Support of housing, family-sized units, and green buildings. Provide public comment on 2616 Western Ave (3036043-LU). Especially if you're a resident of Belltown, but even if you're not. Email [email protected].

My comments below. A thread.

I provide this public comment not as a resident of the Belltown neighborhood, but as a renter living in Seattle, a city desperately in need of new housing. This project has gotten my attention because money and privilege—and the lawyers that... (1/14)

come with such money and privilege—are being marshalled in opposition to a building that would create more places for people to live in Seattle’s downtown core, one of the densest, most walkable, and most vibrant neighborhoods in the City. (2/14)

Why oppose the construction of this housing? Why exclude people from this part of town? Why go so far as to hire legal counsel to fight this project? (3/14)

Ostensibly, the opposition to this project is due to the height of this building. While height is not within the purview of design review, and while the project is legally allowed to be built to the height of 180 feet, opponents of the project will almost certainly... (4/14)

criticize this particular aspect of the building in this forum. Such criticism, while not technically relevant to design review, will nevertheless be instrumentalized to demand that the design review process be more stringent, that the departure requests... (5/14)

be viewed more skeptically, that the height of the building be compensated for by embellishing other parts of the design. The implicit argument here—that the height of the building is an undesirable characteristic of the design and should be atoned for—should be rejected. (6/14)

Not only is the height of this building in keeping with the character of the Belltown neighborhood (which is home to many towers much taller than the one proposed), it should be seen as a community asset. (7/14)

One of the height bonuses that is being utilized by the project grants 10 additional feet of height in exchange for providing 10 additional 3-bedroom apartments. This bonus incentivizes larger, family-sized units, something the market doesn't naturally provide because... (8/14)

the rents don't offset the costs. If we truly aim to make Seattle a more livable city, then we should support the use of this bonus and the prioritization of families. (9/14)

The other height bonus being taken advantage of grants 25 additional feet of height to buildings that qualify for the Living Building pilot program, a program that will hold this building to one of the most rigorous standards of environmental sustainability. (10/14)

If we believe the climate crisis is real, then we should support measures that incentivize green buildings. (11/14)

The height of this building should be seen as a boon to the community—it’s good for families, it's good for the environment, and it will create more places for people to live. (12/14)

We the residents of Seattle benefit from the height of this structure not the least because the incentives cost us nothing other than additional air space. And accordingly, this project should be celebrated, not punished. (13/14)

I implore the DRB to look favorably on the height of this building and on the design in general. I lend my support for the departures requested which clearly meet the intent of the code to provide setbacks, respond to the immediate context, and create vibrant amenity spaces. END