Madison Park Times Real Estate 01-2020 by Pacific Publishing Company

January 2020

Madison Park Times

Serving East-Central Seattle since 1983

Real Estate

MADISON PARK - WASHINGTON PARK - MADISON VALLEY - DENNY-BLAINE - MADRONA - LESCHI www .M adison P ark T imes . com

Office of Housing makes big D3 investments Africatown Plaza, The Eldridge included in city’s largest funding package to date, boosted by held sales tax By Brandon Macz

Madison Park Times editor District 3 affordable housing projects in the pipeline are closer to being realized after securing funding through the Seattle Office of Housing’s $110 million investment package this year, which is expected to create 1,944 new rental units in the next few years. This year’s investment in affordable rental housing is the largest to date, and includes $13 million in sales tax the city was able to retain through new legislation passed by state lawmakers earlier this year.

Capitol Hill Housing and community partners received funding for two projects.

Africatown Plaza Africatown Plaza is receiving $12 million in Office of Housing funding. The project, which will create 132 affordable housing units on a portion of the former Midtown Center site in the Central District, is slated to begin the Early Design Guidance process in early 2020. The project is being developed by Capitol Hill Housing and the Africatown Community Land Trust under its Afri-

Office of Economic Development opens Legacy Business nominations Bing’s in Madison Park might have qualified for a Legacy Business award, having operated for a decade here. Photo by Brandon Macz

By Brandon Macz

Madison Park Times editor The Seattle Office of Economic Development has opened nominations for a new Legacy Business Program, which will honor and support one longtime business from each city council district in 2020, its inaugural year. Spearheaded by District 1 Councilmember Lisa Herbold, the program is open to businesses that have been operating in Seattle for at least 10 years and have fewer than 50 employees, including their owners. Once nominated, those businesses must apply for consideration; businesses can also self-nominate. Winners will be decided by a selection committee comprised of business representatives from each district. Other criteria to be considered for a

Legacy Business designation include serving a greater community benefit beyond selling goods or services, contributing to the the ground-floor neighborhood identity and being at significant risk of displacement. Nominations are open until Feb. 14 and can be submitted at seattle.gov/oed/legacybusiness. The benefit of being declared a Legacy Business includes access to OED support services, including a commercial lease and succession planning toolkit, marketing, two hours of legal consultation with Wayfind Legal, a two-minute promotional video by Drag & Drop Creative and social media promotions by OED. An awards ceremony will be held in May to recognize the first round of Legacy Businesses during National Small Business Month.

Image courtesy of Capitol Hill Housing This rendering shows the latest design for Africatown Plaza, a proposed seven-story affordable housing development in the Central District. catown LLLP partnership. The Office of Housing previously provided the entity a $4.5 million loan to acquire 20 percent of the Midtown Center site from Lake Union Partners, which is developing a 432-unit mixed-use apartment project on the rest of the property. Africatown CEO K. Wyking Garrett tells MPT it’s great to see the City of Seattle prioritizing communities that have been harmed by past policies and practices

of redlining, disinvestment and predatory development. “This is an important step toward making sure, if this is going to be a world-class city, it should have a world-class black/African diaspora community,” Garrett said during an award ceremony earlier this month. He said community feedback during the early planning process included a high de HOUSING, Page 6

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JANUARY 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thank you to my clients, neighbors and friends for your business and referrals throughout 2019. It has been a wonderful year and I am so fortunate to live and work in such an incredible neighborhood with such a strong sense of community. I love my career and I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve so many wonderful people in achieving their real estate goals and dreams this year. I look forward to helping you with your referrals and your own real estate needs in 2020!

Warmly, Lisa

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Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times • City Living Seattle

JANUARY 2020

City Light testing microgrid technology at Miller Community Center Results of Commerce-backed pilot could influence future utility strategy By Brandon Macz

Madison Park Times editor Seattle City Light is exploring the potential to add microgrid technology to its list of utility offerings, starting with a pilot project to keep the lights on at Miller Community Center in Capitol Hill. The Washington State Department of Commerce is providing $1.5 million for the project, which is coming from $12.6 million in Clean Energy Fund grants Gov. Jay Inslee announced back in 2016. SCL is investing another $1.8 million into the microgrid resiliency project. SCL project manager Bianca Smith said the project is at 90-percent design, and can be constructed in 10-12 weeks. There is still permitting to get through, she said. Miller Community Center was one of several centers without a backup power system that SCL considered for the project. Other criterion for choosing a pilot site included structural integrity and community benefits. The microgrid project will include a battery energy storage system with a 200-250 kW power capacity and 750-1,000 kilowatt hours of energy capacity, kilowattsized solar panels and microgrid controls. Smith said the system will provide the community center with backup power during a system outage and SCL with helpful analytics to determine future utility benefits of microgrids. The microgrid would have the ability to disconnect from the traditional power grid and tap into its battery storage to support the community center, which is what the industry refers to as islanding. The solar panels up top

