Aegis Living Update To Be Located At Five Corners At Old Baskin-Robbins Site

Demolition is complete at the future Aegis Living triangular site (3200 NE 45th Street) at Five Corners. 

The design proposal, submitted in July 2016, includes 135 units in a six story building (55-70 feet) with 53 parking stalls and 2500 square feet of retail on the first floor proposed to house a salon and cafe.  First residents are scheduled to move in around spring of 2023 according to the Aegis website. 

In July of last year, the building in which China Village resided for over 30 years was demolished. The Wong family have owned the restaurant since 1987. In 2016 Amy, and her brother, Lee Wong bought out another family member and changed the name from "China Village" to Uncle Lee's and remodeled the restaurant. It is now located at Sandpoint Village (5408 Sand Point Way).

Amy told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff at the time: "We started off as “China Village” and now we will continue our family business and passion as 'Uncle Lee’s'!"

Also demolished was the building where Benton Jewelers used to be, which was most recently a brokerage firm.

Before demolition, the landmark Benton clock, which since 1986 stood in front of the old Benton Jewelers location, was removed and put into storage at a cost of $30,000. The new clock location will be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Board and Department of Neighborhoods. 

Also demolished was the building, in which for over four decades, Baskin-Robbins was located.  In September 2015 it was forced to close, even though the building was not demolished until 4 years later. 

The manager of Baskin-Robbins who owned that franchise for 15 years, told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff at the time that "unfortunately, we were unable to reach an agreement regarding a lease on the site with the Broderick Group, a real-estate brokerage company, so Baskin-Robbins is forced to close." 

He added that the new landlord "wanted to raise the rent by more than 50% with all costs included." 

Other buildings demolished housed well-know long-time businesses at one time or another, including Select Hair Salon which had rented their building for over 20 years and was originally located in the north side of the current Varlamos Pizzeria (3617 NE 45th Street) before it expanded.  

Jennifer, Aegis, Director of Marketing, told the Laurelhurst Blog:

The construction site was temporarily placed on hold June 1.  The site will remain quiet for some time, unless we elect to do some early utility connections.  All demolition and the current status of the site follow the requirements of the City, for example, the slab on grade being left in order to comply with the state erosion requirements. 

Aegis Living had planned to break ground in May. Construction activity will still occur as previously conveyed and which is dependent on City of Seattle approvals which have pushed the start of major construction tentatively to February 1. 

We received a Phase 1 permit on 8/28/20 which allows us to begin construction up to the ground floor, including street enhancements, public and private space, tie ins and utilities into the street, once we complete financing. 

The banks drive their financing and we do not have an exact date for that process to come to a conclusion, it is likely the first few months of 2021. 

We are currently working toward our Phase 2 permit which would allow for work on all of the exterior. There have been numerous delays in receiving permits due to City of Seattle rounds of review and due to the slowdowns from Covid 19. 

Aegis will continue to paint over any graffiti on an ongoing basis.

After demolition, the site appeared to be unmaintained for a number of months and began to be covered with graffiti and weeds.

The Laurelhurst Blog contacted Aegis, several months ago, and asked if covering could be put on the fence surrounding the property since construction will not start for many months to help cover and secure the property at such a well-travelled intersection and entry point into many neighborhoods.

The site also consistently has graffiti , which the City requires to be covered within 10 days. 

Aegis responded to the Laurelhurst Blog saying:

We are working with site maintenance team to improve the site’s appearance. 

We will be installing a blue mesh cover around the entire fence, as well as having the construction contractor work to better secure the fencing around the site. And we plan on continually maintaining the vegetation on site. 

Additionally, our team is working with development and our designers to create  new signage for the fencing, which will blend attractive imagery and Aegis marketing, will enhance the look of the site and will block any view of the interior.  It should be installed soon.   

In addition, the project manager and our service partner will make sure the site is cleared of trash, graffiti is covered, the fencing is standing and stays connected.  

Recently, a contractor painted the adjacent wall, which is not our property, to match the adjoining business and will keep it painted throughout the project. We will continue to follow the city ordinances to manage any graffiti, with assistance from our maintenance contractor. 

