New ‘Green Building’ programs have neighbors seeing red
Belltown residents cried foul when a proposed residential development was granted extra height and floor area by pledging to meet Green Building standards, even though these incentives would block more of their daylight and views. Learn how the new Belltown Livability Coalition is fighting back.
Torgelson's re-appointment is early test of “City Hall reset”
Will new Council President Lorena Gonzalez follow through on her promise that City Hall’s reset “has the potential to put a brighter spotlight on what the mayor is or isn’t doing”?
“We’re not going to be pushed around … and I do think the election results have strengthened that dynamic,” SDCI Director Nathan Torgelson’s re-appointment is an early test.
Hahn Building/Hotel Elliott at 1st and Pike Submitted for Landmark Consideration
The grassroots non-profit group SaveTheMarketEntrance.org announced today that the group has submitted the Hahn Building/Hotel Elliott located at 103 Pike Street for landmark consideration.
It’s Time for Seattle to ‘Walk The Talk’ with Progressive Values
City Council and the Mayor passed a Green New Deal, proclaiming a future where “the social and ecological well-being of all people is prioritized over the profit of private corporations.”
But what happens when progressive values collide with Seattle reality? All of the talk goes down the drain, big developers win, and citizens lose; because of the City’s insatiable appetite for money.
Seattle SDCI “snookered” again on 5th & Virginia!
It’s now eighteen months after the Hearing Examiner remand on daylighting and health, and the Applicant is just trying to muddy the water with their latest study in order to “ snooker” the SDCI into approving this unhealthy design, rather than make improvements available to them under the law that would yield a design that would work for everyone.
NATURAL LIGHT MATTERS: It’s the Essence of Life
Three new condo projects in varying stages of development in downtown Seattle: Emerald, First Light, and Spire all recognize the importance of natural light to the health and enjoyment of life of homebuyers, and each promotes natural light as a selling point to potential buyers.
Downtown Design Review Board Asleep At The Wheel…Again!
The Developer of the Silver Cloud continues to disregard Code [SMC] and repeated direction from the Design Review Board (DRB) and SDOT as it proceeds through the Recommendation phase. And the DRB has not held them accountable. Unless modified Silver Cloud will have a devastating environmental impact on surrounding streets and right-of-ways.
Fairness in Design Review
Open letter to Nathan Torgelson, Director SDCI:
When you read the Mission Statement of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), “As stewards and regulators of land and buildings, we preserve and enhance the equity, livability, safety, and health in our communities”, it is easy to see how far from your mission you have strayed. We request a meeting with you and any other decision maker with the authority to require the Design Review process be structured to represent and protect all parties’ interests.