Image courtesy of Seattle City Light A microgrid technology pilot project at Miller Community Center is slated for installation in early 2020. will also generate power for the microgrid. another Modular Energy Storage Architecture (MESA) Puget Sound Solar and Worley will handle installation system on the way. of the project. Senior project engineer Ella Willard said SCL and SnoPUD are working with the University of the company does a fairly even number of residential and Washington’s electrical engineering department to anacommercial projects in the area, with new energy codes lyze their respective systems. in Seattle now requiring solar arrays on buildings of a “I think a couple white papers might come out of this certain size. A similar statewide energy code will soon work about what we learned,” Smith said. go into effect, she said, at which point she expects Puget Rather than building out new substations to keep up Sound Solar to get even busier. with energy demands, microgrids could become a new The Snohomish County Public Utility District has installed two battery systems in its coverage area, with  MICROGRID, Page 4 PROVEN RESULTS

ealogics Sotheby’s International Realty is expanding on the Eastside! The brand recently announced their seventh branch office on the heart of Old Main Street in downtown Bellevue. Interim operations have begun on the

lower level, with construction underway on Main Street of B-Bar (a café and cocktail lounge, operated by Joe Vilardi of Bis on Main), a real estate showroom, events center, co-working lounge and executive offices. I look forward to celebrating the grand opening of this beautiful office in March 2020!

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JANUARY 2020

Fort Lawton redevelopment opponent accuses Seligs of pulling support for legal challenge Elizabeth Campbell claims real estate developers owe her attorney’s fees, threatens another lawsuit By Brandon Macz

Madison Park Times editor Magnolia resident Elizabeth Campbell has lost another attorney in her ongoing legal fight to stop the Fort Lawton Redevelopment Project, claiming members of the Selig family reneged on a pledge of financial support. Attorney Allen T. Miller submitted a notice of withdrawal as legal counsel to Campbell and her Discovery Park Community Alliance on Dec. 6. This is the second law firm to withdraw from Campbell’s case, which challenges the City of Seattle’s plan to redevelop the decommissioned Fort Lawton Army Reserve Center to include affordable housing to rent and own, plus open space, playfields and an addition to Discovery Park. Miller had been retained after legal firm Dickson Frohlich withdrew as legal counsel in August. Attorney Nathan Arnold represented Campbell and DPCA in an unsuccessful challenge of the city’s final environmental impact statement for the redevelopment project. Campbell alleges she has been unable to afford to cover attorney’s fees because she had been relying on a promise of financial support from Jordan Selig, who is the youngest daughter of billionaire developer Martin Selig and works with her father on multiple commercial real estate projects . Martin Selig Real Estate’s general counsel John Greeley sent a letter to Miller on Nov. 26 stating that Campbell was to remove any mention of the Seligs from newsletters and other DPCA literature, and also to stop soliciting funds from them. Instead, Campbell sent a letter demanding the Seligs pay

Courtesy image Rather than comply with a letter from the legal counsel for MSRE to stop mentioning the Seligs in Discovery Park Community Alliance literature, Magnolia resident Elizabeth Campbell is using her DPCA website to accuse the developer family of stiffing her for legal fees associated with a lawsuit to stop redevelopment at Fort Lawton. $29,000 in overdue attorney’s fees and another $14,665 she claims she is owed for the work she has conducted as part of her legal challenge of the Fort Lawton project. Greeley tells Queen Anne News there is no comment to provide at this time regarding Campbell’s allegations. Campbell claims in her Dec. 5 demand letter that Jordan Selig sought her out in 2017 as a concerned resident living in one of the historic homes at Officer’s Row at Fort Lawton. “The arrangement she requested and I agreed to was that I was to run public and legal interference against the project,” Campbell’s letter states, “the attorney and I would keep Jor

dan (and later on Martin) apprised of our activities to fight the project, and Jordan (and later on Martin) would provide the funds for sustaining the litigation and opposition work, the latter which included my not inconsiderable litigation support to the attorneys.” Campbell alleges the delaying of payments started in fall 2018. She filed her land-use petition on June 28, 2019, after the Seattle City Council approved plans to develop 237 affordable housing units for rent and homeownership; sixty per LAWTON, Page 11

