Kerry Sear, the owner and chef of Cascadia Restaurant in Belltown is selling the space where the restaurant is located (2328 First Ave- 1st between Bell and Battery) and transitioning to the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences to become the executive chef of the hotel and director of food and beverage for the hotel and residences.

The restaurant is listed for $1.25 million but Sear is not interested in selling the name or menu.  Prior to owning and operating Cascadia, Sear spent 15 years working with Four Seasons in Vancouver B.C, Toronto and Seattle, and will continue to focus on Northwest cuisine with ingredients from local markets, ranchers and farmers.

Cascadia will remain open until the space sells so if you are looking forward to their awesome Happy Hour (mini-burgers, my fav) on a beautiful summer evening…you better not waste anytime!

Today it was announced that the Four Seasons tower crane was disassembled and the project is right on track for fall 2008 occupancy. 

Curious as to how they removed it?

“To disassemble the tower crane, general contractor Lease Crutcher Lewis stationed one of the West Coast’s largest mobile cranes to the west of the building, along Western Avenue.  Transportation of the mobile crane’s parts to the site required 14 semi-truckloads.  Operators used the mobile crane first to remove the jib, counter jib, mast and operator’s cab, and then to dismantle sections of the tower crane from top to bottom, finishing with removal of the crane’s base. The tower crane’s components will be hauled away in 12 semi-truckloads.  The mobile crane reached 300 feet from lower Western Avenue to the top of the First Avenue building, making it the highest, longest “pick” in the area.  Lease Crutcher Lewis can now finish the interior spaces the crane had occupied on eight of the 21 floors.”

The building is located on the corner of 1st Avenue and Union Street in the heart of downtown and comprised of 21 stories soon to accommodate 149 hotel guest suites and 36 private residences.  Residents and guests will enjoy the full service spa, fitness center, water-view ballroom and executive meeting rooms, chic restaurant and lounge, and outdoor pool area with a whirlpool and fireplace. 

There are only 11 Private Residences available, ranging in price from $2 million to $16 million. The Four Seasons Private Residences Seattle Preview Center is open by appointment only, and tours are offered to one family at a time to ensure visitors’ privacy.  Let me know if you would like additional information!

On this gorgeous day, I had the privilege to meet with Molly Gleason for a hardhat tour of the Four Seasons Hotel & Residences and I must say that the project is moving along quite nicely!  The building topped out in December 07 at the 22nd floor, windows are now being installed and they are even working on the terrace level pool/spa.  The building is set for occupancy this August/September and there are no delays to report.

Being that prices started at $2M, the Residences have not experienced any signs of slowing in the market.  In fact, another offer on one of the larger homes was going to be submitted to the developer, Seattle Hotel Group, after our appointment.  I took some photos and walked through the floorplan of #1801, currently offered at $9,493,000 and #1804 (floorplan below).

The American Planning Association ranked Pike Place Market (Market District) as one of the top 10 great places in America based on design, functionality, sustainability and community involvement. 

They noted Pike Place as having “a history as rich and colorful as the produce it sells,” and furthermore identifying it as “Seattle’s most compact, walkable and diverse neighborhood.” 

“This neighborhood is the other side of Pike Place, the side that most of the millions of visitors to the Market each year don’t realize exists,” association Executive Director Paul Farmer said.

Click here to read more.

Condominiums that are currently under construction in the Market District are:

Fifteen Twenty-One
One Residences
Four Seasons Private Residences
1915 2nd Avenue – Coming Soon! (200 Condominiums, 2010 Occupancy)
2nd & Pike- Coming Soon! (289 Condominiums, 2010 Occupancy)

If the sudden boom of luxury hotel/condominium projects weren’t already making headlines, it looks like Donald Trump and Wood Partners LLC are in negotiations to find a site in Seattle for their very own.  It doesn’t look like too many details have been discussed publicly but for more information click here. 

Other hotel/condominium projects currently in Seattle are:
- Madison Tower & Hotel 1000: 1st and Madison, Downtown
- Live 2200 & Pan Pacific Hotel: Westlake and Denny, South Lake Union
- The Four Seasons: 1st and Union, Downtown
- Olive 8 & The Hyatt: 8th and Olive, Downtown
- One Hotel & Residences: 2nd and Pine, Downtown