Planned 85 foot condo building now hotel rooms

 

The Fairhaven Harbor Project would bring 3 new buildings to the area bounded by McKenszie and Harris Avenues and the Eighth and Ninth streets. The height of one building has residents worried about the developments. Picture from Fairhaven Neighbors Association website.

Plans for a new hotel and condominium building in downtown Fairhaven will include four buildings of varied height. At 85 feet, one building would become the tallest structure in downtown Fairhaven.
At the initial introduction of the plan, the Fairhaven Harbor project, residents of the Fairhaven neighborhood sought to halt the project due to the height of the proposed buildings.
“A tall building would drastically change the view corridor on McKenzie,” Elinor Pravda, Secretary of the Fairhaven Neighbors Association said.
Concerned have also been raised about the upcoming development and the changes that will alter to the community’s dynamics.
“It’s the city’s and our concern that the function of the buildings have changed,” Larry Kimmett, President of the Fairhaven Neighbors Association said. “It has gone from residential to commercial, and this is something that will affect our local road network.”
The plan was met with much resistance from residents of the neighborhood when initially introduced, as concerns were raised about the structure coinciding with the Fairhaven Neighbors Association’s plan of development.
A lawsuit was filed for the original building, Pravda said. While the settlement of the lawsuit requires the association to not attempt any more blocks on the building, it will act to protect Padden Creek from development.
“We hope it will be a separate case and not a precedent,” Pravda said. “It would be a disaster for more tall buildings to be here.”
Ali Taysi of AVT Consulting and representative for the project introduced the plans at the Fairhaven Neighbors meeting Oct. 6. Though construction will not start for at least six months, a yellow development plan sign was to be placed at the site Oct. 8.
The site covers a block bordered by McKenszie and Harris Avenues and the Eighth and Ninth streets.
Of the three buildings, all have undergone planning changes as they will be shorter than in the second draft of the plan. In the northwest corner, the building will be reduced from 55 to 53 feet; the northeast corner building will be reduced from 90 to 76 feet; the main building has two heights at 53 feet and 116 feet. Factoring in the high water mark at 32 feet, the buildings will look shorter than thought to be, Taysi said.
This is not the first time the building heights were reduced, as the original plan was for a 12 story building to be constructed in the space. Many changes have occurred within the plan, but the most recent details a 100 unit hotel with 11 condominiums, a restaurant and retail shopping.
The development of the block is under ownership of Patrick Uy who also owns Sycamore Square. Michael Abbott who owns his building company Abbott Heys and Associates will design the new project. Abbott has completed many projects in Seattle including restaurants, hotels and residential buildings.
“He originally planned to model the buildings like the ones in Seattle, but decided to use materials such as brick, glass and wood instead,” Taysi said. This will make the new structure more like the existing ones in downtown Fairhaven.
The project is currently in the permit process and building is not likely to start sooner than 6 months, Taysi said. He also said that the date building begins will depend on financing and seasonal conditions.
Residents within 500 feet of the building site received letters notifying them that the area would soon be developed.In original plans a pavilion was centered among the buildings, but it is now located closer to the street so pedestrians who wish to access the trails of Padden Creek may do so. In an effort to further reduce the project’s footprint, planners moved the buildings an additional 30 feet away from the Padden Creek area.
“Pulling all development out of the creek buffer creates a 100 foot space between the creek and buildings,” Taysi said.
At the Oct. 6 neighborhood meeting, many residents voiced their concerns that the updated changes in the plan do not account for storm water treatment.
Plans for the project originally call for outflow into the Padden lagoon, but that is not good for the area Pravda said.
The Planned Development permit for the project will expire in December, but has been renewed until Dec. 7, 2012. The changes to the permit now are amendments to the permit issued at the start of the project in 2005. Another permit was initially granted by the Department of Ecology, and continues to remain active.
A traffic analysis was conducted during the first stages of the project, but an updated analysis will need to be conducted as well, Taysi said. With changes to the overall plan of the site including a speculated restaurant, convention center and brand name hotel, residents wonder if the report will be comprehensive enough.
Plans also include on site parking for condominium residents, hotel visitors and those who visit the proposed restaurant and convention center.
An in depth neighborhood meeting about building plans will be held at the Dome Room in the Fairhaven Ferry Terminal on Oct. 14 from 6-9 p.m. Residents may submit their comments on the project.
“I would hope the process remains open and civil and whatever happens will bring the community together,” Pravda said. “Residents do care about the businesses here and hope they prosper. It’s important that they know that.”