 MICROGRID, from Page 3 tool in SCL’s utility chest, Smith said. “Utility stops at the meter, so we’re going beyond that,” she said. Seattle Parks and Recreation, which is partnering with SCL on the Miller Community Center microgrid project, will also benefit through a net-metering offset from the solar panels. A Dec. 9 open house provided community members with more information about the project while also seeking feedback about plans to locate the battery storage system behind the center, in an area currently used for garbage disposal. The battery will be blocked off by a non-metal fence, which could receive an artistic treatment through the 1 Percent for Art ordinance. Maija McKnight, Seattle Office of Arts and Culture’ public art project manager, said additional funding is being provided for a total of $47,000 for a new art piece at the community center. While an art screen is one idea for the 1 Percent for Art component, McKnight said, a commissioned art piece wouldn’t have to be physically connected to the microgrid project. The art project can either be on the community center site or have a

Generations of Experience

Presha Sparling 206.799.2851 presha@gbk.com

Riley Sparling-Beckley

Image courtesy of Seattle City Light A battery energy storage system is planned to be located behind the center, where waste facilities are currently located. This is a preliminary drawing and may not reflect the final design. theme related to the microgrid project. The Georgetown Steam Plant is planned to be used by a partnering nonprofit to promote STEAM education. It is currently only open to the public once a month, so the 1 Percent for Art project attached to capital facilities improvements will be in the form of a graphic novel, McKnight said. Andrew Taylor, who has lived across from the Miller Community Center for more than 30 years, was involved in its advisory council and selecting the first 1 Percent for Art project, which was a mobile of buildings on top of the center. He said there is a second plinth on the roof, suggesting another mobile may have been considered at one point, which is one idea he suggested. “The artwork we have out there is wonderful and timeless,” Tay-

lor said. “It’s 20 years — it looks good as new.” McKnight said she hopes to have a call for artists approved by Dec. 17, but it could take longer. Interested artists can look for the call to be posted at seattle.gov/ arts/opportunities. SCL plans to start construction on the microgrid project in the first quarter of 2020, which will require a temporary closure of the north parking lot. Those still wanting to provide feedback can send an email to SCL_Microgrid@seattle.gov.

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JANUARY 2020

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J A N U A R Y 1 ST | F R E E S TAT E PA R K DAY

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Over 1,000 boats and watercrafts on display along with 200 boating seminars at CenturyLink Field, with a free shuttle to boats in the water at South Lake Union. Age 17 and younger are free. Visit SeattleBoatShow.com

Join us for a time honored tradition where hundreds of neighbors and visitors run into Lake Washington at noon to celebrate the New Year at the Polar Bear Plunge, or just watch from shore.

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JANUARY 2020

 HOUSING, from Page 1 mand for family-sized units. The seven-story, 132-unit affordable housing development is currently proposed to include three-bedroom and twobedroom apartments, as well as studios and one-bedroom units. Africatown Plaza will be bounded by 23rd Avenue, East Spring Street and 24th Avenue, with plans for a community plaza at the southwest corner, where Africatown offices will be situated. Plans also call for an art feature in an adjoining entry courtyard with a stage. A portion of the East Spring Street side of Africatown Plaza will include additional community space. Retail, flex and commons spaces are being proposed on the ground floor of the north side of Africatown Plaza, and Garrett said work continues with LUP on a design solution for connecting the two developments in the middle. The Africatown Plaza concept design also includes a roof deck at the corner of 24th and East Spring. Garrett said plans are to break ground on Africatown Plaza in 2021. Funding for the project will include low-income housing tax credits, and another $2 million will likely need to be raised to keep retail spaces affordable for local small businesses, Gar-

rett said. “And we’ll be continuing to engage community as we have throughout the process,” he said. “We put a high priority on making sure community stakeholders are present.”

