1913 Fifth Ave: Billion Dollar "Out There" Hotel Condo

It seems like yesterday that the hotel-condo concepts imported from more trend-setting condo cities were still testing the waters here in Seattle.  Based on the new 1.2M square foot project set to break ground next year, it would appear hotel condos are here to stay.

Some highlights from this new project:

• *Located across from Westin (current residents include the Icon Grill and Avis)
• *High-end hotel (185-200 rooms), retail, office, and 22 floors of condos (400-500 condos)

*Twin, 43 story towers (North Tower-Pagoda, South Tower-Heron)

*Wind and solar will provide 7% of the building's electricity

*7 underground floors of parking

*Design that says Seattle looks not toward Vancouver but toward Chicago and New York.  (Personally, I find it a lot to take in and a bit Robocop as far as first impressions goes but that may be due to the lack of color in the rendering.)

The project is still in the early design guidance phase. Additional information will be presented, and public comments taken, at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Room L280 at City Hall.

More info from the PI article here.

-Wendy

Comments

[Jeff W.]

...more like looking right into a guest room at the Westin.

I'm staying hopeful that all of these overlap builds on one block are going to result in units with crappy views that will end up renting for cheap. Probably the only hope for middle income renters at this point.

[Mark W]

I face the Westin from Met Tower Apartments, and even with Westlake, McDonalds and 6th separating us, and it's surprising even at this distance how visible some of the Westin's more uninhibited guests are. There's some grumbling of alley views in some blogs (e.g., Cosmo, 1913 vs. Escala), but even the width of a street like 5th isn't enough for decent views+privacy.

[John K]

This seems like one of those projects that will never break ground, let alone get off the drawing board - and especially in today's financial climate. Frankly, I would prefer to see one taller slender tower than the huge massing of these two so close together - especially with the twin-towered Westin across the street. My guess is this out-there proposal will never be built. And if it is, it'll be a hugely scaled-down version. As for the design - eh. Nothing new here. Looks like your garden variety condo tower. Could fit in down in San Diego, Vancouver, Chicago or NYC. Hardly groundbraking.