Just Leased! 2480 Crestmont Place, $8,750; Mosler #1105, $1595; Cosmo #1611, $1695; Cosmo #2805, $1550 & Cosmo #1104, $1995

OK- been a little busy, but yet again, 1521 wins ANOTHER award…

SEATTLE – Oct. 15, 2009 – Opus Northwest today announced that its Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue condominium development in downtown Seattle received top honors at the annual Multifamily Executive Awards Gala in Las Vegas. The 440-foot-tall tower won the 2009 Grand Award for the “Project of the Year” in the prestigious “High-Rise” category.

Over the past decade, Multifamily Executive has honored the industry’s best and brightest with its exclusive MFE Awards. The gala was attended by more than 500 people annually and attracted more than 200 entries from across the United States.

“We’re very proud of this recognition, as it substantiates the continued success of our sellout process,” said Andy Taber, Senior Real Estate Director for Opus Northwest – Seattle, who accepted the award on behalf of the entire development team. “The same week that we took home this award, we closed on our 90th sale—a solid affirmation of the truly limited opportunity to live in a widely acclaimed landmark.”

Project-of-the-year award finalists must demonstrate innovation in architecture, floor plan efficiency, suitability to a target market, creative use of materials, interior design, landscaping, creative financing solutions and the ability to work with government and community officials.

“In a truly tough economy, this year’s winners not only showcase the talent and creativity of the multifamily industry but also the business acumen to transform neighborhoods and submarkets with innovative solutions to difficult real estate sites,” said Rachel Azoff, managing editor of Multifamily Executive magazine. “Opus NW used creative construction techniques to design a luxury high-rise on an extremely tight site. Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue is a brilliant addition to the Seattle skyline.”

MFE Awards judges define a high-rise as a building of at least 12 stories.

Positioned a short walk from Seattle’s Pike Place Market and offering unmatched views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains beyond, the 143-unit project was designed by Seattle-based architectural firm Weber Thompson and Opus Architects & Engineers, the architect of record. Realogics handles marketing and sales.

Starting at $1 million, and averaging $1.9 million per home, sales at the development constituted more than half of the top 25 residential sales closed in King County in recent months.

The Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue development team has been recognized with more than two dozen peer-reviewed honors for excellence in design, development, marketing and sales. Most recently the project was honored as the West Coast’s “Outstanding High-Rise” at the Pacific Coast Builders Association’s 2009 Gold Nugget Awards in San Francisco.

Another successful Lease/Purchase…The rental rate is $1100 per month for 6 months.  At that time the Tenant/Buyer has the option to purchase at $250k.  I have found that Lease/Purchase contracts are great for those Buyers wanting to move now but are in need of selling their current residence in order to make another purchase…no need for contingent offers!

2301 Fairview Avenue #106- SOLD: Lease/Option! 1bd/1ba $250,000 Union Harbor is one of the few lakefront condominiums on Lake Union within walking distance to neighborhood stores, restaurants, shops, bus lines & the SLU street car. Located across the street from Pete’s Wine & Deli, the building offers covered parking, an outdoor swimming pool, onsite manager & access to Union Harbor Moorage. This beautifully remodeled 1bd/1ba sits on the south side of the building, bursting w/natural light & features sweeping city, Space Needle & lake views throughout!

Just in….AND I hope to tour the building in the next day or two!  For more details on Enso, click here.

SEATTLE – October 12, 2009 – Characterized by its innovative environmental and sustainable features, the 2201 Westlake development in South Lake Union now represents Seattle’s first mixed-use and high-rise residential project to earn prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Developed by Vulcan Real Estate, 2201 Westlake was designed and constructed from the ground up using sustainable development practices. As a LEED Gold-certified project, 2201 Westlake exemplifies sustainable innovations that promote energy and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, eco-friendly materials selection and alternative transit options as part of a healthier workplace and living environment.

“With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, 2201 Westlake is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.”

Designed by Callison, the 450,000-square-foot mixed-use project includes 300,000 square feet of high-performance, Class A office space, 135 luxury condominiums known as Enso, 25,000 square feet of street-level retail amenities, underground parking and open green space.  The development is located on the bustling corner of Westlake Ave. N and Denny Way in South Lake Union, directly on the Seattle Streetcar line.   The project was completed in July 2009.

“Earning LEED Gold status for 2201 Westlake represents an important milestone in Vulcan’s commitment to sustainability,” said Ada M. Healey, vice president of real estate at Vulcan Inc. “As a state-of-the-art sustainable, transit-oriented development, 2201 Westlake provides long-term value not only for its tenants and residents, but also for the greater community.”

Highlights of 2201 Westlake’s sustainable features include:

*Unparalleled proximity to public transit options –Seattle Streetcar stop directly in front of project, connecting tenants throughout South Lake Union, downtown core, regional transit hubs and light rail service
*Bicycle storage and racks, locker rooms with shower stalls, four Zipcars located within two blocks of the project and five bus lines within ¼ mile of the site

*Innovative underfloor energy-efficient delivery system of heating, cooling and ventilation provides office users with more control over the air and temperature in their individual spaces, enhancing employee comfort and productivity

*Shared high performance central energy plant with adjacent residential condominium tower that utilizes waste heat and cooling from the office space for other retail and residential uses

*Extensive use of recycled and rapidly renewable materials, low VOC paints and carpets

*Construction recycling and salvaging plan diverted nearly75% of non-hazardous construction waste from landfills 

*Native, drought tolerant landscaping

*Water-efficient dual-flush water closets, low-flow urinals, faucets and showers designed to reduce potable water use by 35%

*Site landscaping complies with Seattle Green Streets Program, increasing pedestrian space and open green space while helping providing habitat and shade cover with large trees and native shrubs  

*Exterior glass curtain wall with low solar heat gain properties provides more natural daylight than traditional office buildings 

The 2201 Westlake project team includes: Vulcan Real Estate (owner and developer); O’Brien & Company (LEED consultant); Callison (architect and interior designer); Sellen Construction (general contractor); Cary Kopczynski & Co. (structural engineer); Magnusson Klemencic and Associates (civil engineer); Glumac (mechanical/electrical engineer) and Berger Partnership (landscape architect).

A cornerstone of Vulcan’s South Lake Union redevelopment efforts is to foster an entire neighborhood that embraces sustainability on all fronts – from buildings and parks to public transportation and green streetscapes. Vulcan is working with the City of Seattle to create one of the first certified green neighborhoods in the nation in South Lake Union, which has been accepted into the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Neighborhood Development (ND) pilot program. The LEED ND program promotes the location and design of neighborhoods that reduce reliance on cars, provide convenient access to jobs and services by walking or public transit, and promote more efficient energy and water use.

Just arrived in Chicago for the Cartus Global Networking Conference www.cartusglobalnetwork.com – looking forward to exploring the city!