The Eldridge Capitol Hill Housing received $8.6 million in Office of Housing funding to develop The Eldridge, which will be Seattle’s first LGBTQ-affirming affordable senior housing development. Plans are to provide 125 units where the old Atlas and Eldridge Tire buildings sit on Broadway, between Pike and Pine streets, in Capitol Hill. The eight-story senior living community is to be managed by Generations Aging with Pride (GenPRIDE), the primary service provider, with ground-floor space for Seattle Counseling Service and Country Doctor clinic. There will be a total of nine LGBTQ nonprofits working with CHH at The Eldridge. CHH plans to begin the Early Design Guidance process around the same time as Africatown Plaza - late January or early February. GenPRIDE is planning to host a community celebration and information events in early 2020. “This is a remarkable time in Seattle’s LGBTQ history, and we are both excited and humbled to be playing a part in building a stronger senior community for those

Image courtesy of Capitol Hill Housing This is an early rendering for The Eldridge project on Broadway in Capitol Hill that will be Seattle’s first LGBTQ-affirming senior living community. who have been instrumental in achieving the rights many of us enjoy today,” said GenPRIDE executive director Steven Knipp in a news release. “We are looking forward to making this a vibrant center filled with people who want to connect

with others and be a part of our incredible community.” The Washington Department of Commerce announced another $3 million in funding for the development — through the State Housing Trust Fund —on Dec. 19.

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Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times • City Living Seattle

JANUARY 2020

New Seasons exits Central District following merger

Photo illustration The New Seasons grocery store will not be opening in the East Union building following the company’s merger with Good Food Holdings.

Lake Union Partners assessing what to do with built-out grocery space By Brandon Macz

Madison Park Times editor A merger between New Seasons Market and Good Food Holdings means plans to open a new store in the Central District have been canceled, leaving Lake Union Partners with a built-out grocery space and no immediate plans for how to fill it. New Seasons Market and subsidiary New Leaf Community Markets announced the merger on Dec. 10. Good Food Holdings, which was acquired in 2018 by South Korean retail company E-mart for $270 million, has three grocery brands on the West Coast: Metropolitan Market, Bristol Farms and Lazy Acres Natural Market. The result of the merger is that Metropolitan Market will be the Seattle region’s exclusive brand for Good Food Holdings by mid2020. That means canceling plans to open New Seasons in the East Union building at 23rd and Union in the Central District, closing the Ballard New Seasons, which just opened last year, and converting the Mercer Island New Seasons to a Metropolitan Market. Lake Union Partners principal Patrick Foley tells MPT the grocery space has been built out for a New Seasons, and the developer is now assessing next steps. “We are extremely proud of our Ballard staff for their excellent service and unwavering support of the community,” said Forrest Hoffmaster, New Seasons and New Leaf CEO, in a news release, “and are thankful to the community partners that have been working with us in the Central District.” New Seasons coming into the Central District was not well-received by a faction in the neighborhood upset about the company’s anti-union sentiments and union-busting actions, which also drew the ire of District 3 Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant. Also challenging New Seasons’ entry into the Seattle region was the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 21 union. “We never want workers to lose their jobs. We wanted New Seasons to respect workers’ rights and industry standards that grocery store workers have fought for and won over the last three decades,” said UFCW 21 president Faye Guenther in a news release. “ UFCW 21’s goal now is to make sure every Ballard New Seasons worker has a good quality job and that every worker lands on their feet. UFCW 21 hopes all workers someday have a union job with a written contract that ensures workers have health care, a pension they can rely on and a voice at work. In the meantime, labor and our community partners will do everything we can to assist New Seasons workers.” A New Seasons checker at the Mercer Island store tells MPT some employees will have the option of relocating to one of the company’s stores in the Portland area. Anyone wishing to stay at the store when it changes to a Metropolitan Market will have to reapply. MPT will check back in the new year to see whether LUP has found a new tenant to f ill its large grocery space.

JANUARY 2020

Chris Sudore “As a Madison Park Resident, I care about your home‘s value.”

We would like to sincerely thank our clients, family, friends and community for your trust and continued support. LD SO

LD SO

LD O S

LD SO

Coldwell Banker‘s Global Luxury Team | King County Estates

Chris Sudore President/Founder of King County Estates 206.799.2244

Marta Grzankowski Sales Broker & Office Manager 425.519.3345

Jennifer Vandiver Sales Broker 509.969.6767

Chris Sudore | Managing Broker Madison Park Your Specialist In: Madison Park • Washington Park • Broadmoor • Denny Blaine • Capitol Hill • Madrona • Leschi

Ryder Fasse Sales Broker 206.351.0923

Curt Weese Sales Broker 206.454.9638

Megan Bassetti Marketing Manager

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Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times • City Living Seattle

JANUARY 2020

Looking ahead to 2020’s real estate market

he 2019 real estate market in Seattle ended up looking a lot like the 2018 market, and it’s a good predictor of what we’ll see in the year ahead. We closed out last year with a bang — a ferocious fall filled with busy buyers after a lazy summer. In fact, the summer, which had data trends as a natural to buyer’s market, trended back to a seller’s market in September and October. All indications are we’re heading into a similarly hot spring market this year. Just like last year and the year before.

