06.16.2023

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Today’s Forecast

New housing concepts go to work

Seattle design firms envision how offices can turn into housing

A rendering of a space at Seattle's Mutual Life building converted into a wood-accented bedroom

Hybrid’s proposal uses the Mutual Life building’s existing aesthetic and natural light to create living spaces. | Rendering via Hybrid Architecture

Sometimes it may feel like you live in the office — but what would that look like literally?

Local design teams put on their thinking caps for a citywide competition envisioning how Seattle’s business buildings can become residences.

Hybrid Architecture was the big winner — so go ahead and clap your T-squares. The firm proposed turning the Mutual Life building in Pioneer Square into a co-living space with affordable apartment units and common spaces.

Here’s why such a high concept might work — and what happens next.

HybridFloorPlan_SEA — Hybrid’s plan calls to use the existing facade on the historic building.
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Photo via Hybrid Architecture

Rooms with a view

The Mutual Life building is a historic site constructed in 1890 with wide-open spaces made for biz — which makes it difficult to do the residence switcheroo. To solve the challenge, Hybrid’s proposal included ~80 single-room occupancy housing units, having private bedrooms alongside shared bathrooms and kitchens.

Going that route would eliminate the need to overhaul the building’s limited plumbing infrastructure, thereby reducing cost and complications, said Hybrid project manager Gina Gage. You’d get bedrooms that utilize the natural light from Mutual Life’s large windows, flexible common areas, and — most importantly — low prices.

The rent of each living unit for this proposal was estimated at ~$1,200 per month. There would also be a coffee shop and public events space on the premises.

The exterior of Seattle's Mutual Life building in a rendering with a coffee shop and cars and bikes passing on the street. — Hybrid would not alter the main entry, but would add new groundfloor retail and create an alternate, accessible entry.
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Rendering via Hybrid Architecture

Thinking out loud

Hybrid’s ideas and the others in the competition are just thought experiments right now — not actual redevelopment plans (current retail tenants are staying put). The city intends to use the competition results to help develop future housing policies, map out budgets, and consider building code changes.

If you’re an architecture nerd, you can soon view all the submissions online and at the Center for Architecture & Design Gallery over the next few weeks. “Maybe these ideas can be implemented for other projects,” said Gage. “People can see more of what’s possible.”

Asked

What do you think is the best use for emptier Seattle office buildings?

A. Affordable apartments
B. Arts and creative spaces
C. Local small retail business
D. Just bring back the workers

Share your thoughts

Events

Friday, June 16

Can Data Stop Disease? | Friday, June 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., Seattle | $5-$20 | Join experts in the biotech field as they discuss revolutionary advances in medicine.
“Bound” | Friday, June 16-Sunday, June 18 | Times vary | Tagney Jones Hall, 363 Mercer St., Seattle | $65 | This opera about the child of Vietnamese immigrants was based on a true story.

Saturday, June 17

Annual Rose Show | Saturday, June 17-Sunday, June 18 | 10 a.m. | The Marketplace at Factoria, 4055 Factoria Blvd. SE , Bellevue | Free | Gaze at the lovely, locally grown roses in all shapes, sizes, and colors in the area between Ulta Beauty and Panera.
Tea Ceremony: Introduction to Chanoyu | Saturday, June 17 | 1-3:40 p.m. | Seattle Japanese Garden, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., Seattle | $15 | Sip and relax during a 40-minute experience covering the basics of this centuries-old tradition.

Sunday, June 18

Capitol Hill Farmers Market | Sunday, June 18 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | E. Barbara Bailey Way, Seattle | Free | Planning a summer picnic? Stocking up on rhubarb to make a pie is always a good idea.
Barenaked Ladies: Last Summer On Earth 2023 | Sunday, June 18 | 6 p.m. | Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14111 NE 145th St., Woodinville | $65-$299 | You know you’re gonna sing along once this 90s band busts out the line: “It’s been one week since you looked at me.”

