A Land Use Application has been filed with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections to allow a 4-story apartment building  at 4515 44th Ave SW with 43 small efficiency dwelling units. No parking is proposed. Existing buildings are to be demolished. Early Design Guidance was conducted under 3036493-EG.

Appeals must be submitted by: 10/31/2022

The following approvals are required:

Administrative Design Review with Departures (Seattle Municipal Code 23.41)

Departures are listed near the end of the Design Review Analysis

Download the Director's Analysis here.

 

From the Director's Analysis:

Current Development:
The subject site is currently developed with a one-
story commercial structure facing the street, built in
1979, and a detached dwelling unit that faces the alley. The site is graded and terraced to accommodate the approximate 16 foot grade change from the east frontage down to the west property line at the alley (approximately 10% slope).

The top of this image is North. This map is for illustrative purposes only. In the event of omissions, errors or differences, the documents in SDCI's files will control.
 

Surrounding Development and Neighborhood Character:
The project site is located on the west side of 44th Ave SW, midblock between SW Alaska St and SW Oregon St in the West Seattle Junction Hub Urban Village. The site is one-half block northwest of the ‘Junction’, the intersection of California Ave SW and SW Alaska St., the historic pedestrian-oriented neighborhood commercial core of West Seattle. The busy neighborhood commercial zone along California Ave SW north of Alaska St is comprised of older one- to two- story commercial buildings housing locally owned restaurants, offices and other services, including a senior center. Commercial development along California Ave SW in the vicinity of this project is fully built out, with most recent projects limited to renovation or change of use instead of redevelopment. Although many large, high density mixed-use developments are filling in the blocks east of California Ave. (towards SW Fauntleroy Way), the commercially zoned blocks to the west of California Ave have remained generally underdeveloped, many as surface parking lots.

The blocks north, south and west of the project site maintain a residential character with a mixed composition of scale, massing, and density of existing structures. Structures are low- and midrise, of a mix of architectural styles and eras. Although most of the single family development has traditional settings that engage the street environment, many of the multi- family structures are instead oriented west towards the view to the Olympic mountains and do not provide windows, usable open space or otherwise relate to the public realm.

The area was rezoned from Neighborhood Commercial 2-40 to Neighborhood Commercial 2-55 (M) on 4/19/2019. Projects in the vicinity are currently in review or under construction for proposed development, including 4747 California Ave SW.

Access:
Vehicular and pedestrian access to the commercial building is from 44th Ave SW. Vehicular and pedestrian access to the rear dwelling unit is from the alley.

Environmentally Critical Areas: None mapped.

PUBLIC COMMENT:

The public comment period ended on March 29, 2021. Comments were received through the Design Review process. Comments were also received that are beyond the scope of this review and analysis per SMC 23.41.

I. ANALYSIS – DESIGN REVIEW

The design packet includes materials that are available online by entering the record number (3036492-LU) at this website: http://www.seattle.gov/DPD/aboutus/news/events/DesignReview/SearchPastReviews/default.aspx