Our project manager will do regular site visits to ensure site security and maintenance. 

The City of Seattle told the Laurelhurst Blog about the site:

The City provides regulations and standards for Safeguards During Construction under the Seattle Building Code and for Protection of Adjoining Properties under the Seattle Residential Code. As inspectors are on site to monitor permit conditions, they also look for safety concerns. Once the building is demolished, we require erosion control measures such as silt fences and drain covers. 

Code compliance staff also take complaints about violations at private properties. In addition to stabilizing slopes and retaining walls on construction sites, the owner must also keep it free of debris and trash should be stored in an orderly fashion. Potential fall hazards must be secured with fencing or guardrails. If utility connections are installed, they must be secured from unauthorized access. 

The same vegetation requirements apply to all private properties; owners are responsible for ensuring nothing grows into streets or sidewalks that might impact the path of travel. Private properties are required to maintain the same standards on vegetation during construction. To file a complaint regarding vegetation overgrowth, please file it online here or via phone at 615-0808. 

Any observed graffiti should be directed to the Graffiti hotline managed by SPU. They will follow up with the property owner to have it removed. 

To file a complaint about dumping or trespassing at an inactive construction site, call 206-615-0808 or go here.  The State Department of Labor & Industry monitors active construction sites for workplace safety.

The City recently sent an Inspector to the site regarding the issue of vegetation along the sidewalk who followed up with this information to the Laurelhurst Blog:

Vegetation along the sidewalk is an element we enforce through the complaint process. Based on your inquiry, we had an inspector drive by and evaluate the conditions of the vegetation. We will create a complaint about the vegetation and follow up with the owner to have them cut back along the sidewalk.

The "Aegis Laurelhurst" website says:

Offering 111 stylishly designed assisted living apartments for seniors and 24 memory care apartments for your family member needing specially trained dementia care. Aegis at Laurelhurst is designed to be the center of social activities. With a large plaza at the main entry, families can play, connect, and relax. Don’t miss the top floor sky lounge with views of the UW campus, Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline.

Another retirement home, Empress Senior Living (4020 NE 55th Street), is currently under construction, on the former Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Hospital site, across from Metropolitan Market. The proposal, Permit #3025827, includes 3 stories of approximately 74 units with a restaurant at street level and parking for approximately 30 vehicles above and below grade.

Laurelhurst Community Club Comments On Proposed Aegis Assisted Living At Five Corners

Aegis Living, an assisted living and memory care provider, has submitted permits (3025007, 3025056) to build  a facility at at "Five Corners, where the former Baskin Robbins site, which closed September 2015 was located.

The demolition permit includes "two existing one level buildings" the building to the north of Baskin-Robbins up to Bakker Dry Cleaning. The addresses are 3200-3212 NE 45th Street and 3201-3209 NE 45th Place.  

The new facility would have 116 units and would be five levels over a parking garage with 2500 square feet of retail on the first floor which would house a salon and cafe, according to the design proposal submitted in July 2016.

Bryon Ziegler, Director of Development and Entitlements for Áegis Senior Communities, told the Blog Staff in March, that "other possibilities include an ice cream bar, community room, outdoor plaza and salon."

Bryon said that they are anticipating permits in late 2019 and the construction period is likely 20-24 months with the first resident move-in’s the fall of 2021. Aegis anticipates approximately 80% of the residents will come from the local neighborhoods.

Bryon told the Laurelhurst Blog staff that the new site is somewhat confusing (see attached graphic above) saying: 

The assemblage of parcels includes 3200 and 3232 NE 45^th Street and 3215 NE 45^th Place. There are two buildings, but three parcels.  

There is also a billboard that will be eliminated. The historic clock will remain. 

The 30’ city right of way between the curb and the property line will be landscape and enhanced for public use, including the little pedestrian bulb at the intersections of 45^th and 45^th. This Aegis Senior Community will be designed to either the City’s Living Building Challenge or Mandatory Housing Affordability standards.

