Fred Meyer’s plans to demolish the existing store on NW 85th Street and replace it with a mixed-use development are moving forward. The company has submitted its Land Use Application to the city’s Department of Planning and Development.
Land Use Application to allow a 4-story structure containing 170,000 sq. ft. of multi-purpose convenience store (Fred Meyer), 26,300 sq. ft. of ground level retail with 250 residential units above and a three level parking garage structure in an environmentally critical area. Parking for 682 vehicles to be provided. Project includes 85,000 cu. yds. of grading. Existing structures to be demolished.
The next step is a SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) Environmental Determination. The public can comment on the application through Jan. 20.
This comment period may be the only opportunity to comment on the environmental impacts of this proposal.
PhinneyWood has covered this project extensively in the last year. The city’s Design Review Board approved the overall design in September.
15 responses so far ↓
1 Whopper // Jan 7, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Finally! Let the gentrification begin!
2 Drew Pickard // Jan 7, 2010 at 6:10 pm
This has probably been covered before – but what happens to the Greenwood Market?
Moving or gone?
3 Iron City Mike // Jan 7, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Whopper may be being sarcastic, but I for one welcome the new development. Getting that area cleaned up will be an overall plus for the neighborhood, and good urban design can actually deter crime. I just wonder how many more layers of approval there will be??? I thought everything was good to go after last summers design review – what was I thinking.
4 Whopper // Jan 7, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Not sarcastic at all. The sooner Greenwood gets gentrified, the better.
5 Greenwood Neighbor // Jan 7, 2010 at 9:48 pm
I do not want the expanded Fred Meyer. The building on a sink hole will hurt the houses nearby. In addition, the increased traffic will suck and I love the Greenwood market.
6 Tiktok // Jan 7, 2010 at 11:35 pm
+1 on welcoming the gentrification.
7 Brian // Jan 8, 2010 at 12:21 am
The expansive slab of asphalt occupied by Fred Meyer and Greenwood Market , has got to be the ugliest construct in this part of Seattle. Tear it all down. Start over from scratch with an enviro/aesthetic slant, and you would have a winner. And while the developers are at it, they should tear down Checkers too. And all of the buildings between 1st and 3rd on the south side of 85th. Clean that corridor! Clean it real good!
8 Whopper // Jan 8, 2010 at 7:23 am
THe rest of that junk , Checkers etc.,will go once this project is done. Those owners are just waiting because the new project will help their land values before they sell out. That’s the beauty of gentrification; hopefully it will ripple through the neighborhood quickly and soon people will realize lawns are not for parking trucks.
9 Quenifer // Jan 8, 2010 at 9:13 am
I am not against the development of that area, however with so many empty retail spaces and apartments in out neighborhood I think that the vacancy rate will be very high. I also think that considering the problems that Safeway encountered with their development and all of the sinking in that area in general that such a large building is going to cause problems for the neighborhood and the watershed. The environmental impact does need to be considered. Hopefully this part of the review process will address those concerns. It seems that this process is slightly backwards. How about environmental review first and then planning?
10 jlw // Jan 8, 2010 at 9:44 am
i am looking forward to the new development! i can’t wait to have a fred myer food in the hood. the one now has a great organic section and i am sure the new store will have a larger one. i am all for something to cover the pavement lot! i did hear it’s not going to be as enviornmentally friendly as the piper creek building….maybe some rain gardens can be installed on the roof tops?
11 Matt // Jan 8, 2010 at 11:09 am
I don’t know the specifics about the soils, but many areas in the Sound have poor soils. Sometimes it’s because of an organic-matter bogby area that is decomposing and creating sinkholes…sometimes it’s expansive clays that can swell when the ground gets saturated, which can bust concrete apart or warp asphalt…sometimes it’s soils that would liquify in an earthquake. I’m sure there were lessons learned with the construction of Safeway. One good way to solve these sorts of poblems is to build stone columns that extend from the base of the building down to more stable soils or bedrock. Think of it as being similar to a pier. The pilings extend into the ground to more solid ground.
I think this area of Greenwood could really use some revitalization….bring it on! Boarded-up, windowless dance clubs…HUGE parking lots with no landscape. Every week, it seems like we all read about some new grafitti, arson, burglaries, or muggings. If the City can’t afford to police this area better and keep us safe, I’m happy to let a developer clean up the area.
12 Helen // Jan 8, 2010 at 1:55 pm
I like the Fred Meyer and Greenwood Market the way they are. It would be just silly to have another big FM so close to the Ballard one in my opinion, and what do we need more apartments for in this economy? I would much rather see someone bringing in more vibrant small street-level businesses.
13 Whopper // Jan 8, 2010 at 3:55 pm
“I would much rather see someone bringing in more vibrant small street-level businesses”
Well, buy the land, do some market research, spend 10 yrs in review, go to the bank, get the loans and do it.
14 CutTheString // Jan 8, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Please Lord let’s say goodbye to that Fred Meyer. It’s like the 80′s threw up on themselves in there.
A shiny new FM with groceries, proper lighting and an overall less creepy feel would be much appreciated.
15 RR // Jan 10, 2010 at 2:09 pm
I do not like Fred Meyer groceries. They never stock enough of their hot sale items–many wasted trips later, I stopped trying.
Greenwood Market is a nice, friendly, family store.
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