Building I to Include 12-Stories of Class A Office Space and 8,800 SF Ground-Level Retail; Building II Features 10-Stories of Class A Office Space With 4,000 SF Ground-Level Retail
Project to Also Include the ‘Brooklyn Cut’ Open Space: 8,000 SF of Activated Neighborhood Open Space with Mid-Block Pedestrian Corridor Connecting 12th Ave NE and Brooklyn Ave NE
Seattle, Wash., September 2020 – Seattle-based commercial real estate firm Touchstone (www.touchstonenw.com) and Atlanta-based real estate development company Portman Holdings (www.portmanholdings.com) today unveiled further detail around their new two-building, mixed-use commercial project in Seattle’s University District.
The ‘Chapter Buildings’ mixed-use development, which is located at 4530 12th Ave NE (Building I) and 4536 Brooklyn Ave NE (Building II), also features a mid-block pedestrian connection and public open space called the ‘Brooklyn Cut’. The new development is located within one block of Sound Transit’s future Link Light Rail Station, which opens in fall 2021.
University District Parking Associates, Inc. (UDPA) selected Touchstone and Portman Holdings to redevelop their parking lots in 2019. The Chapter Buildings will be the first opportunity for major employers to locate adjacent to the University of Washington in world-class office space.
“We’re excited to advance this transit-oriented office and retail project in Seattle’s University District,” said Touchstone CEO Pat Callahan. “The opening of light rail in the neighborhood will be transformational and at URG/Touchstone, we hold long-term optimism around the need for transit-focused jobs in strong urban neighborhoods with direct access to talent.”
“As a long-term businessowner, I’ve seen the University District neighborhood change many times over the years,” said UDPA President Don Schulze. “While times are currently difficult, we have a long-term optimism for this neighborhood and are confident that the Touchstone and Portman Holdings are the right development partners for this important project.”
A Pivotal Project for an Evolving Neighborhood
With a focus on cultivating community and stimulating innovation, the workspaces at the ‘Chapter Buildings’ are designed to be refined, connective and comfortable, while promoting health and wellness.
“The Chapter Buildings name marks an exciting time for the U District. It has a confidence about it and balances a nod to academia with a new chapter for the U-District and working in Seattle,” said Joe Polito, VP of Development for Touchstone. “A project of this type and scale is the first of its kind in the University District, and we’re excited to contribute to this neighborhood.”
Chapter Buildings’ ‘Building I’ will rise 12 stories and feature 240,000 sq. ft. of commercial office space, 8,800 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail and two-and-a-half levels of below-ground parking (200 stalls). ‘Building II’ will be ten stories and include 156,000 sq. ft. of office space, 4,000 sq. ft. of retail space and two levels (85 stalls) of below-ground parking.
Both buildings will be built to U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold and Fitwel Certification standards. Composed of a masonry and glass exterior, both buildings feature lobbies with collaborative workspaces and lounge areas featuring hospitality-like designs; on-site exercise facilities; bicycle storage, service centers, and club-like showers and lockers. Offering expansive views, the buildings’ significant outdoor spaces offer tenants many unique areas for meetings or relaxation.
The ‘Brooklyn Cut’ will feature 8,000 sq. ft. of privately-developed, publicly-accessible neighborhood open space that includes a mid-block connection between 12th Ave and Brooklyn Ave NE. The Brooklyn Cut neighborhood open space is intended for everyday use by building occupants and the neighborhood, as well as for special community events. The one-of-a-kind, activated open space will carry traditional park hours and include inviting seating installations and catenary lighting.
The Post-COVID Workspace: Promoting Health, Safety & Wellness
As the effects of COVID-19 continue to be felt across the world, the ‘Chapter Buildings’ have been designed with a new level of health, safety and wellness in mind.
Featuring large, open floorplans of up to 30,000 sq. ft., with superior access to natural light, operable windows, rooftop decks and minimal columns, The Chapter Buildings provide highly-efficient, functional and clean workspaces where tenants can control the climate, air quality and humidity of their spaces. Specific highlights include Sensible Cooling units and Dedicated Outdoor Air System, or DOAS, which continuously circulates 100% fresh outside air via the HVAC system.
Additionally, the project team is pursuing design features that allow a completely touchless experience—from building entry to elevator use, washroom design and navigating the details in common-areas and workspaces.
Experienced Project Team
Construction on the ‘Chapter Buildings’ and Brooklyn Cut is anticipated to begin in 2021 and the project is estimated for completion in 2023. Main project team members include Touchstone and Portman Holdings (developers), Urban Renaissance Group (property manager), Portman Architects (design architect), CollinsWoerman (local architect/interior designer), GGLO (landscape architect) and Lease Crutcher Lewis (general contractors). Additional team members include Colliers International | Greg Inglin, David Abbott and Laura Ford (leasing), DCI (structural engineer), CPL (civil engineer), MacDonald Miller (mechanical engineer), Sequoya (electrical engineer) and Fuzzco (branding).
In addition to these projects, Touchstone and its parent company, Urban Renaissance Group, currently have several active projects that include: An office redevelopment on Blake Street in Denver, as well as the Canvas at Press Blocks office project (150,000 SF) and Press Blocks residential tower (337 units) in Portland. Other new development completed in this cycle include: Troy Block (810,000 SF), Hill7 (285,000 SF), NorthEdge (210,000 SF), Tilt49 (290,000 SF) as well as hospitality projects Hilton Garden Inn (222 keys), Everett Courtyard by Marriott (156 keys), Issaquah SpringHill Suites by Marriott (145 keys), Thompson Seattle (148 keys), and Sage Lodge (50 keys).
Portman’s current projects include CODA Tech Square, the collaborative office building anchored by Georgia Tech, and the built-to-suit Anthem Technology Center. Both are located in Midtown Atlanta. Other active projects include a new 700-key Hyatt Regency hotel in Salt Lake City, 2151 Hawkins in Charlotte (275,000 SF), 1020 Spring St in Atlanta (375 units of residential and 575,000 SF of office space) and Union Tower West in Denver (200,000 SF), as well as several others.
About Touchstone. Touchstone is a subsidiary of Urban Renaissance Group LLC, a Seattle-based full-service commercial real estate company, engaged in acquisitions, development, asset management, leasing, property management and ownership in Seattle, Bellevue, Denver and Portland. Urban Renaissance Group’s (URG) mission is to create places that inspire and connect. With a dedication to placemaking and fostering community, URG helps spark change in transforming neighborhoods by reinventing land and buildings to better serve people and the community at large. Learn more at www.urbanrengroup.com and www.touchstonenw.com.
About Portman Holdings.
Portman is a vertically integrated real estate development company with over sixty years of experience, an extensive global network, and a proven track record with leading financial institutions. Since Portman’s founding in 1953, we have achieved success by delivering distinctive urban real estate developments that produce strong financial returns. Globally, we have developed more than 75 million square feet of office, hotel, trade mart, residential and mixed-use real estate across three continents, having raised and deployed in excess of $8 billion in actual costs of construction unadjusted for time or current values. Learn more at www.portmanholdings.com.
