5th & Stewart Design Still a Mess

After 4 years, the 5th & Stewart Altitude project (#3018037) still has major unresolved issues with its loading and waste management design. Altitude’s Plan Set 8 shows access requirements on paper, not real life. The number, size, and accessibility of its loading berths will not serve this megatower’s actual demands.

The Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) needs to do its job and require this tower to provide the infrastructure to support its density. If not, the tower functions will overtake the block and disable circulation in the entire alley and adjacent streets. As neighbors on the project alley, Escala is invested in seeing that Altitude’s functional design contains the impact of its density and planned uses. The following are illustrations highlighting issues from its latest Plan Set 8.

Logistics and Systems Design

Loading berth anomalies

Loading berth design, accessibility and length

In sum, the current loading design is not functional. Consequently, the entrance to the alley behind this proposed Altitude project will be a “choke point” restricting traffic for this project, the Centennial Building right across the alley, and both Escala and the proposed 5th & Virginia project at the other end of this alley block, not to mention causing gridlock on Stewart street.

The full text of this presentation by Megan Kruse was posted on the SDCI web portal on 10/25/18.