The city council voted on July 24 to allow buildings as tall as seven stories on certain properties around the intersections of 23rd Avenue with East Union Street, East Cherry Street, and South Jackson Street. Benefitting from this upzone is Paul Allen’s Vulcan Real Estate for their latest 23rd and Jackson Apartment Complex project. In 2016, they purchased the 3.6 acre site at 23rd Avenue South and South Jackson Street, which is currently home to the Promenade 23 shopping center and Red Apple Market.
Vulcan is planning for two seven-story structures with a combined total of 530 residential units. The 23rd and Jackson mixed use buildings, designed by the Runberg Architecture Group, will include ground level retail and below grade parking across four levels for 530 vehicles. The buildings will be separated by a north/south mid-block pedestrian path along with two courtyards, one of which will be connected to the mid-block path. Amenities currently include a small roof deck, dog washing area and bike room with storage for 150. Part of the 23rd and Jackson Apartment project includes a grocery store, but a tenant has not been announced yet.
Vulcan has said that 20% of the apartments will be reserved for affordable housing. Earlier this year, the council approved mandatory Housing Affordability upzones and for the 23rd Avenue upzones where developers will need to devote 5 to 11 percent of their projects to affordable housing or pay $8 to $32.75 per square foot.
The Vulcan team also includes Hewitt, landscape architect; Pace Engineers, surveyor; Coughlin Porter Lundeen, civil engineer; and Geo Engineers, geotechnical. No general contractor has been announced.
Existing structures will be demolished. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2018.