Amazon is the biggest fish yet caught by South Lake Union.   

The echoes of rumor have become solid fact. Last Friday, December 22nd, Amazon.com announced that it will move its corporate headquarters to Seattle’s South Lake Union (current headquarters shown above).

Founder of the Urban Renaissance Group Patrick Callahan, predicts more residential and retail development in response to this huge concentration. More people, especially Amazon’s employees, are bound to want to live and shop here now that the mother hen has chosen this as her roost.

The city estimates that this move could bring 6,000 Amazon employees into the South Lake Union neighborhood.

Public open space and courtyards will be a feature of this new development, said Vulcan, and all buildings will be conventiently located within a block of access to the new South Lake Union Streetcar.

The current plan calls for 11 new buildings to be built by developers Vulcan and Schnitzer West. The leased space from these buildings may cover as much as 1.6 million square feet. The buildings will reside along Boren Ave N and Terry Ave N between John and Mercer. Construction of the first four buildings for this project begins in January 2008.  Completion date for all 11 buildings is planned for 2010 or 2011.

For more details, check out the Seattle Times Article.

She’s genuine quality, on the inside for all of her 24 stories and outside throughtout her beautiful grounds.

Head and shoulders…starting with some roof features, she’s got a plaza garden that filters rain runoff and uses its plants’ natural processes to convert the city’s carbon dioxide into fresh oxygen.  Even more than using plants to make healthy air, they plan to reduce pollution production by providing lots of room for bike storage as well as some flexcar spaces.

Knees..Inside she isn’t hiding any ugly secrets behind her outer glory.  Her windows will reach from ceiling to floor to maximize enjoyment of no-cost natural lighting and on top of that her energy efficiency has been brought to a level that is 20% more efficient than industry standards.  Beautiful. 

And toes…Down below, it has a peaceful river tiled with blue stones that passes through the courtyard and tumbles into a lovely cascade near the entrance to the building.

And so, with all of her green stuff going on, it’s not surprising that the 5th and Madison’s website says they’re trying to make “the line between indoors and outdoors thinner.”  Construction should finish this year.

Check out more info on the 5th and Madison.

The first to voice complaints about this absolutely crammed arrangement were residents of the Cosmopolitan who realized that another development was about to spring up right in front of their views–a mere 18 feet away.   Other threats to space and view are already in the works with a 500ft tower planned near the the 31 floor Escala project, which is still under construction, and the other, intended as a 39-story residential building, will be built to the south of Cristala.

Although some developers have shown foresight for things like this, such as in 2005 when the those of Harbor Steps and The Four Seasons who teamed together to purchase the airspace above the Lusty Lady, not everyone is buying the air, and there will quite probably be more things like this to come.

 The PI has a bit of advice when it comes to avoiding frustrations like those suffered by residents of the Cosmo:

• Ask the developers what they know about nearby proposals and what zoning would allow, and whether they have bought air rights for surrounding lots to protect views and privacy.
• Look up the zoning of surrounding sites and understand what that zoning allows.
  
• Check surrounding addresses for project applications already filed, sign up for the notification lists for those projects so you get notice of any changes and check back regularly to look for new applications on other sites.
  
• Ask city planners about possible upcoming changes to what zoning would allow nearby.
  
• Comment in writing and at design-review hearings about proposed projects.
  
• Hire a land-use lawyer to do all this for you.
  Find information for Seattle by going to seattle.gov/dpd and clicking on “Research” for zoning maps, and “Notices” and “Permits” for information on proposals, or go to the Seattle Department of Planning and Development Public Resource Center, on the 20th floor of the Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave. The center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and can be reached at 206-684-8467.
  
• And remember, it may not be possible to promise nobody ever will be able to build in front of your condo.
  

Read more from P.I. article.  “Condo owners struggle for views as Seattle rises”

Not only does she have a nice look (check out her head-shot), but she has such perks as being a hotel/condo which adds an element of luxury to her interiors. Her rooms include special windows that allow even more light to come in than such similar projects as Cristala and Madison Tower.  She will have an outdoor bar, comparable to L.A.’s SkyBar, but best of all: Location.  Location.  Location.  Ava will be the hotel/condo that is located absolutely closest to the center of retail activity (Seattle’s 6th and Pine).

Construction is set to begin in 2008 with plans to finish by 2010.

 Read more about AVA from her website.