Laurelon Condos Demolished 10 Years Ago To Make Way For Hospital Expansion

 

Almost 10 and half years ago, Laurelon Terrace Condominiums were demolished (go here for pictures) for construction of Children's Hospitals's Phase 1, called Building Hope, which added about 1.5 million square feet to Children's multi-phase expansion.  Demolition went from December 2010 through February 2011.

In September 2010 all residents had moved off the property. A long-time resident of Laurelon told the Laurelhurst Blog at the time:

Visiting the vacant property was eerie and emotional" with none of the busy activity that there one was in the once "vibrant community of close-knit neighbors with people coming and going, parties in the courtyards, people tending to their small gardens, children running around, neighbors visiting each other and cars coming and going.

Children's paid almost $62.5 million for the 136-unit Laurelon Terrace Condominiums, according to an article on September 1st  in the Daily Journal of Commerce.

During the demolition, Children's strove to recycle about 90% of the materials from Laurelon Terrace.  It was reported that about 1,440 tons of material were removed from the site and 1,300 tons were taken  to local recyclers, including 538 tons of concrete, 15 tons of wood and 8 tons of metal.

The Hospital retained many plantings and very large trees from the former Laurelon Terrace Condominium site to make way for the large expansion which were later replanted.

Jeff Hughes, Grounds and Sustainability Manager at the time, provided a plant salvage inventory to the Laurelhurst Blog: 

• 264: Trees (evergreen and deciduous 3'=65')
• 779: Shrubs (evergreen and deciduous 2'-20'_
• 190: Roses (species and varietals between 3'-20')
• 200: Grasses (evergreen and deciduous between 3"-12')
• 210: Ferns (evergreen and deciduous between 6'-5')
• 150: Perennials (evergreen and deciduous between 3"-10')
• Ground cover not included as estimates being done for propagation levels
• All plants 6 inches and above that were at Laurelon were re-planted in some form or another. Others that weren't replanted were recycled for other purposes
• Seven trees that were removed were planted back again on the construction site a year and a half later, where they once stood for many years
• Trees removed then replanted were Scarlet Oaks (Quercus rubra),  Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and Japanese maples.  The Oaks and Sweet gum were placed adjacent to what is the main entry of the new building
• Trees weighed about 130,000 pounds each, were moved onto a trailer by a crane from their storage site while waiting for exterior work to be done, that then took them to their new permanent location for re-planting

In 2010 the Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) and Children's reached out a settlement agreement which included:

• no expansion of Children's campus across Sand Point Way
• Hartmann property, just across Sand Point Way may be re-developed separately under more limited non-institutional zoning. Children's is still committed to implementing community benefits for Hartmann such as retaining the Sequoia grove, providing landscaping screen, and building a pedestrian/bicycle access to the Burke-Gilman trail
• Fifty-year restriction on campus expansion into residential areas: For a period of 50 years, Children's agrees not to expand its boundaries into specified residential areas to the south, east, and north
• Height limits: No more than 20 percent of the campus land area will be over 90 feet in height and no more than 10 percent will be over 125 feet in height in the new major institution boundary area. No structure will be above 140 feet in height

These pictures were taken from the north entrance of Laurelon Terrace Condominiums:

 looking south from the north entrance 

at demolished buildings

These pictures are taken from NE 45th Street  - south side of Laurelon Terrace Condominiums:

Here are additional pictures.