Jones and Markey, owners of Pacific Lighting Systems, are used to working on the periphery of commercial development. Their lighting clientele is chock full of developers, architects and designers. But when they decided to move from their Dearborn Ave. site, Jones tells GlobeSt.com that what they wanted wasn't readily available, forcing them to build their own.

Proximity to the Seattle Design Center was a priority. "There wasn't any available land in the area to build in the size we needed--unless we went into the more-industrial SODO district, so we decided to renovate," Jones tells GlobeSt.

So a year ago Jones and Market acquired the property at 6363 Seventh Ave. South—then a 28-foot tall, single story structure with a mezzanine at one end. In its new incarnation, Pacific Georgetown has two 17,500-sf floor plates and was designed to allow for possible future expansion—up to a total of five floors.

Having been the lighting contractor on such properties as Paul Allen's Vulcan building and the headquarters for Amazon.com, Pacific Lighting was looking to create a dramatic, high-tech space to showcase its capabilities. "We're on one end of the building straddling 5,000 sf on each of the two floors," says Jones. "That gave way for architectural design features that create the 'oohs and ahs' we wanted."

"Using our expertise, we were able to build an infrastructure that is one of the most automated and energy efficient offices in the city," says Jones in a way intended to convey a fact more than a boast. He is also proud of the fact that the property has immediate access to both Interstate 5 and Highway 99, as well as being a mere two minutes north of Boeing Field.

"We're also building a large corporate training facility and lounge that will be available for tenants," he adds. The center will hold 40-50 people and will be complete with a full kitchen and wet bar--and the bathrooms are decked with showers.

"It's a beautiful building," says the property's leasing agent, Michael George with the Seattle office of Colliers International. "They have turned the building itself into a showroom with touches like the light fixtures in the lobby that are far from what's typical in the market." Asking rates says George will run about $17.50 per sf to $19 per sf.

"Like Pioneer Square and the area around Safeco Field, Georgetown is starting to see some redevelopment opportunities," he says. "We're marketing this building as an alternative to downtown and hoping to set a trend," he adds.

Pacific Georgetown Center's architect was Pete Schroeder & Assoc., and the interior was designed by Desiree Eden of Interior Development. Both are Seattle companies.

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First Upscale Office Building Arrives in Georgetown District

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