He said that the businesses currently in the buildings that will be demolished will have all their leases honored, until they end in 2019.   These businesses included  Diane’s Alterations, Lakeview Vision Clinic, Edward Jones, Farmers Insurance, Uncle Lee’s, University Tutoring, Felipa’s Consignment and Rules Salon. 

The café at Aegis, would be open to the public and would be the Queen Bee Café, a non profit business. Others are currently located at the Madison and Queen Anne Aegis facilities and specialize in traditional English crumpets.

Bryon said that Aegis has engaged Transpo traffic engineers to conduct a traffic study of the very busy Five Corners area where the facility will be located.

He added:

We are an assisted living and memory care provider, which is a very low traffic generator especially at peak hours. It is very rare that we have a resident who drives. We do have staff and visitor parking, as well as deliveries which we will provide for in an underground parking garage and loading area.

For more information about the project, go to the City permits website and reference permits 3025007, 3025056, 6520824, 6537047, 3025007, 6552104, 3025056, 6557274, 6082637.

Another retirement home is also under review for 4020 NE 55th Street, where the Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Hospital is currently located, across the street from Metropolitan Market. The proposal, Permit #3025827, includes 3 stories of approximately 74 units with 3,100 square feet of commercial space and parking for approximately 28 vehicles located below grade. The existing structure would be demolished.  The architect has proposed 3 different alternatives which can be seen here.

Here are Laurelhurst Community Club's (LCC) condensed comments on the Aegis development: project submitted to the City:

Architectural Design characteristics

A. Design

The samples shown in the proposal by the architects for this Aegis location, appears to borrow features from both the historic Tudor and Craftsman's styles found in the adjacent Bryant and Laurelhurst neighborhoods. The location of the proposed facility at the Five Corners is truly a "gateway" building that should reflect some of the architectural features. 

LCC strongly encourages this type of quality in the overarching style of the new facility, similar to the Aegis in Queen Anne at Rogers Park be used as a prototype. Conversely, the Aegis on Madison Street, is not as appealing with too much tall massing-wedged into its triangular lot. The Bellevue Aegis facility is also lacking much design character at all, and falls short of a "gateway" style and quality.  LCC requests that SDCI require an actual sample of type of materials that will be used, and provide a more fully developed design from Aegis Senior Communities LLC before permit approval. This can include exterior facades, window types, paint colors and lighting as key design components.

B Parking Requirements

Because the senior living facilities are very labor intensive, the underground parking in all of the alternatives is essential. The Five Corners location has professional offices across the street, and NE 45th Place in the residential streets behind it in the Bryant neighborhood are already impacted by parking from the staff and patients "spill over" parking every day. In addition, there will be facility visitors, patient support and delivery vehicles at that congested triangle. Aegis must provide at least 65-70 of its own dedicated parking stalls to enable the facility to operate, and allow for some overlap at the "shift change". The main employee shifts operate at 6:00am-2:00pm, and then 2:00-10:00pm so that employees must arrive in the dark by 5:50 am. It is unrealistic to project that many of the staff will be riding their bikes in the dark at 5:15-5:45 am (especially since many employees are statistically noted as female), or, would ride home on their bike in the dark when the second shift ends at 10:00pm.

Transit options are also very limited at the early morning, and late evening hours, and Aegis has not offered any shuttle service. Thus, many workers will be SOV users, and it needs to provide parking for them in all alternatives. Aegis may want to partner with Seattle Children's Hospital to pay to share their shuttles at least to the Light Rail facility.

Visitors to patients will also need some transient parking places which should be allocated in the Aegis parking stall plans, based upon their historical projections. (see below concerns about the parking stalls submitted)

The commercial stores offered at the facility will likely need a few parking places in addition to being available for pedestrians, and bikers although it is most likely used by visitors, residents and staff.

