The Seattle Housing Authority unveiled a preferred alternative for its $300 million redevelopment of Yesler Terrace. The redevelopment would have a maximum of 5,000 residential units and remake Seattle's oldest public housing with high-rises and office buildings.
The agency also officially expanded the First Hill project by adding two blocks that it owns east of the current Yesler Terrace site ("Yesler Terrace moving east," RC, March 17-23, 2010).
The additional property includes YWCA transitional housing, a corner lot at 12th Avenue and Yesler Way and a block to the east currently occupied by Washington Hall, a King County Elections warehouse and two apartment buildings that SHA previously acquired.
SHA spokesperson Virginia Felton said the housing authority and private developers could build up to 250 units on the extra property. She said up to one-third of those units could be replacements for Yesler Terrace's current 561 low-income apartments.
The agency has promised to replace all of the site's low-income housing, which is reserved for the poorest, at or below 30 percent of median income, or $18,000 for one person. SHA also plans to build 290 more low-income units serving those at or below 60 percent of median ($35,000) and another 950 units of "workforce housing" for those with incomes less than 80 percent of median ($45,100).
SHA is adding the property to an environmental impact study already well underway. SHA released a preliminary EIS report for Yesler Terrace in November 2010 and plans to release a final EIS in March.
The environmental study assessed five height and density options for the 30-acre site that included ranges of 3,000, 4,000 and 5,000 units. SHA is the master developer for the site and plans to sell much of the land to private developers. Felton said the agency and other developers may not ultimately build 5,000 units, but SHA wanted to give itself maximum flexibility over the 15 to 20 years it will take to complete the project.
The preferred alternative largely follows the high-density option that SHA studied, with the exception of office space, now pegged at 900,000 square feet, down from a potential of 1.2 million. The plan also calls for 88,000 square feet of retail space, 65,000 square feet for neighborhood services, 6.5 acres of parks and 5,100 parking spaces.
Felton said the agency expects its board of commissioners to approve a final development plan in April. SHA will then seek approval from the Seattle City Council for zoning changes that could raise height limits to 240 feet, up from the current limit of 40 feet.