan 14, 2008 at 10:09 pm
ben you mother fucker i ought to rip out your trachea
6 Lion Kimbro // Jan 25, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Ben’s comment seems fair to me. It does seem a little strange to me that a Denny’s is being considered for landmark status. (Perhaps it’s an adobe?)
Movies seem like things that should be downloaded, seen online, rather than having a whole store that you have to walk to.
Restaurants, stores, movie theaters, traditional theatres, activity centers, — these are the sorts of things I can understand wanting to walk around.
Is there an effort or a plan to locate these things somewhere? If not, then saying, “Oh no, it’s turning into condos,” doesn’t seem very regenerative to me. If an effort is being criticized, (such as turning this into condos, which is very useful to people,) then I would want to see the effort that was supported — an effort to have stores and shops as a part of a vision.
Should the bottom floor of the condo building be a grocery store, for example? Can the bottom floor be shops and stores?
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