C. Traffic and Circulation

While SDOT  will have its own regulations and recommendations about the proposed new facility, LCC offers its comments: 

Traffic

• The Five Corners intersection is one of the busiest in Seattle, and THE busiest in NE Seattle. In fact when the "red light" cameras were operative at that intersection for several years, the City of Seattle reported that it had the highest number of infractions recorded and fined.
• When the driveway is located along NE 45th Place, it is critical that it is far enough away from the center of that intersection to avoid backups and potential collisions.
• In addition, trees and vegetation along both NE 45th St and NE 45th Place should be set back to maintain safe sight lines for oncoming traffic, and pedestrian crossings.
• Circulation for vehicles and underground parking stalls should be open, and without barriers  to smooth entry. Aegis should work with SDOT and SDCI to be certain that curb cuts to the drop off circle, delivery driveway and into the underground parking  lot are wide enough, to prevent backups which could occur as vehicles enter their primary driveway off NE 45th Place.

D. Community Outreach

The Laurelhurst Community Club appreciates the outreach stated in the Aegis plan to host community use of their facility.  Because Aegis will likely have some former residents of the adjacent neighborhoods, it would be a positive and inclusive use of the facility to keep its residents involved with their friends and family.

Thank you for considering the comments of the Laurelhurst Community Club, and we know that the City of Seattle will consider the impacts of the development of such a large institution in such a small footprint. LCC is supportive of this type of facility, and wants to contribute as a party of record to make it a good fit and a successful facility in the neighborhood.

For more information go here. 

Public Comments About Proposed Aegis Assisted Living Home At Five Corners Due By Monday

Public comment for proposed Aegis Living, an assisted living and memory care provider to be located at the former Baskin Robbins site at "Five Corners" is on Monday at 6:30pm at the Good Shepherd Center (4649 Sunnyside Avenue North) in Room 202.

The information states that written comments are being accepted through Monday, to assist in the preparation of the early design guidance. The public is invited to offer comments regarding important site planning and design issues that should be addressed in the design for this project.  

Comments and requests (to be made party of record) can be sent to PRC@seattle.gov or City of Seattle – SDCI – PRC, 700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000, PO Box 34019, Seattle, WA  98124-4019.

Aegis Living has submitted several permits (3025007, 3025056) and the demolition permit includes "two existing one level buildings" the building to the north of Baskin-Robbins up to Bakker Dry Cleaning. The addresses are 3200-3212 NE 45th Street and 3201-3209 NE 45th Place.  

The new facility would have 116 units and would be five levels over a parking garage with 2500 square feet of retail on the first floor which would house a salon and cafe, according to the design proposal submitted in July 2016.

Bryon Ziegler, Director of Development and Entitlements for Áegis Senior Communities, told the Blog Staff in March, that "other possibilities include an ice cream bar, community room, outdoor plaza and salon."

Bryon said that they are anticipating permits in late 2019 and the construction period is likely 20-24 months with the first resident move-in’s the fall of 2021. Aegis anticipates approximately 80% of the residents will come from the local neighborhoods.

Bryon told the Laurelhurst Blog staff that the new site is somewhat confusing (see attached graphic above) saying: 

The assemblage of parcels includes 3200 and 3232 NE 45^th Street and 3215 NE 45^th Place. There are two buildings, but three parcels.  

There is also a billboard that will be eliminated. The historic clock will remain. 

The 30’ city right of way between the curb and the property line will be landscape and enhanced for public use, including the little pedestrian bulb at the intersections of 45^th and 45^th. This Aegis Senior Community will be designed to either the City’s Living Building Challenge or Mandatory Housing Affordability standards.

He said that the businesses currently in the buildings that will be demolished will have all their leases honored, until they end in 2019.   These businesses included  Diane’s Alterations, Lakeview Vision Clinic, Edward Jones, Farmers Insurance, Uncle Lee’s, University Tutoring, Felipa’s Consignment and Rules Salon. 

The café at Aegis, would be open to the public and would be the Queen Bee Café, a non profit business. Others are currently located at the Madison and Queen Anne Aegis facilities and specialize in traditional English crumpets.

Bryon said about the eatery:

Queen Bee will be an exciting one-of-kind addition to the Laurelhurst community that not only delivers world class crumpets and but it is a neighborhood ‘giving machine’ as a not-for-profit café.  

100 % of profits go to a neighborhood charity each trimester of the year. So neighbors will be supporting neighbors with each purchase.   