Lessons from 2019 Last year, the spring season was delayed by a major snowstorm that dampened buyer activity. Once the flakes melted away, however, the market got really hot. We saw properties receive multiple offers, buyers started waiving contingencies again, and final sales settled above the asking prices, all done in days. Then we went from Chris that strong market in Sudore the spring to an almost Property dead stop as soon as Views school let out in June. From June to September, I counseled my sellers to be patient. Not much was happening for anyone. As we’d seen in 2018, while the summer was quiet, sales picked up in the fall. I knew the trend was coming. I saw what happened the year prior and continued to advise my seller’s that there was light at

the end of the tunnel as soon as summer activities wrapped up. And right on time, as soon as people were back from vacations and got back into their routines, all of those listings sold quickly. The 2019 fall/winter season was my busiest fourth quarter — ever.

What to expect this year Barring a similar late-winter weather event, we’re looking for an early start to another busy season. Interest rates are still low for mortgages, consumer spending is strong and steady, and there are no signs of a recession in the near term. If you’re selling this year, and you want to sell quickly, get your home on the market early in the year. If the past two years are telling us anything, it’s that sales will lag during the summer months. When you put your home on the market, you’ll increase your chances for your best outcome by working with an experienced, data-driven broker that can advise you on pricing and timing for your particular situation. Price your house for the now, not last year or two years ago. On the other side of the coin, buyers should be ready to move quickly. Have your financing set up in advance, and find an experienced broker who can succeed in this market. You want someone who understands what contingencies to drop or add on your particular offer, and who can negotiate with the seller’s broker to get your best prices and terms. There’s been some discussion that the new tiered excise tax that took effect on Jan. 1 will cool sales in homes selling for $1.5 million and above. While it’s cer-

Homes Closed in Madison Park, Madison Valley, Washington Park, Denny Blaine, Broadmoor, Leschi and Madrona from November 18-December 18 Address

Bedrooms Bathrooms

Sq. Foot

Built

DOM

Asking Price

Sold Price

Asking/Sold Price

1725 24th Ave #202

510

1985

$334,950

$335,000

100.01%

1616 41st Ave E #302

680

1959

$399,900

$380,000

95.02%

2626 E Madison St #10

799

1985

$483,000

$480,000

99.38%

1106 Martin Luther King Jr Wy S #A

1.5

1,090

2015

$529,500

100.00%

1921 42nd Ave E Unit #D

1.5

1,040

2000

$535,000

100.00%

2607 E Madison St Unit #2607

1.5

1,540

1978

174

$559,500

$548,000

97.94%

217 27th Ave E Unit #A

1,250

2003

$725,000

$720,000

99.31%

226 24th Ave E Unit #A

1.75

1,450

$729,000

100.00%

762 30th Ave

1.75

2,090

1906

$799,000

$814,000

101.88%

1622 29th Ave

2,610

1922

$879,950

$857,500

97.45%

1.75

2,580

1928

$898,000

100.00%

915 Martin Luther King Jr Wy #A 128 Martin Luther King Jr Wy E

2009

2,150

1950

$925,000

$900,000

97.30%

1104 30th Ave

2.75

3,000

1910

$974,900

$950,000

97.45%

810 Martin Luther King Jr Wy

2.25

1,840

1914

107

$1,100,000

$1,000,000

90.91%

924 33rd Ave S

2,608

1924

$1,100,000

$1,040,000

94.55%

1719 37th Ave

3.5

2,423

1919

$1,389,950

$1,300,000

93.53%

726 39th Ave

2,720

1925

$1,400,000

100.00%

326 30th Ave S

3.5

3,680

2003

134

$1,549,000

$1,520,000

98.13%

2347 McGilvra Blvd E

4.25

4,641

1947

$1,898,000

$1,828,000

96.31%

614 34th Ave E

4,729

1940

192

$2,750,000

$2,675,000

97.27%

640 Hillside Dr E

4.5

4,930

1997

121

$3,295,000

$3,195,000

96.97%

3362 E Shore Dr

2.25

3,610

1929

131

$3,295,000

$3,220,000

97.72%

1606 Lake Washington Blvd

3.25

4,300

1940

136

$4,250,000

$3,900,000

91.76%

2256 38th Place E

4.25

7,754

2010

371

$4,998,000

$4,750,000

95.04%

tainly been a discussion point for those sellers, I personally haven’t seen it be a real factor. My team has several multimillion-dollar homes preparing for the spring market. Those buyers and sellers have the same needs as anyone who wants to move — they want a larger home, to move to a neighborhood with better schools, or to have a shorter commute to work. That saying that real estate is about location, location, location is true. My

