Proposed skyscraper in Seattle will become the tallest on the West Coast (Vancouver: real estate, 2015)

[GatsbyGatz]

A Miami-based developer will begin construction in 2017 on what would become Seattle's tallest skyscraper at 1,111 feet tall, making it the tallest building on the West Coast, the tallest building in the country outside of NYC or Chicago, and the 16th tallest building in the world.

For those interested, here is the project plan:

http://web6.seattle.gov/dpd/edms/Get...DMS&id=2235032

[CrazyDonkey]

And that is only one of many 'scrapers coming our way:

Tall towers going up everywhere in Seattle - seattlepi.com

Take a good look at the skyline now - it'll be unrecognizable ten, even maybe five, years from now.

To see what will probably come, eventually, read:

[bartonizer]

Not the worst looking early rendering- I like Seattle's skyline and a supertall may not be completely out of scale, especially given the proximity to the Columbia Center. But, I have to say that the list of towers in the PI is full of featureless, unimaginative structures. it may be good to add density and fill in additional gaps downtown, but for the most part those are pretty boring looking buildings, which seems to be rather common for us here in the states. Have the architects ever traveled abroad?

[RotseCherut]

Just what Seattle "DOESN'T" need. With Seattle's crappy city planning, all these massive high risers will do is make the downtown a perpetual 24-7 gridlock.. The problem is that they only have one lane to pass right through the downtown and the downtown streets are fraction the size of what you would have in let's say , Manhattan or Los Angeles. The downtown area also is not accommodating to public transportation or cars as they close down car lanes to build more useless bike lanes and a light rail system that shares the same streets as cars. At least in New YOrk, they got the rail system concept correct, with the concept of a "SUBWAY".

Seattle's city government is more or less a big joke and they are a bunch of clowns running a very serious city that revolves around business, commerce and industry. The people who elect the city government into power are a bunch of bleeding heart liberals who don't have much care or consideration to the business and industrial sector that helps this city thrive. Sooner or later the city is going to outgrow itself and the city will either collapse under its pathetic leadership or boot out the clowns in power, who are more focused on building bike lanes and fighting for rent and wage regulations than they are for helping the city grow properly and accommodating a massive influx of prople that the city was never designed to accommodate. Sadly, the number of overqualified and jobless hipsters, communists and other radicals leftists moving to Seattle are only contributing to the horrible city leadership. They forget that a city cannot function on welfare and that evil capitalists are the reason for the city being so successful.

[pete98146]

I've always said that give Seattle another 10 years and it will turn into another Vancouver BC which IMHO is a good thing. But the only way to pull this off is to greatly increase the number of people that actually live downtown so they don't have to commute as far.

The next logical area of town that is on deck for the biggest change (IMHO) is Beacon Hill. Every time I go up there, I marvel about how little it's changed over the years. This will change. There is only so much real estate that is close proximity to downtown and developers will be looking for cheap(er) land and Beacon Hill fits the bill.

[pnwguy2]

I think it is important to remember that only about a third of proposals ever get built. That being said, I am certainly a pro-development guy and I am rooting for this project. Mainly because it is mostly residential, and that is the goal. BTW, 1100 feet+ probably is not going to pass muster with the FAA, though I am no expert. Columbia Center had problems back in the 80's, but I believe only because of a proposed tower on top of their 954 feet.

Seattle vs. Vancouver BC has been written about endlessly in other threads. But the two cities are quite different, with Seattle's business downtown, and Vancouver's residential inner city.

Beacon Hill? Conceptually it seems right, but realistically probably won't happen. Those who are willing to spend the bucks will demand the more desirable neighborhoods, and in 2015, Beacon Hill doesn't fit the bill. However, future decades could prove me wrong.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by RotseCherut

The downtown area also is not accommodating to public transportation or cars as they close down car lanes to build more useless bike lanes and a light rail system that shares the same streets as cars. At least in New YOrk, they got the rail system concept correct, with the concept of a "SUBWAY".

Have you actually ridden light rail here, Rotse? Last I checked you had to go down into a thing called a "tunnel" to ride light rail downtown. Will be the same riding to Capitol Hill, Husky Stadium, U District, and Roosevelt. There will be a tunnel under downtown Bellevue.

[homesinseattle]

My dear Seattle, you are a-changin'. Sometimes when I am strolling around my quiet Phinney Ridge neighborhood, I feel a million miles from downtown. When I want it though, the "big city" options for entertainment, dining and cultural events are only getting better. Good? bad? It just is. I think there is still a lot to like here, if you can afford it.

[pete98146]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Beacon Hill? Conceptually it seems right, but realistically probably won't happen. Those who are willing to spend the bucks will demand the more desirable neighborhoods, and in 2015, Beacon Hill doesn't fit the bill. However, future decades could prove me wrong.

I see lots of bulldozers in the future for Beacon Hill, especially the northern part. It won't be the developers first choice but where else can they go? Once the half million dollar condos go in, the amenities will follow. Out with the old and in with the new as they say.....

[pnwguy2]

Fair enough...like I said, I think the future could bring development there, but not now.

Some forget, Beacon Hill already has a light rail station...though it only goes north to downtown, and south to the airport and soon one stop after that. (perhaps the beginning of a route to Federal Way, oh yeah!)