SEATTLE—Permit approval has been granted by the city for Urban Visions' S campus, a new development to include five buildings totaling more than 1.2 million square feet of office and ground-level retail space. S is one of the largest permitted office development sites in the history of the Puget Sound. With permit approval, Urban Visions is now able to start construction as early as the first quarter of 2020.

The campus is situated on a nearly 7-acre site located in the south downtown submarket adjoining the historic Pioneer Square and Chinatown neighborhood districts. The site is directly east of CenturyLink Field and strategically located at the hub of the region's link light rail transportation network less than a block from the campus.

Unique to S is its design, led by Seattle-based architectural design firm NBBJ. The design includes large flexible office floorplates filled with natural light, rooftop decks on every building and outdoor terraces on every floor.

The primary focus of the campus is the well-being of the people who will work and congregate on campus, connecting health with style and sustainability. Brokers associated with the development call it “a rare opportunity for businesses to lease the most creative, inspiring, visionary new office space of this scale in an extremely tight market.”

“Not only is this campus going to be responsive to what today's progressive companies are looking for in their office environment, but it is strategically located at the nexus of multiple transportation options that include bus, light rail, streetcar, train and bike accessibility,” said Greg Smith, Urban Visions CEO.

Newmark Knight Frank executive managing director Jesse Ottele, senior managing director Cavan O'Keefe, senior managing director Daniel Seger and director David Marks are representing the developer Urban Visions.

“The buildings are being constructed with a unique external core design that provides unobstructed, open layouts,” Seger tells GlobeSt.com. “Combined with slender, rectangular floorplates that are only 84-feet wide, employees will be exposed to an extraordinary amount of natural light, promoting a healthier, more productive workplace.”

The Puget Sound's office market wrapped up 2018 as one of the best-performing markets in the United States, says NKF. Regional vacancy dropped under 8%, spurred by more than 3.3 million square feet of total absorption of office space.

“Vacancy rates should continue to decrease as the tenant demand is still extremely robust, far outpacing the available new product permitted for development or under construction,” Seger tells GlobeSt.com.

Urban Visions was recognized as the region's office developer of 2018 by NAIOP.

Instant Insights /

One of Puget Sound's Largest Sites Gets Go-Ahead

Related Stories

Recommended For You