
The Development Plan
Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) just plastered a yellow “Notice of Proposed Land Use Action” sign on the corner of 45th & Burke. This block will be developed into a 5-story 36-unit apartment building with retail. Additionally, the plan includes 12 parking spaces. The project will wipe out two existing buildings at 1901 N. 45th (Fainting Goat & Lawless Financial Group) and 1905 N. 45th (Sock Monster & Chroma), plus the existing second story apartments.
It’s always sad to hear about beloved local businesses getting displaced due to development. I hope the new building can attract (and be affordable to) vibrant local businesses.
Design Review
Seattle’s Design Review Program provides an opportunity for public comment on design guidance that will be part of the building permit. If you have something to say about design elements of this development, now is the time! Comments are due February 7.
How to Comment (due February 7)
Direct Link to Comment Tool (with a map that’s easy to navigate)
By Mail: City of Seattle, SDCI – PRC, 700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000, PO Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019

Who’s Developing and Designing?
According to a Sale Deed dated November 20, 2020, the two buildings set for development were sold to Rose Burke LLC. This LLC can be traced to Trinity Partnership which owns and manages (under 206 Property Management) approximately 30 buildings in Seattle. Most of Trinity’s buildings are older and this brand new development seems to be a departure for them. [Full disclosure: coincidentally, 206 PM happens to be my landlord in a different building they manage.]
The early design documents were uploaded by a local architecture firm d/Arch LLC. One example of this firm’s work is the Bowman building (3801 Stone Way N.).
d/Arch has a philosophy that reads, in part:
[T]he ability to design attractive buildings that…have longevity, a unique identity, and a sense of place is crucial….We strive to provide creative, professional responses to construction issues, offer measures of achievable sustainability, and contribute to the community to assure the project’s long-term success. We measure our achievement by our client’s success and by the community’s response.
Why Bother Commenting?
Design guidance is essentially the only aspect of development that Wallingford neighbors get a chance to voice opinions about. In 2013 I followed the development plans of CVS (2100 N. 45th) on Wallyhood, submitted comments, and attended a Design Review Board meeting. It was a great way to experience local government and provide input. While the outcome wasn’t perfect, sustained public comment and pressure caused CVS and its developers to directly engage with concerned neighbors.
Next Steps
While the overall development timeline is unclear, here’s what can be expected:
Following the public comment period, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections will issue a written design guidance report. This report will consider public comment and the applicable city-wide and neighborhood specific Design Guidelines and will serve as the basis for further review of the building permit. Once the applicant has incorporated the design guidance into the proposal they may apply for a building permit. No public notice of the building permit application will be provided.

Current Design Proposal & Alternatives
You can find all project drawings and documents online, including d/Arch LLC’s 39-page detailed proposal. Follow the link below to the project portal specific to 3038044-EG. Then click on the “attachments” tab and select “Design Review EDG Proposal – Draft” uploaded on Jan. 12th (a 12 MB PDF). https://cosaccela.seattle.gov/
Below, you’ll find excerpts that show three alternatives, focusing on pages that detail the “Preferred” Alternative 3. There’s too much to cover with these proposals in a single post so a separate deep dive into the drawings will follow. Please take a look at the various alternatives and let the city and developer know what you think!