home, my office and my team is focused here in Madison Park. If you’d like to set a time to talk through any matters involving buying or selling your home, my door is always open. We wish you and your family a prosperous new year in 2020. Chris Sudore is a Madison Park resident and managing broker at Coldwell Banker Bain|Global Luxury. He can be reached at Chris@KingCountyEstates.com.

Interbay armory redevelopment recs sent to Olympia Legislature to consider funding National Guard’s relocation to North Bend, best use for 25-acre property By Brandon Macz

Madison Park Times editor The Washington State Department of Commerce has transmitted the Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee’s recommendations and implementation plan for repurposing the Washington National Guard’s 25-acre armory site to the Legislature and governor’s office. Any potential redevelopment will take several years to be realized, and is dependent on the Legislature also authorizing funding the National Guard requires to build a new Readiness Center (armory) in North Bend. The Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee was formed through a Senate bill to assess the greatest public benefit the site could serve should it be redeveloped. The committee began meeting last September, with technical support from the Department of Commerce. Multiple redevelopment scenarios were evaluated over the past year, including keeping the land zoned for indus-

trial uses, a hybrid model with multifamily housing, and several mixed-use commercial and residential models. None of those would provided the capital funding needed to relocate, and the National Guard wouldn’t dispose of its Interbay property until its North Bend facility were operational. The National Guard and committee worked under the assumption that the state, not the federal government, would need to cover the bulk of the $101 million in relocation costs. The Legislature approved $6.6 million during its last session to go toward the purchase of a 25-acre North Bend

property from Puget Western, Inc. A federal and state funding option is estimated to take until 2034-36 at the earliest to get the readiness center operational, with the state covering $77.5 million for the center and the feds putting in $23.5 million for a field maintenance shop. Again, federal funding is not guaranteed. The advisory committee recommends the state form an Interbay Community Preservation and Development Authority (ICPDA) to take over the property and manARMORY, Page 11

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Following New Year’s rituals W

e all make ‘em. We all break ‘em. Still, they are important. At the very least a New Year’s resolution steers us back in the right direction. However, in addition to New Year’s Resolutions, I like to think in terms of New Year’s rituals, especially when it comes to the garden. Basic, every-year chores should be ritualized. At some point in January, we all take down the Christmas tree. Celebrate cutting up the branches to compost or perhaps feed into the chipper. Enjoy the fragrance, right down to the sap on your fingers, remembering those happy moments when we all returned to an ancient and civil cultural center. Steve As for that sap, it’s easy Lorton to remove. Apply a little Tree Talk vegetable oil to each of the sticky spots. Wipe them away with a paper towel. Simply amazing. Try it. Next comes the pre-spring garden clean up. That unpredictable, but never failing, dry, sunny day arrives in January. Cancel the lunch and movie plans and go out to gingerly rake up the last of the leaves and windfall debris. There you’ll spot the earliest of daffodil leaves popping out of the ground. Take in the color of the first tassel blos-

soms of the Chinese Witch Hazel, listen to the chirping of the birds at the feeder or scouring the branches for seeds and bugs. Leave the ear buds and iTunes indoors. Nature provides the music in the wind, in the sound of the rake, in the chatter of critters, the creak of limbs — it is rhapsodic. Now is the time to prune off unwanted branches and shoots. The best of them go indoors to be placed in containers, coupled with fresh, store-bought cut flowers. It’s all a natural and artistic reminder of the promise of spring. Next, spread a generous layer of compost over the ground; four inches isn’t too thick. Be careful not to flatten those early

WASHINGTON PARK

BROADMOOR

emerging daffodils. Sweep all walks. Step back and savor the beauty of the garden in slumber. Enjoy the glisten from rainwater on stones and pavers. Marvel at the mosses. Now, to the New Year’s resolutions. Chief in my life has been this one: I’m not buying any plants this year. The garden is full. I have all I can handle. No new plants. A stiff wind blows, and I can hear God laughing as I pass City People’s Garden Store and stop “just to have a look,” or walk down to Bert’s Red Apple for a baguette. Suddenly, a new and super-floriferous hellebore, which I’ve never seen before, calls to me like a siren to Odysseus. Cut the

