HousingWiki

Talaris

Revision as of 07:59, 27 January 2018 by imported>Jhestia

Talaris is a 18-acre site in Seattle, formerly home of the Talaris Research Institute, that was put on sale for redevelopment in mid-2017.  Proposals for the site, which is currently zoned for single-family residential, range from maintaining it as public open space, to a new institutional tenant, to detached single-family housing, to higher-density apartment housing. 

Talaris Conference Center, Seattle

Address: 4000 NE 41st St., Seattle, WA 98105. Google Maps.

Background

The Talaris site is located between the University of Washington campus and the Seattle Children's hospital complex, in the Laurelhurst neighborhood. It was developed in the 1960s as the Seattle Research Center of the Battelle Memorial Institute, a private nonprofit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio

In 1964, landscape architect Richard Haag teamed with architect Bill Bain, Jr. of NBBJ, Inc. to develop a plan for the 18-acre campus. The project was completed over two phases: four buildings by 1966; and three additional buildings and landscape improvements by 1971. Richard Haag Associates and NBBJ were known for their early use of Modernist design principles, a style which utilized strong Japanese overtones and reflects the influence of  traditional Japanese architecture and garden design. 

In 2000 the site was acquired by the Talaris Institute, a childhood-development research program funded by Apex Foundation, of Bellevue, Washington, the family foundation of telecommunication billionaire Bruce McCaw and his wife Jolene McCaw.  In 2012, most of Talaris Institute's assets were sold to Maryland company Teaching Strategies. Since then, Columbia Hospitality has been managing the property primarily as a conference center (still named the Talaris Conference Center), available for private events.

The current owner, "an entity linked to...Bruce McCaw," [Rosenberg 2017], proposed constructing up to 333 homes in multiple apartment buildings, leading to strong neighborhood opposition led by the Laurelhurst Community Club. The required zoning change from single-family residential to multifamily was not obtained by the owner, and in 2013, Friends of Battelle/Talaris successfully nominated the site buildings and landscape for landmark status. 

In 2017 the property owner put the property up for sale, noting the campus was available for redevelopment as a research institute or housing . 

“This is one of the largest contiguous, privately owned properties in the City of Seattle,” said Tom Pehl, Senior Vice President with CBRE Capital Markets. Pehl, along with Lou Senini and Dean Johnson, are listing the property on behalf of the owner, 

 

Advocacy groups involved


Bruce McCaw

"Bruce R. McCaw is currently co-chair of Talaris and Chairman Emeritus of Pistol Creek Company. Mr. McCaw was a co-founder and director of McCaw Cellular Communications, Inc. and Claircom Communications; cofounder, VP and Director of Horizon Air; chairman and founder of Forbes Westar, Inc; and former director of Alaska Air Group. He was the President of PacWest Racing Group; served as the director on the board of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART); and co-founded Auto Research Center in Indianapolis and currently serves as a board member. In addition, Mr. McCaw serves in various capacities for several charitable foundations including the Apex Foundation and the Friendship Foundation. He currently serves as a board member of the Seattle Opera, the National Air and Space Museum and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Mr. McCaw has been a volunteer at the Museum of Flight since 1979, a Trustee since 1985, a member of the Executive Committee for over twenty years, and served as Chairman in 2003 and 2004. He is a member of Quiet Birdmen, the Wings Club, NAA and NBAA. A pilot for over 40 years, holding commercial and instrument ratings and type rated in a Learjet, Falcon 50/900, and F-27 aircraft. In 2004, Mr. McCaw along with his family, received Seattle’s First Citizens Award. Mr. McCaw was also awarded the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship in 2009. Mr. McCaw and his wife Jolene are proud parents of three children."
- [ARC Board of Directors info],

 

References

 

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