7-story apartment planned for west end of NW Market St

The apartment plans for NW Market St just keep on coming: A new 7-story development is being planned for 2501 NW Market St.

The plans for this site have changed in the past year. Last June, we reported that a new 6-story senior housing development from Living Care Lifestyles would be going in at that location. Now, it appears plans have shifted to another apartment building.

According to city records, the site is being scoped for a 7-story, 120-unit apartment building with retail. Parking for 65 vehicles is proposed in the project plans. The development project relies on rezoning from IC-65 (Industrial Commercial with a 65-foot height limit) to NC3p 75 (Neighborhood Commercial Three with a 75 ft. height limit).

The apartment project is another development from J. Selig Real Estate, the same company planning a new apartment complex on the other end of Market St at the Firestone location. The architect for the 2501 NW Market St development is Mithun.

The apartment design plans illustrated a strong nod to the maritime community of Ballard, with three main design concepts in the early design plans. There are three concepts on the table; the Courtyard, Eddy and Terraced designs (pictured in order below).

The Courtyard concept
The Eddy concept
The Terraced concept

All three designs would have residential, lobby, and commercial entrances all located along NW Market St. The parking garage and bicycle parking would be accessed from 26th Ave NW.

The project site is currently a vacant lot, which has been used mainly as a storage area for the boatyard across the street on the south side of the property line.

Photo: Lauren Hendricks | Windermere Real Estate Midtown

There will be a virtual Early Design Guidance Meeting for the project on Monday, May 17 at 5pm. To join the meeting, visit this website. If you want to provide comments on the proposed design during the public comment portion of the meeting, you must use the online form in the above meeting link. Each speaker will be allotted two minutes to speak on the agenda.

Online registration to speak at the meeting starts two hours before the meeting time, and registration will end at the end of the board’s clarifying questions, which happens 30 minutes into the meeting.

According to the meeting details, the review board wants feedback only on the design of the proposal and encourages participants to reference the design guidelines to help think about and frame comments. Keep in mind that the design board has no authority over zoning designation, density, housing affordability, parking requirements, or unit type or mix.

You can call in to listen to the meeting by calling 206-207-1700 and using the passcode: 187 683 2936.