HomeMy WebLinkAboutPN_Southport_West_Project_Narrative_220712_v1
1133 LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD. N SUITE 90 RENTON WASHINGTON 98056
TEL: 425/282-5833 FAX: 425/282-5838
Southport West – Project Narrative
“Southport West” is the completion of the southerly portion of the Southport Development. This expansion will be
the first impression of this important northern gateway to Renton, and to Southport, and will contribute to the high-
quality campus offering architecturally attractive buildings serving the Renton Community, companies, and visitors.
This next phase creates a vibrant work, shop, and recreational hub. Visually attractive offices, retail space, and
curated landscaping will call attention to a quality development. Southport West will bring in new and diverse job
opportunities to the Renton area by attracting global high tech and bio-tech companies, in an already established
development served by state-of-the-art infrastructure.
The development will add five high mid-rise buildings, with careful attention to the “Gateway” location, with the
architecture responding to its surroundings. The density will remain similar to what was built in Southport thus far.
It will be built as approximately 1,250,000 GSF of development over 7.75 acres, as compared to the density in
Bellevue or Seattle which would be 250,000 SF in ¼ acre, or roughly eight times the density. The Expansion will be
built at the same height and scale as the existing offices, for aesthetic cohesion, thereby adding to the Campus feel.
SECO has engaged the renowned architecture firm ZGF to create high quality, architecturally attractive, and distinct
class A office buildings with pedestrian friendly retail at the base. The materials utilized are a combination of curtain
wall, stone, concrete, and steel that creates a high-quality timeless palette. SECO has also hired the original
Southport landscaping designers to continue the same spacious landscaping style implemented on the southerly
phase of the existing offices, allowing light and air between buildings, and weaving the offices with carefully
designed northwest gardens and pathways. It is our belief that the open space, circulation, and special landscaping
will be a strong attraction for this location for tenants.
Southport West’s Park Avenue extension will greatly enhance the access leading to I-405, while giving visibility to
the complete development from I-405. We will add a third lane, named “Center Road” between the phase-one offices
and phase-two offices, which will greatly improve visitor circulation and provide a strong purposeful axis. SECO will
also add the new “Frontage Road” to the South, north of the railroad tracks, which will create a strong east west
connection to visitors, as well as adding and enhancing pedestrian and vehicular access to the Landing and the Park,
an entrance that faces challenges as it exists today.
From the beginning, Southport was designed to create a unique, walkable community with housing, offices, retail,
hospitality, and entertainment, all easily accessed from within the Renton Community, as well as by its visitors. This
next phase will expand on that vision as well as create greater accessibility to the Lake Washington waterfront for
the community and visitors.
The site is immediately south of first phase of Southport and is bounded on the north by the offices and residential
buildings at Southport, on the south by the BNSF Railroad right-of-way, on the west by Boeing Renton, and on the
east by Coulon Park.
The site is devoid of trees and vegetation for the construction footprint. Existing vegetation is limited to the extreme
edges of the project area. This includes prior mitigation plantings immediately adjacent to the recently installed
Johns Creek culvert under the Southport Access Road. South of this area, the immediate Johns Creek stream corridor
is vegetated primarily with invasive Himalayan blackberry, while the northern project area boundary is vegetated with
a row of closely planted conifer trees. Trees are limited to the conifers. There are no landmark trees rooted within the
project area.
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Priority Habitat and Species List does not list any threatened or
endangered species within the project area.
The proposed Southport West Expansion will encompass site improvements of the entire site including landscape,
civil site improvements, roads, and infrastructure to support both the new and existing Southport developments –
with sustainability strategies on the forefront.
SECO and its Neighbors –
SECO and PSE have constructively worked together for nearly 2 decades, since SECO first purchased 17.5 acres from
PSE in 1999. Since then, SECO has bought an additional 8.5 acres in 2020. We remain on good terms with them,
housing their operations from 2020-2022, and are in the process of buying additional land for the building of a center
lane on their northerly border, which is adjacent to our existing parking garage. We are also hiring PSE to do the
analysis of the relocation of the powerlines and switchgear as warranted by the development. SECO will work closely
with PSE for the engineering and capacity needs of the development, and the utility switchgear adjacent to Johns’
Creek.
