At its third design review, developers of Avalon Ballard were given the green light to apply for a master use permit with the city after the Northwest Design Review Board approved the six-story development set to replace the shuttered Sunset Bowl at 1400 N.W. Market St.

In past reviews, the biggest issue the board had was the scale of the development and treatment of the north and west walls.

While the board members, all architects, said they liked the overall design of the building, they took issue with the design element of a blank wall portion of the west facade.

"It's so different than anything else," said board member Mark Brands.

Board member Bill Singer said special attention should be paid to that side of the development since it would be so visible from Market Street.

"There's an opportunity to do something very contrasting that wouldn't feel out of place," said Singer.

They said the current design is too loud and dominates that side of the building.

The mixed-use building will contain 233 apartments and about 13,000 square feet of retail, as well as parking for 277 vehicles.

The board also wanted additional stoops on the north side of the development along Northwest 56th Street. That street, which has less traffic, should have a more "residential" feel, they said.

"Stoops really enhance the pedestrian experience," said Singer.

Derek Bottles, project manager for developers AvalonBay, said his development company has met with several community groups in the area, including the East Ballard Community Council and the 14th Ave NW Visioning Project, whose goal is to turn a one-mile portion of the street into a green boulevard and increase traffic and pedestrian safety safety.

"I think these meetings have been very productive for all involved,” said Bottles.

Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, is the firm designing the building.

One woman who attended the design review meeting said she was concerned about additional traffic a development of that size would bring. Another woman suggested putting planters at the top of the building to "soften" the horizon.

The location of the project is in a prominent area of Ballard, just south of Ballard Market, north of Safeway and a block east of the major arterial 15th Avenue Northwest. Parker Paint sits to the east with Burger King at its west.

At the October design review, Bottles said the new massing plan provided more “movement and liveliness” along Market and 14th. Where the building was designed to the property line along those streets, it has been revised to step back.

Another major element to the project that was highlighted by AvalonBay was a 60 by 40 foot public plaza that would be built on the southeast corner of Market Street.

The plaza’s major feature is a grand stairway and outdoor seating for the public. It will be a place to wait for the bus and gather, said the architects.

The 51-year-old Sunset Bowl has sat empty since for just more than a year and will be demolished to make room for the new building. The new apartments will rent at market rate, AvalonBay representatives have said.

AvalonBay has built across the country, from New York City to southern California. A local example is Avalon Belltown, at 2800 Western Ave. Rents there range from $1,125 to $2,495 per month, according to the company's Web site.