After more than a year of design review meetings, the Conner Homes project finally passed its design review at a fifth meeting with the Southwest Design Review Board Thursday, April 23.

Unlike most projects, which typically require three sessions with a city- appointed design review board, Conner Homes’ project was under intense scrutiny from both the board and the local community.

The project will be built in one of the most prominent locations in West Seattle, on the corners of California Avenue Southwest , Southwest Alaska Street and 42nd Avenue Southwest.

The mixed use project includes two buildings, divided by a mid-block alley, containing 12,745 square feet of retail space, 190 residential units and parking for 307 vehicles.

Last night’s meeting was focused on concerns regarding the massing of the west building, on California Avenue.

The architect, Jim Westcott, presented four different massing schemes in detail, although the community and board members both seemed to like one in which two “saddlebag” massings extended out on each corner of the project’s seven-story portion.

Board members also made another significant requirement that the project’s retail section on California Avenue measure two stories high instead of just one. Both the community and the board felt that this change would shield the larger, seven-story building from pedestrian view.

Despite receiving approval from the board, the Conner Homes project still received significant criticism from community members who feel its size, and modern architecture, do not fit in with the character of the Alaska Junction.

“We’re a quirky, cool neighborhood and we need this to be more than boxes,” said Renee Commons, a local resident who presented images of other West Seattle business that had included historic architecture in their buildings. “I don’t want a mall in there. I want this to be a place where my kids want to come back and live that still has some character.”

J.F. Henry, a local kitchen and tableware store, was included in Witt’s presentation of ideal architecture. However, soon after Tom Henry, the business owner, stood up to remind the community of the benefits that can come from Conner Homes’ project.

“I want 300 more customers coming into my building,” said Henry. “We can’t lose site of the excitement of growth and development. Competition is good.”