While longtime area residents may murmur in dissatisfaction at the latest project rising up in condo-crazed Ballard, the offering at 2034 Northwest 56th Street may cause a louder response than usual.

That's because the six-story, 166-unit condominium development will be built against the rear wall of the Ballard Public Library. Its parking garage will share a one-story zero lot line with the east wall of the library. Above the first floor will be a 10-foot setback.

This design scheme was the central topic at the second, and final, hearing on the project took place Sept. 10 at the Ballard High School Library. The Northwest Area Design Review Board mulled over a PowerPoint pitch tag-teamed by representatives from developer, Schnitzer Northwest of Bellevue, Mithun Architects, and Williams Marketing, Inc. They promised the Review Board that, aesthetically, their development would not cast a shadow on the library.

Because of the project's sensitive location, the Board had issues with the design. Topping their concerns, the visual tension between the library, an award-winning neighborhood centerpiece, and the condo building emerging from behind. Some on the board said that the western elevation would be "jarring" and suggested material and color changes, and plantings to enhance the view. They were referring to the view from Bartells looking across the street at the library.

While the public was invited to the hearing, only a few showed up, including Ballard Chamber of Commerce executive director, Beth Miller, who directed harsh criticism toward the developers.

"I'm a landscape architect by trade, and you don't use landscaping to hide design flaws," she said, referring to the suggestion of utilizing plants, and adding a green facade to soften the visual transition between the library and condo building.

"There seems to be no brick in your choice of building materials. Those who created the Ballard Municipal Plan put in years of effort and have done lots of homework that you haven't done," she said. "You should tailor each project to the area, and not use the cookie-cutter approach."

One of the Neighborhood Guidelines in the Ballard Municipal Plan states that "Building materials and interesting details found on older buildings on Market Street and the Ballard Avenue Landmark District should be recalled."

Miller said the plan for 3,800 square feet of retail was not enough, and that the ground floor residential scheme was inconsistent with the commercially zoned area. She said that as Chamber executive director she hears complaints from potential area merchants who want more retail space, and parking, in Ballard.

Also, she questioned why the project would not be "LEED certified."

In its Web site, LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, describes itself as a "Green Building Rating System," and the "nationally accepted benchmark" for various degrees of building sustainability. Its criteria include water savings, energy efficiency, and indoor environmental quality. The Hjarta Condominium development at 1530 Northwest Market Street is LEED certified.

In response, Mithun emphasized that their primary concern was that plans comply with Seattle Department of Planning and Development zoning. At the hearing's conclusion, the project received a recommendation from the Design Review Board, which they pass on to Department of Planning and Development land use planner Lisa Rutzick.

Mithun agreed to make some changes to comply with the board's recommendations, which will include color and material changes on the western elevation, and possibly some plantings.

Bryon Ziegler, developer and representative for Williams Marketing, assured the board, and Miller, that the development would be a good neighbor to the library. He pointed out that the project will "Pick up wood tone elements of the library.

He disagreed with the characterization that this project is just another modern, cookie-cutter condo building.

"This is not a static building, but a crisp backdrop," he said of the project and its western elevation. "This will be a living, moving and breathing building, and will give a nod to the library."

Caroline Ullmann, assistant director of communications for the Seattle Public Library, said the library sold a strip of land against the building's east side to Schnitzer Northwest in 2005, which helped anchor the condo project there.

"This development is not a surprise to us," she said. "We anticipated a development would be close to that side of the library. The architects laid out the library accordingly. That is why there is frosted glass, and no clear windows, on the library's east wall."

Steve Shay may be contacted at steves@robinsonnews.com.