If you haven’t tasted the crumpwiches which are the focus of a global FoodNetwork Canada show, "You Gotta Eat Here," coming out this spring and summer on the show, then you have not lived yet!   

In addition, our development team is exploring ways to satisfy the neighborhood’s love affair with ice cream. (More on that to come.)

The City Department of Construction and Inspection reported in September 2016 that the buildings are zoned NC2P-40 zone and said:

Neighborhood Commercial 2 Pedestrian with a maximum height limit of 40 feet. The site is located in a pedestrian area and an abandoned landfill environmentally critical area.   According to our Permit No. BN 35149, issued May 1969, the legally recognized use of this property is for store. This is a permitted use under the current zoning.

And the City policy under SMC23.47A states:

Residential (assisted living) and retail are allowed and required parking for assist end living facilities SMC23.54.015 says 1 space for each 4 assisted living units, 1 space for each 2 staff members on site at peak staffing time, plus 1 passenger loading/unloading space/.

Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) said about the proposed project:

Aegis will be developing the complex to the Living Building Challenge performance standards for low impact on resources such as energy and water. This program allows a 10 feet addition to height (50 feet from 40 feet). The result is likely a 5 story over underground parking structure at the Five Corner intersection, and the building would resolve into a five story above grade structure as it tucks into to grade, which rises to the north and east. Members of the Aegis architectural team will brief LCC at its April 10 meeting.

Bryon said that Aegis has engaged Transpo traffic engineers to conduct a traffic study of the very busy Five Corners area where the facility will be located.

He added:

We are an assisted living and memory care provider, which is a very low traffic generator especially at peak hours. It is very rare that we have a resident who drives. We do have staff and visitor parking, as well as deliveries which we will provide for in an underground parking garage and loading area.

Bryon also told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff about the facility:

As for the community itself, we can tell you that Aegis Living designs each community individually and they are one-of-a-kind in design. They are crafted exclusively as part of the neighborhood.  

Our team has a lot of UW fans, Seattle residents and UW alumna, so this development is particularly exciting for Aegis internally.  Just as we have done on Capitol Hill and Queen Anne, we dig deep into the history of the neighborhood and look for opportunities to integrate distinctive neighborhood characteristics and iconic landmarks or people.  

Example: We just opened Aegis of Queen Anne at Rodgers Park this year and there, you will find a number of sentimental historic components blended into our design. In fact today, the Queen Anne and Magnolia News is doing a story about the 3-story high stunning hand painted mural of one of Queen Anne’s most famous sons, baseball Edo Vanni, a beloved baseball player. The mural is the backdrop to for our resident’s in our outdoor patio area in memory care.

Aegis residents will receive top of the line services as well.  We are not only offering upscale and innovative purpose-built design, but we serve seniors with assisted living needs as well as higher acuity needs and manage transitions in care with the goal of seamlessness. That allows the resident to age in place from the first day that they make their apartment home.

When  Aegis of Laurelhurst opens, we will be bringing jobs as the only senior living company ever to make  Glassdoor's Top 50 Best Places to Work amid 600,000  companies listed nationally. We’ve been featured in national publications which is exciting for anyone in the neighborhood exploring a career in our industry.    

In addition, Laurelhurst is getting a family owned company led by Dwayne Clark, a CEO, who looks for ways to lift people up inside and outside the company. See this Inc. Magazine article: Many leaders want to make the world a better place. This CEO starts with his staff. 

For more information about the project, go to the City permits website and reference permits 3025007, 3025056, 6520824, 6537047, 3025007, 6552104, 3025056, 6557274, 6082637.

Another retirement home is also under review for 4020 NE 55th Street, where the Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Hospital is currently located, across the street from Metropolitan Market.

The proposal, Permit #3025827, includes 3 stories of approximately 74 units with 3,100 square feet of commercial space and parking for approximately 28 vehicles located below grade. The existing structure would be demolished.

The architect has proposed 3 different alternatives which can be seen here.

The Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections website states about the project:

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposal is to allow a 6-story assisted living building with street level retail. Parking for 65 vehicles to be provided below grade. Existing buildings to be demolished. PROCESS An application for Design Review related to future development of this site has been submitted to the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). The first phase of Design Review includes the Early Design Guidance (EDG) meeting. At the Early Design Guidance meeting, the following occurs: The applicants will present information about the site and vicinity as well as early massing design concepts.  The public may offer comments regarding the design of a development on the subject site.* The Design Review Board will provide guidance and identify those Design Guidelines of highest priority for the design as it moves forward towards Master Use Permit (MUP) application.  Following the meeting, SDCI will issue a written Early Design Guidance report summarizing the meeting. This report will be sent to those who signed in at the meeting or otherwise requested a copy. *Please note that public comment at the EDG meeting is limited to design considerations. If environmental review is triggered, comments related to environmental impacts (such as traffic, parking, noise, etc.) may be sent to SDCI following notice of that review. MORE INFORMATION This proposal may be viewed at our Design Review Program website.  For more information regarding this application or the Design Review process, you may contact the Land Use Planner listed above, go to the Design Review Program website or visit our office at the address above. (We are open from 8 am to 4 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 10:30 am to 4 pm Tuesday and Thursday.)

Map: The top of this image is North. This map is for illustrative purposes only. In the event of omissions, errors or differences, the documents in SDCI's files will control.

Aegis Assisted Living Facility Going In At Former Baskin-Robbins Site

Aegis Living, an assisted living and memory care provider, has submitted permits (3025007, 3025056) to build  a facility at the former Baskin Robbins site, which closed September 2015.

The demolition permit includes "two existing one level buildings" the building to the north of Baskin-Robbins up to Bakker Dry Cleaning. The addresses are 3200-3212 NE 45th Street and 3201-3209 NE 45th Place.  

City records show that the Baskin-Robbins site, built in 1969, was purchased by Corner 3200 Development LLC in 2015 from Thomas and Frank Marier for $1.4 million. The building at 3232, comprising four businesses, is owned by PETS Inc and was purchased from Arlene Alton and Robert Smith in 1991 for $680k. 

LCC will be holding a community meeting on April 10th to discuss the project and Bryon Ziegler, Director of Development and Entitlements for Áegis Senior Communities, told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff that he will show massing and access diagrams at the meeting and he looks forward to hearing ideas from the community. He said that at this time there is no rendering of the building design/entrance as they are working on fundamentals such as access, circulation, massing, scale.

The new facility building would have 116 units and would be five levels over a parking garage with 2500 square feet of retail on the first floor which would house a salon and cafe,  according to design proposal submitted July 2016. 

Bryon told the Blog Staff that "other possibilities include an ice cream bar, community room, outdoor plaza and salon."

Bryon said that they are anticipating permits in late 2019 and the construction period is likely 20-24 months with the first resident move-in’s the fall of 2021. Aegis anticipates approximately 80% of the residents will come from the local neighborhoods.

Bryon told the Laurelhurst Blog staff that the new site is somewhat confusing (see attached graphic above) saying: 

The assemblage of parcels includes 3200 and 3232 NE 45^th Street and 3215 NE 45^th Place. There are two buildings, but three parcels.  

There is also a billboard that will be eliminated. The historic clock will remain. 

The 30’ city right of way between the curb and the property line will be landscape and enhanced for public use, including the little pedestrian bulb at the intersections of 45^th and 45^th. This Aegis Senior Community will be designed to either the City’s Living Building Challenge or Mandatory Housing Affordability standards.

He said that the businesses currently in the buildings that will be demolished will have all their leases honored, until they end in 2019.   These businesses included  Diane’s Alterations, Lakeview Vision Clinic, Edward Jones, Farmers Insurance, Uncle Lee’s, University Tutoring, Felipa’s Consignment and Rules Salon. 

The café at Aegis, would be open to the public and would be the Queen Bee Café, a non profit business. Others are currently located at the Madison and Queen Anne Aegis facilities and specialize in traditional English crumpets.

Bryon said about the eatery:

Queen Bee will be an exciting one-of-kind addition to the Laurelhurst community that not only delivers world class crumpets and but it is a neighborhood ‘giving machine’ as a not-for-profit café.  

