Design Review Board Approves Alexandria’s SLU Plans

Puget Sound Business Journal reports that biotech REIT Alexandria Real Estate recently received Design Review Board approval to move forward with its proposal for two new buildings in South lake Union.  Both buildings are 13 stories high; one is 486,000 square feet and the other is 379,000 sf.

The site, at 816 Mercer and known as the Mercer Blocks, was bought from the City of Seattle for $143.5M in August 2019.  The west building features a 30,000 square-foot public indoor recreation center, with a sport court and a daycare space.  In between the two buildings, a public plaza will offer seating and a path through the block.  There will be 600 underground parking spaces.  

Architect NBBJ’s proposal also suggests that the complex will create “Net Positive Health,” through features including: LEED Gold certification; a central plant system that will meet 85% of indoor heating needs on-site; fitwell certification, a corner staircase; landscape features; the public plaza; and the recreation center amenity.  This approach seems to capitalize on not only the function of the building as a biotech space, but also the focus on public health as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.