Big Changes Coming to Deano's

i actually think that space should be perserved and used. i know its history, but the building itself is something you don't see a ton in seattle...beautiful red brick with long, high windows and ceilings inside.

it could make an amazing upscale restaurant/tavern or coffee shop, but instead we'll do the seattle thing and build generic and sterile townhouses.

i think we're gonna look back at this period in Seattle and wonder where the architectural creativity was and why the look is so sterile and plane. Seattle's residential architecture is quickly becoming the East Germany of the United States.

yes, I agree

I agree with this also. I'm sick of more townhomes being built that are all just variations on one generic theme.

Mr. Mueller,

Please buy Parnells. Please, pretty please, pretty please with sugar on top...

It'll be mid-rise condos/apartments, not townhomes. But i agree, I'd love to see that corner building saved and turned into a gastropub or something.

Concur that it would really be nice if the corner build (Deano's Grocery) could be preserved, renovated, and re-purposed as part of the re-development --assuming it is structrally sound. It seems that a new apartment / mixed use building could be build around it and abut it but retain the exisiting building with an engaging commercial use such as a restaurant as others have suggested. Any word on when first public comment could come up?

Design Review on the project was back in 2003 to 2005:
http://home.jps.net/~tayles/Madison/deanos/falls_design_review.html

Rezoning hearings for that area were back in 2000:
http://home.jps.net/~tayles/Madison/rezone/Madison_rezoning.html

There were (as I recall) occasional suggestions back then to preserve the brick building as part of the new building, but they were not heavily supported.

My sense of the neighbors present at the meetings (and there weren't many of them) was that their eagerness to get the existing "businesses" replaced pretty much trumped everything else.

I campaigned to keep the rear (Denny Way) part of the structure at 40' height, to minimize the shadow impacts on neighbors to the north, but at least one person at the meeting was eager to sacrifice that point to get the project moving ahead.

My understanding is that the new owner will not be deviating much from the existing approved plans. It's not clear yet whether any requested changes will be handled administratively, or whether there will be new Design Review hearings.

BTW: pictures of design models:

http://homepage.mac.com/andrew_taylor/MPNA/PhotoAlbum3.html

All the best,
Andrew

I totally agree do not tear it down just built within the walls and structure of the building. Our family has seen many a changes on Madison come and go. The Blue Note, Gideon's Drug store, Virgie's Beauty salon, the record shop, Chandler's wood store, so please consider our cry for preserving the building.

Like the Blue Moon in the U-Dist. and the Second Ave. terra cotta baths facade and numerous other examples, Jim could save the brick facade and keep a human scale feeling along the streetscape. Perhaps a Design Review departure would be to allow him to go a story higher or so higher if he keeps the existing building facade and build to at least LEED silver?
Are you out there Jim? Is this do-able?

Wow, I hope the building doesn't get built as in the design model pics above - a(nother) true nightmare. It's a beautiful building and everytime I drive by I'm thinking a restaurant would be ideal and if they'd get the food right a wild success (maybe Crush a few blocks down could evacuate their truly pitiful location)

Re east german building style: Maybe in 20 years the City is spending most of its money on correcting todays real estate sins. Hopefully not.

Jim Mueller notes; "Of course the street trees will remain unless the city
forces us to remove them - they are still trying to denude Madison Park."