We have included an executed version of an Engineering agreement (Addendum A dated 06.20.2022) with PSE which
witnesses their knowledge of this upcoming development. SECO has been in constant communication with PSE and
will continue to partner with PSE on design and construction.
Boeing and SECO have coexisted without friction for more than 2 decades concurrently. SECO has provided Boeing
with housing, hospitality, meeting rooms, restaurants, pedestrian access to the waterfront, and the access to its
workers along our waterfront to reach Gene Coulon Park in the easement we granted the public in 2000.
We are not asking for any exceptions to the code and are building assets that will be a benefit to all our neighbors.
The new development is a win-win in terms of current and future needs, while placing City of Renton as a
commercial hub with more sure-footedness than ever before.
SECO and the City of Renton have envisioned this last phase and completion of the Southport and PSE redevelopment
for 20 years. This shared vision will create a cohesive live, work, play and stay community, that helps to diversify the
job opportunities in Renton for the residents, builds tax and revenue opportunities for the city, is open and accessible
to the public and exemplifies the best architecture, environmental sensitivity, and high-quality open spaces to
showcase this special north Renton “Urban Center” neighborhood. An example of which is the work by the City of
Renton and SECO to connect Park Avenue to Southport to the important access corridor from 1-405 and locations to
the South the further enhance the circulation.
GSF and Parking –
SECO would like to submit with a GSF range in mind to avoid rectifying the metric down the road. Accordingly, we
would like to submit for a range of 1.25M to 1.6M GSF, although 1.25M is stipulated for now, and as the design team
works through warranted efficiencies on floor plates and core design. SECO will update the city on changes as they
surface.
A development of this magnitude needs a thoughtful approach on Parking. The design team is aware of the Parking
ratios per RMC. Current Parking layout suggests about 2,260 stalls approximately for the 5-Tower development,
inclusive of on-street parking spaces.
We anticipate working though a Parking Modification for an amicable solution for Southport West - A parking plan
will be in place for the entire Southport site to utilize shared parking opportunities and shifts as well as shuttles, ride-
shares, Uber, etc.
Please note: Project Narrative Metrics per MSPR submittal requirements follow on ZGF Letterhead
PORTLAND
SEATTLE
LOS ANGELES
WASHINGTON DC
NEW YORK
VANCOUVER BC
______
PARTNERS
Braulio Baptista AIA
Kathy Shaloo Berg AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Patrick Cotter ARCHITECT AIBC, AAA, OAA, SAA, INT’L
ASSOC. AIA
Mark Foster AIA
Toby Hasselgren AIA
Ted Hyman FAIA, LEED AP BD+C
R. Doss Mabe FAIA
Mitra Memari AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Solvei Neiger AIA, ACHA
Victoria Nichols AIA, LEED AP
Robert Packard III ASSOCIATE AIA
Vladimir Pajkic AIA, LEED AP
Eugene Sandoval AIA
Karl Sonnenberg AIA, ACHA
Allyn Stellmacher AIA, LEED AP
Todd Stine AIA, DBIA, LEED AP BD+C
Sharron van der Meulen
Jan Carl Willemse FAIA, DBIA, LEED AP
Tim Williams AIA, LEED AP BD+C
James Woolum AIA, IIDA
PRINCIPALS
Barbara Anderson RN, BSN, MSN
Heidi Bullinga AIA, LEED AP
Josie Briggs
Ryan Cheng
Mahon Clements AIA, LEED AP
Marc Davies
Kate Freels AIA, LEED GA
Mark Gesinger LEED AP
Patrick Gordon AIA
Elizabeth Grace AIA
James Harman AIA
Sara Howell AIA
Corinne Kerr AIA
Eddie Kung AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Bertha Martinez RA
Leslie Morison ASSOC. AIA, NAIOP
Craig Rizzo
Eric Ritchey AIA
Haruka Saito AIA
Monica Schaffer
Kim Scott NCIDQ, IIDA
Dan Simpson
Taka Soga
Mike Steinberg
Tobin Thompson
Kari Thorsen NCIDQ, LEED AP
Jerome Unterreiner
Rebecca Vargas AIA
Erin Ward AIA, NCARB
Camilla Watson NCIDQ
Hans Woestenborg AIA, CDT, LEED AP BD+C
ZGF ARCHITECTS LLP
925 Fourth Avenue
Suite 2400
Seattle, WA 98104
T 206 623 9414
www.zgf.com
June 24, 2022
To whom it may concern:
Please find below narrative to describe the proposed development for SECO
Southport West Project.