Monday, June 19

Juneteenth 2023 Freedom Flows | Monday, June 19 | 7 p.m. | MoPOP, 325 Fifth Ave. N., Seattle | $10-$15 | The musuem honors 50 years of hip-hop history with special guests (including Jarobi White from A Tribe Called Quest), a pop-up exhibit on feminism in hip-hop, and a live DJ.
Nubia: A Brave New World | Monday, June 19 | 8 p.m. | The Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle | $31-$99 | Expect nothing but fun, flair, and “Utopian celestial bodies” at this intergalactic-inspired show featuring six of the most fabulous drag performers in the US.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Development

We have a winner in the Memorial Stadium sweepstakes. One Roof Partnership is entering negotiations to lead the $150 million revitalization project after its proposal was selected from a short list. The team aims to have the new stadium finished no later than the end of 2027. (Seattle Times)

Eat

Who wants some ube pancakes? Longtime Filipino diner favorite Ludi’s is ready to preview its new location on Saturday, June 17, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The breakfast and brunch favorite is now located at 120 Stewart St., just a couple of blocks from its old space that closed in 2019.

Business

Unionized dockworkers on the West Coast have reached a tentative agreement on a contract with their employers, averting a potential shutdown which would have impacted the Seattle maritime industry. The six-year agreement would cover workers in all 29 West Coast ports. (Seattle Times)

Cause

This week, Beacon Hill nonprofit El Centro de La Raza broke ground on its new mixed-use affordable housing project at 3818 S. Angeline St. The “Four Amigos - Beloved Community” project will have 87 apartment units and is scheduled to be done in November 2024. (South Seattle Emerald)

Travel

We’ll always have Paris. That’s even more true now that Air Tahiti Nui has added a leg to the European capital from Seattle as part of its service to and from Papeete, Tahiti. The twice weekly flight is available year-round, so put in those vacation requests. (One Mile at a Time)

Edu

Fire up those burners — FrogLegs Cooking School is opening a new location at Redmond Town Center this weekend. Classes for adults and kids of all skill levels are available (in addition to b-day parties and camps). The school has three other outposts in Kirkland, Issaquah, and the U Village. (Seattle Refined)

Arts

Paint this grand? Works from 101-year-old Whidbey Island artist Gaylen Hansen are on display now through the end of June at the Linda Hodges Gallery in Pioneer Square. This will be the last show for the gallery before it closes up shop due to Linda’s pending retirement. (Seattle Times)

Coming Soon

The Avenue — a two-tower hotel, retail, and residential project in downtown Bellevue — is set to open in October. The $850 million development will include the InterContinental luxury hotel, 365 condo units, restaurants from Michelin-starred chefs, and other fancy amenities at 10300 NE Eighth St.

Job

We’re hiring a Sales Executive to lead our advertising relationships in Seattle. This exec would also have the opportunity to sell into all 25 of our cities nationwide, pitching the most relevant and modern media offering in town while earning a competitive salary with unlimited PTO. Learn more + apply.

Wellness

Looking to boost focus? Try NativePath’s Antarctic Krill Oil — a powerful blend of Omega-3s and antioxidants that can support energy levels and overall wellness. Learn more.*

Festival

☀️ Summer’s hottest parade

Dos and Don’ts for the Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade

People attending the Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade commandeering a large leopard-like puppet

Do not be alarmed by any large puppets roaming the streets — par for the Solstice Parade course. | Photo by Dennis Valente

It’s that time of year again in Fremont — the sun’s out, creative juices are flowing, and, uh, cyclists are about to show off their birthday suits.

The Fremont Fair, a popular annual event celebrating the neighborhood’s artsy roots and the start of summer, takes place from Saturday, June 17 to Sunday, June 18.

You’ll find 300+ crafts vendors, beer gardens, and live music — though most outsiders gather for the wild Solstice Parade on Saturday afternoon that features colorful floats and the famed naked bike riders.

If this is your first time attending the festivities, here are some dos and don’ts.

Do: Enjoy the 75+ decorated “art cars” on display.
Don’t: Expect to find much parking for your own car (take public transit).

Do: Check out local bands like Panda Conspiracy
Don’t: Try to figure out what a Panda Conspiracy actually is.

Do: Compliment the nude bikers on their amazing body paint.
Don’t: Make chafing jokes (they’re getting old).

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Gabe

From the editor

Any stargazers out there? Five planets will be all aligned on Saturday morning, which seems pretty cool to me. Here’s a reminder that we made a celestial calendar + listed places to play amateur astronomer around the area, if the weather permits.

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