100 % of profits go to a neighborhood charity each trimester of the year. So neighbors will be supporting neighbors with each purchase.   

If you haven’t tasted the crumpwiches which are the focus of a global FoodNetwork Canada show, "You Gotta Eat Here," coming out this spring and summer on the show, then you have not lived yet!   

In addition, our development team is exploring ways to satisfy the neighborhood’s love affair with ice cream. (More on that to come.)

The City Department of Construction and Inspection reported in September 2016 that the buildings are zoned NC2P-40 zone and said:

Neighborhood Commercial 2 Pedestrian with a maximum height limit of 40 feet. The site is located in a pedestrian area and an abandoned landfill environmentally critical area.   According to our Permit No. BN 35149, issued May 1969, the legally recognized use of this property is for store. This is a permitted use under the current zoning.

And the City policy under SMC23.47A states:

Residential (assisted living) and retail are allowed and required parking for assist end living facilities SMC23.54.015 says 1 space for each 4 assisted living units, 1 space for each 2 staff members on site at peak staffing time, plus 1 passenger loading/unloading space/.

Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) said:

Aegis will be developing the complex to the Living Building Challenge performance standards for low impact on resources such as energy and water. This program allows a 10 feet addition to height (50 feet from 40 feet). The result is likely a 5 story over underground parking structure at the Five Corner intersection, and the building would resolve into a five story above grade structure as it tucks into to grade, which rises to the north and east. Members of the Aegis architectural team will brief LCC at its April 10 meeting.

Bryon said regarding a traffic study of the very busy Five Corners area where the facility will be located that Aegis has engaged Transpo traffic engineers.

He added:

We are an assisted living and memory care provider, which is a very low traffic generator especially at peak hours. It is very rare that we have a resident who drives. We do have staff and visitor parking, as well as deliveries which we will provide for in an underground parking garage and loading area.

Bryon also told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff about the facility:

As for the community itself, we can tell you that Aegis Living designs each community individually and they are one-of-a-kind in design. They are crafted exclusively as part of the neighborhood.  

Our team has a lot of UW fans, Seattle residents and UW alumna, so this development is particularly exciting for Aegis internally.  Just as we have done on Capitol Hill and Queen Anne, we dig deep into the history of the neighborhood and look for opportunities to integrate distinctive neighborhood characteristics and iconic landmarks or people.  

Example: We just opened Aegis of Queen Anne at Rodgers Park this year and there, you will find a number of sentimental historic components blended into our design. In fact today, the Queen Anne and Magnolia News is doing a story about the 3-story high stunning hand painted mural of one of Queen Anne’s most famous sons, baseball Edo Vanni, a beloved baseball player. The mural is the backdrop to for our resident’s in our outdoor patio area in memory care.

Aegis residents will receive top of the line services as well.  We are not only offering upscale and innovative purpose-built design, but we serve seniors with assisted living needs as well as higher acuity needs and manage transitions in care with the goal of seamlessness. That allows the resident to age in place from the first day that they make their apartment home.

When  Aegis of Laurelhurst opens, we will be bringing jobs as the only senior living company ever to make  Glassdoor's Top 50 Best Places to Work amid 600,000  companies listed nationally. We’ve been featured in national publications which is exciting for anyone in the neighborhood exploring a career in our industry.    

In addition, Laurelhurst is getting a family owned company led by Dwayne Clark, a CEO, who looks for ways to lift people up inside and outside the company. See this Inc. Magazine article: Many leaders want to make the world a better place. This CEO starts with his staff. 

For more information about the project, go to the City permits website and reference permits 3025007, 3025056, 6520824, 6537047, 3025007, 6552104, 3025056, 6557274, 6082637.

Another retirement home is also under review for 4020 NE 55th Street, where the Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Hospital is currently located, across the street from Metropolitan Market.

The proposal, Permit #3025827, includes 3 stories of approximately 74 units with 3,100 square feet of commercial space and parking for approximately 28 vehicles located below grade. The existing structure would be demolished.

The architect has proposed 3 different alternatives which can be seen here.