523 Broadway Ave. E.
Developer: Essex Broadway LLC
Architect: Matt Driscoll*
Broadway’s going beige and soon to be renamed Belltown Hill.
Here’s one side of the new condos across the street from Brix, and what we have to look forward to in the future.
Yes, something needed to be built on the lot, but why for the LOVE OF GOD is it so ugly?
Must buildings get uglier as they get taller? The bottom is a basic brick and then comes the super chintzy siding in a hodgepodge of colors.
What would happen if it were even taller, each section uglier?
Year round plastic sheeting on the top floors?
Bud billboards, nail salons, LED reader boards?
I know! I know! Condo ads!
Much like the sad mobile ads on Broadway for some Columbia City condo gem. The only way to make a mobile business good, is to sell something delicious that fits through the window (not condos).
*”If you’re worried that Capitol Hill will become the next Belltown, fear not, Driscoll Architects are on the job.”
Yeah, right.
November 15th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I don’t mind Joule. The influx of apartments will continue to push rental prices downwards, and there will be a dense enough population to use mass transit (including the new light rail station). Honestly, Joule looks a lot more modern than many of the recent apartment/condo buildings on the Hill, and I like its looks a lot better than the derelict QFC it replaces.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
I am always glad for more apartments to bring down rent, and LOOOOVE rail transit. I’m so happy it’s coming to the Hill. That said, I do think that we should hope for more than generic and plain type brick facing on the bottom and multi-siding on the top buildings. These buildings will be around for decades, and I am sure someone will be making money off it for a long time. A neighborhood is made up of character. Boring equals just like anywhere else. I love this neighborhood, and will continue to ask for better than just enough places for people to live and ride the train. I want awesome! Hopefully, there will be some local businesses in this place, and I’m not talking about a tanning salon and Kinkos like at the end of Broadway.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:06 am
Wait, wait. Which pic is Brix and which one is Joule???
*insert table tennis neck action here*
Yes, you shill, it’s an improvement on the old rotting blight that was that triangular QFC and tacobell. But a fancy new trailer park might have achieved that low bar, too.
Architecture has a higher purpose than just bringing rents down, no? Shape and silhouette wise, the face of this building has all the imagination of a plastic vacuformed forklift pallet.
Where the fawk is Howard Rourke’s skills when we need him?
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Hey Rev.Smith,
I have nothing to do with either of these buildings. Could you please point to an architecturally beautiful 6-story apartment block so that I have a benchmark for aesthetics?
Yours in Christ,
Jason
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I just don’t get people who want more and more density to bring down rents and so there are more people to ride the trains. A parking lot would look better, and half of the people in town should be driven out- If high prices would do it, then so be it. The only reason the county wants higher density is so they can get more tax dollar to waste… ie “slush fund”.
PS: My next door neighbor just farted. Yea for high density!
December 26th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I am a sorry about the direction of Broadway. Yes, it has been on the down side for a few years, but I am bummed to see it become generic. I would love to see the old buildings (I am not saying the old Safeway and QFC should have remained) developed in a cool, unique way that preserves the character of the neighborhood. I am very, very sad (weeping, really) to hear that the block on Broadway just north of John St. with the old bank building front and the Septeime restaurant is going to be torn down and developed into something that looks pretty boring. Does anyone know if that is already a done deal? Help! I hope Broadway can keep a flavor of the old buildings…
January 5th, 2010 at 11:31 am
This is what you get when you ask to match the neighborhood character. Another cardboard 6 story building that looks like subsidized housing. Stingy developers love to build cheap, and it’s so easy on Capitol Hill! The community wanted this, they wanted short buildings to match the character, so… here you go!
Paradox: Beltown has no hint of regional transit, yet building are 30-40 stories high, Capitol Hill, has light rail on the way, but new buildings are still plastic-cardboard 5-6 story boxes, same as Kent. I think Capitol Hill community is confused and don’t know what they want.
January 26th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
I don’t feel, or see, the energy.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Geez! Why couldn’t these developers leave the walls of the old QFC and Safeway standing, and used them as the buildings’ facade? At least it would have blended in with the rest of the buildings on Broadway. Is it too much to ask for them to at least create their buildings entirely of brick? I know it will cost them 3 times the cost, and they’ll lose money on the projects, but common, at least it will look purrty! At least, they could have replicated some of those rusting, crappy looking 70s buildings all over Capitol Hill. Where’s the imagination of these developers?! We want Broadway to remain looking like crap!
Ok, on a serious note, I do like how the Brix looks, but not too fond of The Joule. Although, both look like improvements to the old empty QFC and Safeway buildings that used to be there.
April 4th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Yeah, let’s build another cardboard cut out residential building featuring condos and overpriced apartments across the street from Seattle Central, where rich parents send their children to go to college.
Anyway, the upside of all of this for renters is that there are plenty of newer buildings in the area that still have plenty of vacant apartment units in them. So rents should be going down in the neighborhood for the forseeable future. I see for rent signs everywhere on Capitol Hill these days, including older buildings.
April 25th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
I take back everything defensive I said about Joule. I walked by there earlier today and found it utterly bland and hideous.
May 5th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Another knife in the back of capitol Hill.
September 10th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Good lord people, calm down. It’s a freaking apartment building. And it’s actually quite nice. I happen to live in it! And it’s not chincy. The walls are decent, can’t hear my neighbors at all, it’s quiet, calm, the residents are cool, and the apartments are comfy. I moved here from out of town and this was the nicest building I could find that wasn’t in a total crap neighborhood.
We live in the city, people. By definition, cities change. This is just another change and you will get over it soon. Come back in 20 years and Capitol Hill will look even different than it does today.
By the way, the roof deck is gorgeous and has incredible views. It sounds to me like most of you are jealous that you don’t or can’t live here. I’ll tell you what…why don’t all you punks post photos of your gorgeous apartment buildings so we can compare. K?
September 11th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
OMG! Cities change!?! That is some serious wisdom. Now we can add to that revolutionary concept… Urban change doesn’t have to be boring and without character, but can be innovative and improve neighborhoods by building on each hoods individual character. Cities with foresight protect neighborhood character and consider it an asset. Sure you moved here from out of town. Seattle’s a great place to live. That’s why people work to keep it that way.