Comments on: Townhouses & Seattle’s Continued Confusion

By: bsbobstewart

bsbobstewart — Sun, 04 May 2008 00:03:40 +0000

Mind if i jump in. I did not read the article which started this conversation but I appreciated the tone of the post. As a builder I get tired of being the bad guy in every conversation about growth. But here’s the thing: how do you legislate aesthetics? Sure, I think a lot of the development along Fauntleroy (I’m there a lot as I live on Vashon and take the ferry) is less than what I would want to see built but I know people who love it. I like many of the new projects myself. Would you recommend a board to oversee design? Another committee for a builder to go in front of? There will always be good designs and bad designs and I for one don’t want to see those kinds of calls in the hands of the good folks at the planning department.

By: dwellingspot

dwellingspot — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:35:38 +0000

I agree about Dan. And no personal attack on you was intended. In fact it is personal attacks that I grow weary of. I do know that you are extremely active and hard working for your community in West Seattle. And I have swung a hammer for Habitat building some of your townhouses it sounds like. So we are not that far apart (just a few degrees of separation). It just seems when The Times or The Stranger brings up the subject it turns personal rather than productive. As far as townhouses go there are many, many examples of low quality I agree. There is definite room to create new standards, hopefully implemented in a way that developers are still able to offer new “affordable” housing options to Seattle buyers and keep Seattle beautiful.

By: Vlad Oustimovitch

Vlad Oustimovitch — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:02:02 +0000

Actually, the developer in question (Dan Duffus) is one of the better ones in the city, I have no personal beef with him. I blame the Department of Planning and Development, that is the police power for land use and project permitting, responsible for ensuring that state and city laws are followed. Sounds like you are the one launching the personal attack. If you did a little research you would know that I was involved in the developemnt of some of the early townhouses in the city, at NewHolly. The project has won numerous national planning awards… and it was an economic success as well. Funny how that is possible. Feel free to give me a call sometime if you want to learn a little more about what I am about. As for townhouse development in Seattle, it is mostly at a remarkably low standard for a beautiful city like ours. Admit that fact, and maybe we can figure out how to make things better for both developers and the communities in which they build.