The six-story apartment complex, to be called Press, is scheduled for completion in July 2002. Pre-leasing will begin next spring. The word "Press" is not derived from The Seattle Times Co., just down the hill; it comes from the parent company of one of the developing partners. Heath Printers fostered Heath Properties and joined with Harbor Properties to form Harbor-Heath, LLC.

Harbor's Alison Girard says the owners were likely partners for the deal because they share a common vision for the future development of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, which is maintaining the look and feel of the Capitol Hill district.

"We really wanted to create a building that represented the attitude of the neighborhood," says Martha Barkman, Press project manager. "The ground-floor retail will reinterpret the auto-row style windows, with rollup doors providing great access to the sidewalk. We spent a lot of time searching for fully-grown trees because we didn't want to plant little saplings that would take years to catch up."

Barkman said the owners wanted to create the appearance that Press had existed as long as the oldest structures along Capitol Hill's streets, yet capture the animated street presence. GGLO, architects, chose a brick and metal siding façade to reflect the exterior features of other buildings located in the immediate area.

Interior Designer Lori Naig designed living spaces with concrete floors, city views and high-speed Internet connections, as well as chalkboard sliding doors, oversized windows and other appointments aimed at today's Downtown residential tenant.

Harbor Properties, an owner, manager and developer of office, retail, multifamily residential and resort properties founded in 1972 by Stimson Bullitt, is now under the direction of president and CEO Robert Holmes. It's subsidiary, Harbor Resorts, owns and operates Stevens Pass and Mission Ridge ski areas in Washington and Schweitzer Mountain near Sandpoint, ID.

The company also recently announced plans to partner with Paul Allen's Vulcan Northwest on a five-story medical building in the South Lake Union area. According to the city's Department of Design, Construction and Land Use, Harbor applied for a 100,000 sf building at 307 Westlake Ave. North, the main thoroughfare linking Downtown to Lake Union, an in-city fresh water lake lined with houseboats, restaurants and boat builders.