The Welch Hardware store was a fixture in the Central Area until it closed in 1998. While the venerable business no longer exists, its name lives on.
Rising from the former site of the hardware store, Welch Plaza provides a variety of floor plans for renters, condo dwellers and businesses in three separate buildings.
A change in plans
After Welch Hardware closed its doors and prior to its namesake being erected, the corner of South Jackson Street and 23rd Avenue South was barren. Construction on the formerly blighted area, characterized by two vacant buildings and a vacant parking lot, started in 2003 and was completed last year.
While actual construction lasted only about 12 months, George Staggers, CEO of the Central Area Development Association (CADA), said the total process took more than five years, with the final version differing significantly from the original plan.
One of the group's biggest challenges was convincing the neighborhood to back such a large-scale project.
"One of our earlier design concepts show one large building and six stories. Some people in the community said, 'We don't really want our residents to be across the street from a six story wall. Can you guys do something different with the design?'" Staggers recounted.
"So we went back to the drawing board with our architect and development partner and came up with the idea of stepping the building so it's three stories, four stories, five stories. Then we went back to the community with the design," he continued.
The new plan not only incorporated a stepping design, but three smaller buildings rather than one large one that gave the proposed development a feeling of more open space. Working closely with the community, CADA was able to eventually win support for the project.
So far, it has proven to be a successful venture. Staggers said the residential units are 99-percent occupied, and the last remaining commercial space was recently leased to Quiznos.
New neighborhood tenants
Donaldson Fitness & Physical Therapy is one of the businesses operating out of Welch Plaza. Owner James Donaldson chose this location for several reasons: its potential to become the hub of the Central Area's business district, the building's state-of-the-art features and because he enjoys the diversity and energy that the neighborhood offers.
Donaldson, a former basketball player for the Seattle Sonics, said business has been good since opening in February and believes that an influx of new businesses and residents will follow on the heels of Welch Plaza's arrival.
"There will be increased building and development in the Central Seattle area for some time to come. This neighborhood has really become the 'neighborhood of opportunity'' for anyone looking to purchase a home or start a business," he said.
Since opening, Welch Plaza has spurred economic activity in the neighborhood. Several new restaurants have opened, and Staggers said a number of new developments are in the works, including more housing and the arrival of Pratt Fine Arts, which will soon take residence at 20th Avenue South and Jackson.
Evan and Jodi Dodds moved into Welch Plaza over Memorial Day weekend after having migrated from Charlotte, N.C., to Seattle. Already, Evan has noticed new developments springing up in their new neighborhood.
"There are new townhouses going up like crazy in this area, in addition to the condos, so it's likely inevitable that additional commercial development will follow," he said.
Staggers points out that it's not only new businesses that are benefiting from the new development, but established businesses are invigorated as well.
"Welch Plaza not only brings more people in, but it helps to stabilize existing businesses," he explains.
And Welch Plaza has not only erased the former eyesores on the block but has reduced the perception of criminal activity. "Revitalization typically discourages certain types of crimes, and I think the Welch Plaza development definitely did that," Staggers said.
The Dodds were warned by some of their Eastside friends about possible criminal activity in the Central Area, but they haven't seen anything to justify the bad reputation. "We haven't been disappointed. Folks are very nice on the street, and I haven't seen any crime worse than kids driving around their cars with the stereos turned up too loud," Evan said.
The conversion
Welch Plaza has evolved quickly over its short life span. Originally, it consisted of apartment units and commercial space. However, a large number of potential tenants inquired about space assuming it was a condominium.
Indeed, to the undiscerning eyes of an anxious homeowner, the building has all of the characteristics of a condo.
"The floor plan, large windows, quality of the project - people wondered why it wasn't a condo," Staggers said. "We asked if there was a real market and decided it would be nice to have some homeowners. That's why we converted one of the buildings."
Last January, one of the buildings was transformed into a condo. Existing tenants of the building were allowed to remain until their leases expired and were offered an opportunity to move to apartments in one of the two other buildings. In addition, those who were interested in purchasing a unit were given a preferred rate.
The Dodds are one of the new condo owners at Welch Plaza. The couple happened to spot the building while driving by and decided the location would be perfectly suited for their disparate commutes.
Since moving in they have been impressed with the quality of the condo, the engaging personalities of the other residents and have fallen in love with their view.
"We have a great westerly view through downtown and SODO, out across the [Puget] Sound and the Olympic Mountains. I'm hard-pressed to think of anywhere else in town where you can get this sort of expansive view without living on the 25th floor of a high-rise," enthuses Evan, who attributes the spectacular vista of their fourth-floor unit to being located on the Jackson Street hill.[[In-content Ad]]
