Museum Towers Gain Design OK, Height Exemption

SEATTLE-Developer Nitze-Stagen & Co. has won design approval for its 19-story apartment tower, according to the city’s Web site. The project’s designer is Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects.

The 80-unit Museum Towers will rise at 701 Terry Ave, a 28,800-sf site is currently used for surface parking by the Frye Art Museum and Puget Sound Blood Center. Up to 74 units would be in the tower, while another four townhouses would be located at the west end of the site and two artist’s studios on the south end of the site.

In addition to the design approval, the Department of Land Use Design and Construction has issued a determination of non-significance on the project, and also granted a special exception to allow the developer to exceed the maximum height limit of 160 feet. In exchange for providing 4,000-sf of public open space, the developer has received the tentative OK to build up to 200 feet high.

The deadline for appeals to each of these decisions is Dec. 20. The project reference number is 2000728. Appeals must be made in writing to the Office of the Hearing Examiner, Room 1320, Alaska Building, 618 Second Ave., Seattle, WA 98104.