MADISON PARK

LESCHI

A SELECTION OF OUR 2019 NEIGHBORHOODS SALES Happy New Year! Celebrating our 120th Year!

cords on the mast! Set me free! I’m buying it! It will look great in a pot on the deck, right near the entry where I’ll pass and enjoy it many times daily. Then I’ll find a place to shoe-horn it into the garden. Why not? Yes! I can crowd one more into that big pot I have, in which I’ve accumulated the latest and most beautiful hellebores of the last five years. Really, could I allow this perfect plant to go homeless? It’s my duty. Hopefully, I won’t see a Sasanqua Camellia in bloom or have my eyes snared by the brilliant bark of a red or yellowtwigged dogwood. If I do, however, I’ll buy it. So what? If I can’t find a place for it, I can always give it to someone else, presented with grandiloquent pontifications about placement and what it will do for the garden in years (Ha! In generations) to come. So it goes, year after year, after joyful year. Along with my grandchildren and the new puppy in my house, my garden sweeps me into the future with the promise of continued life. I can tell you this: Yes, age has set limits on most of my long-term plans, but I still have compelling reason to look ahead to the next day, the next season, the next year. As Amy Lowell put it: “The squills and daffodils will give way to pillared roses and to asters and to snow….” I look forward to seeing it all come to pass, to watching the parade, to taking part in the ritual, to breaking the resolutions. Happy New Year!

MADISON PARK

Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times • City Living Seattle

 ARMORY, from Page 9 age its redevelopment, which would require federal approvals through the U.S. Secretary of the Army. The ICPDA would have to assess the multiple future redevelopment scenarios the advisory committee left on the table when it approved its findings and recommendations in late September. It would also need legislative and financial support from the Legislature to get started. There are 660 guardsmen assigned to the Interbay armory at 1601 W. Armory Way, and another 110 at Boeing Field, but that lease expires on June 30, 2023 and will not be renewed. While the Legislature works through the recommendations and implementation plan, Sound Transit is still working on a light rail extension to Ballard that is expected to cut through a portion of the armory site. The ultimate fate of Initiative 976, which would limit car-tab fees to $30 and

hit the transit agency hard, will likely not be decided by the time the Legislature convenes in January. The Magnolia Bridge is also being considered for replacement in the future. There is only one entry point to the armory site, which is West Armory Way, and by way of an easement with a private property, so access would need to be improved as part of a suite of pre-development infrastructure investments. The Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee’s report finds that an industrial-only concept “creates the greatest total economic output, with approximately $460 million being generated annually,” and it would also avoid a potentially tedious rezoning process. This includes the goods and services bought and sold by future businesses on the property. Looking at property, sales and business-and-occupation taxes, the industrial-only concept would generate $12.3 million in annual revenue, which is only slightly higher than a mixed-use high-rise concept at $11 million.

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The advisory committee met eight times over the past year, and later in the process had consultants assess how a hybrid model would pencil out. A high-rise housing and industrial concept is estimated to generate $11.8 million in annual tax revenue. Swapping high-rises with mid-rise buildings next to industrial ones would generate $10.8 million. All concepts with housing would provide at least 30 percent of the units at 60 percent or less of area median income. A high-rise model would generate 1,000 affordable units while a mid-rise model would create 550. The Port of Seattle has been pushing to keep industrial land zoned as such, citing high demand in the region. Any revenue generated from redevelopment would need to be applied to paying off the cost of the National Guard’s relocation to North Bend. The Interbay property is also in a liquefaction zone, which means new construction would need to be built on “pilings and a structured slab-at-grade,” according to the report, “increasing the costs of development.” It will ultimately be up to the Legislature to decide how to proceed, and consultants are expected to be called to provide more information and answer questions during House and Senate work sessions before their respective capital budget committees. Washington Sen. David Frockt, who served on the Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee, is also chair of the Senate Capital Budget Committee.