Project Narrative:
The project size is expected to encompass parcels
· #0823059191, at 336,992 square feet and,
· Current Utility PSE Location - #0823059178, at
102,578 square feet. Address = 1095 Lake Washington BLVD, N 98056
· Total parcel areas = 439,570 square feet.
Zoning Designation:
· UC-2, Urban Center 2
Current Site Use:
· Utility function / Vacant
Site Features:
· John’s Creek at Southeast portion of the site area has a wetland designation.
Please refer to submitted Wetland Assessment and Critical Areas Report.
· For soil type and drainage conditions, please refer to civil documents, and
Geotech report. Further refer to letter of understanding – Geological Risk.
Proposed Use:
· 1,250,000 square feet of gross building area over (5) high-rise buildings,
developed to include primarily office function with retail and landscape
improvements.
· Additionally, an allotment for 130,000 square feet of gross building area for
office and retail at the SW corner of the development (Tower #6)
Height Limitations:
· Towers will not exceed the height established by neighboring Southport
Office Towers to the direct north, and conform to RMC 4-2-120A for no
greater than 10 stories. The buildings will comply with RMC 4-3-020.F
airport influence map, safety compatibility zone sector 6 for “Traffic Pattern
Zone” and further RMC 4-3-020.G, Federal aviation regulation part 77
Objects Affections Navigable Airspace.
Lot Coverage:
· Building coverage = 251,420 square feet
· Total Road coverage = 64,540 square feet
· Lot coverage for buildings = 251,420 / 439,570 = 57%, which is below
100% as allowed by RMC 4-2-120A when parking is provided through a
parking garage.
· Each future Site plan permit will submit in relation to lot coverage as the
phasing of the project is further defined.
Parking:
· Parking will be provided through an on-site parking garage and an off-site
allotment as approved by the City of Renton through compliance to RNC
4-4-080.E.
· All parking to be compliant with Renton Municipal Code Section 4-4-808
Parking, Loading and Driveway Regulations.
· Parking stalls sizes and types will conform to RMC 4-4-080-F.8
· Parking stalls required per RMC 4-4-080-F.10 are estimated using ratios of
2 stalls /1,000 square feet minimum at office spaces and 10 stalls / 1,000
square feet minimum at retail spaces.
· Office stalls required are estimated to be 2,400 stalls minimum
· Retails stalls required are estimated to be 500 stalls minimum.
· Total stalls required to be at least 2,900 stalls.
· Accessible Stalls – stall counts over 1,000 in total shall provide 20 spaces
plus 1 for every 100 or fraction thereof. This is 20+(2,900-1000)/100 =
20+19 = 39 accessible stalls minimum.
· Bicycle parking per RMC 4-4-080-F.11, bicycle parking at a minimum of
10 percent of total vehicular parking stalls = 2,900 * 10% = 290 bicycle
parking stalls minimum.
· Alternative compliance path to provide parking required will be employed
per RMC 4-4-080-F.10.b, a joint parking agreement will be utilized to
provide compliance to parking requirements.
· Compact stalls will not exceed 50% of total parking stalls.
Sincerely,
Michael Tetzloff
Project Architect
ZGF Architects LLP