February 28, 2008

Benaroya Moons Over Their Denny’s

The old Ballard Denny’s (previously Manning’s) on 15th and Market was voted in as a landmark last week by the Seattle Landmark Preservation Board. The story even picked up national news coverage, presumably because the building is so ugly distinctive.

The Newsweek article, titled, “Is Googie Good?” examines the merits of the 1950s and ’60s architectural craze, as well as the impact on the would-be developers of the property.

The landmark status is particularly bad news for the property’s owners. The real estate company Benaroya purchased the property in 2006 for $12 million. Now, their plans to develop a condominium complex are on hold as they begin to appeal the decision, a process that could take weeks, months or even years. “Here we are, having gone through the better part of a year without making any gains on the property,” says Jack McCollough, the company’s land use attorney. “With the time value of money and market changes, it can have quite a serious impact on us.”

Volunteer activists have taken on the project. Says Newsweek, “They have even worked with a local architecture firm to draw up plans for how a new condominium complex could incorporate this building, allowing for both development and preservation.” The Benaroya company is opposed to this solution.

What do you think? Would a restored Googie diner adjacent to your condo be retro chic or retro-cious?

January 14, 2008

Bowling, Booze, and Ballroom: Bust

Long live the 500 block of East Pine Street! Save Oddfellows Hall! Up with booze and dancing! Down with condos! These are the cries heard from the peaks of Capitol Hill.

Residents of the Hill are not the only ones mourning favorite Seattle locations:

• The Sunset Bowl will go the way of Leilani Lanes in April.
• The University Baptist Church is for sale.
• The Rainier Brewery Stock House is history.

But there is some good news for preservationists:

• The Denny’s on 15th and Market? It could still survive the condo onslaught. History, it would seem, like love, is blind.
• City Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck has led the fight to save dozens of downtown buildings.

Want to know more about preserving neighborhood historic buildings? Historic Seattle facilitates creative preservations like the Queen Anne High School condos.

Into Googie gems like the Denny’s and the Space Needle, along with other modernist styles? Check out docomomo-wewa.org (Documentation and Conservation of the Modernist Movement - Western Washington).

Meanwhile, what would you put in the old Ballard Denny’s if it becomes a landmark? My vote: anything but Denny’s.

December 8, 2007

Broadview Celebrates New Library Today!

Stop by the new Broadview library at 12275 Greenwood Ave N to celebrate the grand opening of the redesigned branch. See the new building designed by local architects Miller Hayashi, and its art by Theresa Batty, have a cup of joe, and visit with the mayor and Lulu the book fairy. There will be bands and a craft project for the kids to create. Noon-6 p.m., take the kids and show them reading is cause for celebration!

Here are some past sales in and around Broadview–these new neighbors have dual cause to celebrate:

332 NW 103rd St
Sold for $324,950 on 11/9/07
2 br/3 ba; 900 sq ft

11702 N Park Ave N
Sold for $411,950 for 11/6/07
2 br/1 ba; 700 sq ft

11223 Palatine Ave N
Sold for $445,000 on 11/9/07
2 br/1 ba; 940 sq ft

October 25, 2007

NW Seattle Open Houses: October 28, 2007

Weather.com is saying we’ll have decent weather next Sunday – warmer than average but still below the 1986 high. There’s lots of inventory on the market; I’ve highlighted a diverse selection of the many that will be open Sunday.

2000 NW Blue Ridge Dr.
$1,499,950; 4/2.5; 3090 sq. ft.

7438 Winona Ave. N
$674,950; 3/1.5; 2140 sq. ft.

711 NW 120th St.
$615,000; 3/2.5; 1970 sq. ft.

827 NW 65th St.
$588,000; 3/1.75; 2870 sq. ft.

8057 20th Ave. NW
$549,950; 3/1.75; 2160 sq. ft.

118 NE 52nd St.
$480,000; 3/2; 1302 sq. ft.

Note: All information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

October 25, 2007

Seattle in Flames

Recent posts on Sweet Digs Seattle:

• Thirty’s the Number for Bellevue Price Drops
• NW Seattle Inventory: Bloated 

We’re not subject to Santa Ana winds, nor is there a lot of burnable brush in our urban neighborhoods, but fire can strike – and has devastated – Seattle.

Most people buying homes in a city assume that there’s a hydrant and station house nearby. If you want to know how close, the city has a handy online tool that maps both.

From the Seattle Fire Department’s official web site:

You can locate the nearest fire station and hydrant through the City’s main web site. Go to the MY NEIGHBORHOOD section located on the home page of the City of Seattle web site and type in your address.  Look under “Public Safety and you will see the location of the nearest fire station. To see fire hydrants go to “zoom level 6”. There will be a list of hydrants and the distance from your address at the bottom of the screen.

