Kathleen Warren article reprinted below.
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New Floating Home moorage sites and timbers from the old building at the new Wards Cove Development. |
In mid March eight people from the houseboat community met Joel Blair, Director of Real Estate for Wards Cove Packing Company, for a tour of the new facilities. Joel was the ultimate host serving a delicious spread of appetizers including cheeses, smoked salmon and wine.
He showed us the hallway of history that has photos and drawings of the old Wards Cove building here and in Alaska, a wall of colorful historic salmon can labels, a model of the project and then spoke about the reusing of the old timbers from the original building. It is an impressive project and we enjoyed getting some first hand knowledge about the new development.
Kathleen Warren from Parsons Public Relations has written an article on the Wards Cove development, which we've reprinted below:
WARDS COVE DEVELOPMENT
By Kathleen Warren, Parsons Public Relations
It's urban, it's right on the water, it's near to downtown but in a neighborhood setting and it's completely leased. The renovated 12,500-square-foot Wards Cove on Lake Union office building, located on the northeast corner of the lake, has signed leases with several businesses that are attracted to the Eastlake neighborhood, the proximity to the water and the convenient location.
"Wards Cove was a seafood business founded by my grandfather in the 1920's," noted Joel Blair, Director of Real Estate for Wards Cove Packing Company. "It is gratifying to see that so many other businesses share our vision that a small community-oriented, mixed-use project with an eye toward sustainability and strong aesthetics is a good place to work and live."
The Wards Cove development also includes some of the last remaining houseboat slips on Lake Union and a 10-slip marina of large yachts. Most of the businesses choosing to relocate to the development have a maritime orientation, but even those businesses have a myriad of choices. The reasons for the full lease up at Wards Cove include the mixed-use aspect of the project and the just-right constellation of amenities, location and ambiance.
A new beach right outside the doors, a dock that provides a spectacular view of Lake Union and Gas Works Park, a conference room that also looks out onto the lake and a quiet and lovely green street that leads to the office building are part of the package that have made Wards Cove the hottest new business address in the city.
Residents in the area will also enjoy some new amenities courtesy of the redevelopment efforts. The new beach will be open to the public (although privately owned), there's public access for neighbors with kayaks, an historic display that describes the almost 100 year history of Wards Cove is located inside the new office building and open to the public during normal business hours, new sidewalk, new trees, many landscape and drainage improvements along Fairview were paid for by Wards Cove but are city property.
The building, which was previously part of the company's salmon processing operations, includes 12,500 square feet of Class A office lofts with on-site parking and spectacular, unobstructed views of the water and the Seattle skyline. In addition to the office space, the building provides a conference room with kitchen and an over-water entertainment pier. Marina support facilities are also housed there, with a guest suite available to tenants and houseboat owners and their guests, as well as a private fitness studio.
The renovated building was constructed using recycled, reused and sustainable building materials. Operable windows encourage natural ventilation and maximize interior daylighting. A multitude of other environmental considerations were included, such as occupancy sensor lighting controls located in each office space.
About Wards Cove Packing Company
Developer of Wards Cove on Lake Union, Wards Cove Packing Company is a privately held entity founded in 1928 in Ketchikan, Alaska which established its corporate headquarters in Seattle in 1959. The company still operates a facility at its Fairview Avenue location on the eastern shore of Lake Union. This property served for decades as a support base for Wards Cove Packing Company's salmon operation. In 2002, when the company decided to exit the Alaskan salmon industry, the land became available for other uses. Due to the company's historic ties to the area and the community, Wards Cove Packing Company decided to develop a mixed-use project to enhance the value of its waterfront property and to create a unique and lasting asset for the community.
For more information, visit www.wardscoveonlakeunion.com.
By Kathleen Warren, Parsons Public Relations