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City of Seattle taking pre-approved DADU design submissions Plans due by Feb. 17; SDCI to make selection in March on backyard cottage options By Brandon Macz

Madison Park Times editor The City of Seattle has released its submission guide for crafting pre-approved detached accessory dwelling unit designs, the selected plans to eventually be offered to homeowners as a cheaper and quicker option for constructing backyard cottages in single-family lots. The pre-approved designs are being developed under an executive order made by Mayor Jenny Durkan when she signed legislation the city council approved in July that eases restrictions on developing accessory dwelling units in singlefamily zones. Pre-approved designs for backyard cottages are supposed to reduce permitting times and decrease planning costs, incentivizing more DADU construction in Seattle. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) and Office of Planning and Community Development launched an online survey from Sept. 30-Oct. 21 where respondents were asked to rank their preferences for design criteria and describe their neighborhoods. Eighty-five percent of the 568 respondents were homeowners. Just 8 percent of respondents described their neighborhood as being mostly apartments. Forty-six percent ranked green building as very important, and 48 percent ranked low-cost as very important. Sixty-one percent of respondents reported they were considering constructing a backyard cottage while 32 percent identified as an architect or having a similar profession. Pre-approved DADU design submissions are due by Feb. 17, and a selection committee will identify 6-10 designs for SDCI staff to pre-approve. Selected designers will then have to submit a permit-ready plan to SDCI to review at no cost. Submit plans to DADUplans@seattle.gov. The city will create an online gallery with images and descriptions of the preapproved backyard cottage designs. People can find the one they like and be connected with its designer to create a site plan required to complete the permit application. A royalty of up to $1,000 can be set by the designer for use of their plan. SDCI plans to have pre-approved designs selected by March. The designer retains the copyright to and liability for the pre-approved plan, and will have an hourly rate specified in their plan submission. DADU categories include: small-footprint (250-300 square feet); familyfriendly DADUs with at least two bedrooms; single-story ADUs designed for accessibility; low-cost DADUs; and DADUs with a garage. Anyone considering submitting a design can learn more at an information session being held 1:30-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, in Room 4050 of the Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave. The submission guide is available at this shortened link: https://bit.ly/2PIdba1.

 LAWTON, from Page 4

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JANUARY 2020

cent of the project would be for green space, playfields and a park addition. Her goal is to get the entire 34acre site annexed into Discovery Park. Campbell claims Jordan Selig wanted to remain anonymous in her support of the legal challenge, and the Magnolia resident alleges having contact with the Seligs on multiple occasions, keeping them apprised of the lawsuit as it made its way through the courts. She also claims Martin Selig contributed $5,000 at one point to help with legal costs. Alleged communication between Campbell and the Seligs stopped in November, according to Campbell, who reportedly spent a lot of time coordinating with Sue McGuire through Martin Selig’s real estate company. The letter states the $29,014.36 is to be divvied up among three firms: $8,575 to Johnston Jacobowitz & Arnold; $15,069.36 for Dickson Frohlich; and $5,370 for the Law Office of Allen Miller. She is demanding to be paid $14,665 for her services, which she values at $35 an hour. Campbell is threatening to file a lawsuit if the payments she alleges the Seligs owe her and the three law firms are not received by Dec. 20.

Fort Lawton lawsuit update U.S. District Court Judge John C. Coughenour is being asked by the City of Seattle to change the case schedule in the ongoing legal battle with Elizabeth Campbell and her Discovery Park Community Alli-

ance group. Campbell filed a land-use petition challenging plans to redevelop the Fort Lawton site for affordable housing back in June. Her second attorney, Allen Miller, submitted a notice of withdrawal as legal counsel on Dec. 6, as Campbell was unable to pay for his services. Campbell attempted to fire her previous attorney with the law firm Dickson Frohlich in early August, but the court denied her motion. The firm ended up filing its own motion to withdraw, which was granted. The Seattle City Attorney’s Office filed a motion to modify the scheduling order on Friday, Dec. 13, arguing Campbell and DPCA have held up the case and reasserting the city’s goal of concluding it expeditiously. “Petitioners have stymied that approach and left the City unable to comply with the August 6 scheduling order,” the motion states. “They caused a seven-week delay to fire their original counsel and retain a second. They engendered another seven-week delay needlessly litigating whether to join the Seattle Public Schools as a party. For four weeks now they have failed to comply with this Court’s order to join necessary parties.” On Nov. 14, Coughenour ordered Campbell and DPCA to refile the land-use petition to include the U.S. Army and SPS as parties in the case. The Army still owns the property, and SPS plans to use a portion of the property to build two playfields. The City Attorney’s Office filed another motion on Dec. 13 that accepts Miller’s withdrawal as counsel for Campbell and DPCA, contingent of the plaintiffs refiling their land-use petition with the Army and SPS added as respondents. The city’s proposed order would require plaintiffs to file an amended complaint no later than Jan. 17 and set a status conference for Feb. 18. A March 13 pretrial order and March 23 trial date would be stricken.

JANUARY 2020