Here’s the map for Redfin HQ.

My best wishes to all who are affected by the California disaster and heartfelt thanks to our local firefighters heading south.

del.icio.us Tags: Amy Helen Johnson, Northwest Seattle, Real Estate, Redfin, Seattle

October 24, 2007

NW Seattle Inventory: Bloated

Remember last month, when the owners of single-family homes (along with Congress and psychoanalysts) went on vacation in August? Well, they’re back in town and eager to sell. The number of new properties put on the market in Area 705 shot up in September.

This has made inventory bloated, bloated, bloated.

The usual rules of supply and demand seem to be coming into play — finally — because prices are starting to track sales figures. The number of single-family homes that have been sold has been on a four-month slump, with median prices in that category leveling off. Meanwhile, closed sales for condos have bounced around a lot, but enjoyed a big spike in September, with an accompanying jump in median price.

You’ll find Northwest Multiple Listing Service numbers here. Click on the link to King County Breakouts to see area 705 specifics. My post last month on area 705 inventory is here.

Note: All information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

October 23, 2007

NW Seattle Sales: Condos Come On Strong

The pendulum’s swung in Area 705. Condos were in the dumps early this summer, with median prices falling then staying flat. Now there’s been a huge uptick, while single-family home prices slid from summer highs back to where they were this spring.

There is price growth overall, however, when you look at year-on-year figures. In fact, I’d call Area 705 condo prices red hot, especially compared to the September-to-September gain of 7.57% for all of Seattle combined.

You’ll find Northwest Multiple Listing Service numbers here. Click on the link to King County Breakouts to see area 705 specifics. My post last month on area 705 prices is here. 

Note: All information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

October 16, 2007

Green Lake Price Cuts: Dips Near The Water

Dips in Green Lake are popular with swimmers in the summer. Dips near Green Lake are popular with home buyers in any season.

1511 NE 63rd St.
Old price: $775,000. New price: $749,950.
5/1; 3090 sq. ft.

5843 Woodlawn Ave. N
Old price: $769,950. New price: $749,950.
3/2.5; 1600 sq. ft.

1615 N 51st St.
Old price: $625,000. New price: $615,000.
3/1; 1900 sq. ft.

6816 Oswego Place NE B
Old price: $403,900. New price: $399,900.
3/1.5; 1197 sq. ft.

To receive daily notifications via email about new listings and price reductions in your price range and search criteria click on “save” above the map. Name your search and check “daily” under notifications.

Note: All information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

October 15, 2007

NW Seattle: Drop That Hammer And Put Your Hands On Your Head!

There’s been consternation over Substitute House Bill 1843, which amends the law governing contractors in Washington state. Some think the expanded definition of “contractor” (meaning someone who must register with the state, post bond, get insurance, and all that good stuff) now includes individual homeowners who are banging around inside the four walls where they do and intend to live, or who are fixing up a place in anticipation of selling it.

Folks who are looking at fixers might want to keep an eye on the issue. If the alarm bells being sounded don’t dismay you, then check out these northwest properties in need of some hammer therapy.

9624 15th Ave. NW
Asking price: $749,995
5/2; 3890 sq. ft.

3006 NW 73rd St.
Asking price: $564,000
2/1.5; 1290 sq. ft.

12055 Phinney Ave. N
Asking price: $549,999
5/2; 2480 sq. ft.

12041 Phinney Ave. N
Asking price: $514,950
5/2.5; 3240 sq. ft.

4006 Linden Ave. N
Asking price: $499,950
3/1; 1150 sq. ft.

1514 N 40th St.
Asking price: $429,000
2/1; 1610 sq. ft.

9213 3rd Ave. NW
Asking price: $389,950
2/1; 1150 sq. ft.

10515 Linden Ave. N
Asking price: $379,950
1/1; 1230 sq. ft.

To receive daily notifications via email about new listings and price reductions in your price range and search criteria click on “save” above the map. Name your search and check “daily” under notifications.

Note: All information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

October 14, 2007

Fremont Price Cuts: Greenwood Goes Down

I found an oddball coincidence among last week’s MLS updates. Three homes within five blocks on a single street have cut their prices.

4139 Greenwood Ave. N
Old price: $669,500. New price: $649,500.
4/3; 2330 sq. ft.

4615 Greenwood Ave. N
Old price: $599,950. New price: $585,000.
3/1.75; 2000 sq. ft.

4421 Greenwood Ave. N #302
Old price: $269,900. New price: $259,900.
1/1; with super secret square footage

To receive daily notifications via email about new listings and price reductions in your price range and search criteria click on “save” above the map. Name your search and check “daily” under notifications.

Note: All information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.