Real estate developer Washington Holdings adjusted to pandemic disruptions, construction delays and steep terrain to convert the site of a closed Safeway supermarket into a mixed residential project that blends into Seattle's eclectic Greenwood neighborhood.
The development team broke ground at the height of the pandemic and pivoted quickly to add dedicated and common area work spaces to the design of the 297-unit apartment project at Greenwood Avenue North and North 87th Street to accommodate a hybrid work environment.
The team's ingenuity and resilience helped create a sustainable, community-oriented development after 33 months of construction, earning the project a 2024 CoStar Impact Award, as judged by real estate professionals familiar with the market.
About the Project: The Seattle-based company bought the 2-acre Hemlock site from Safeway in 2018 and broke ground in March 2021. Washington Holdings replaced the store with a six-story multifamily building with 12,500 square feet of retail, with room for future development on the old grocery store parking lot. Architects designed The Hemlock to blend with the site's steep terrain and finished major construction last year on the project that is seeking LEED Platinum certification.
What the Judges Said: "In addition to the creative deal-making demonstrated from the acquisition of the site and retail re-tenanting, the development of the Hemlock as an infill project was executed with style," wrote Tyler Barth, senior vice president of Investments with Kilroy Realty. "The challenges encountered and overcome during the construction timeline, mid-pandemic, are also admirable. The project transformed an underutilized piece of real estate into an attractive benefit to the surrounding community. "
The development "both responds to the market opportunity of an increasingly desirable Greenwood neighborhood business district and represents the revitalization underway," said Nathan Daum, economic development program manager with the city of Shoreline. "The many thoughtful design details and provision of ground-floor retail space are sure to serve both the residents and surrounding community. "
They Made it Happen: The Washington Holdings development team included Vice President Andy Kromann, Senior Vice President Steffenie Evans, Development Associate Alexa Patnode and Executive Vice President Ben Margoles. GGLO's Beth Dwyer was the principal architect and Tiina Ritval was the design lead. WG Clark Vice President Evan Christenson was the project executive. Cory Hitzemann of Coughlin Porter Lundeen and Matt Smith with GeoEngineers were the project engineers. Karen Short with MFID was the interior designer and Marieke Lacasse with GGLO Landscape was the landscape architect.
CoStar Senior Research Manager Alexander Fairlie contributed.