May 11, 2023
UW, partners celebrate the groundbreaking of new U District Station Building
Artist’s rendering of the new U District Station Building (center) which will stand across Brooklyn Ave. NE from the UW Tower.Lincoln Property Company
The University of Washington joined Lincoln Property Company, Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation and Sound Transit on May 10 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new University District Station Building, along with local officials, community leaders and neighbors.
The 266,000-square-foot office building resting above the University District Sound Transit Station at NE 45th St. and Brooklyn Ave. NE will feature ground-floor retail and amenities, office space and a rooftop terrace with spectacular views of the city.
Randy Hodgins, UW’s vice president for external affairs, addresses the audience May 10 at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new U District Station Building.Victor Balta/University of Washington
LPC was selected by the UW to develop the project over the light rail station, which opened in fall 2021. The high-density office and retail project will encourage the use of public transit, offering connections to Seattle’s Central Business District, Sea-Tac International Airport and the East side. The light rail station will remain operational during construction.
“We’ve been working on this site for a number of years, knowing that it would be a catalyst in the ongoing evolution of the U District, and the groundbreaking puts us one huge step closer to bringing this transit-oriented development to life,” said Randy Hodgins, the UW’s vice president for external affairs. “With its central location, the building will make mass transit the obvious choice for the 900 UW employees who will work here, reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips and lowering our carbon footprint.”
Randy Hodgins, the UW’s vice president for external affairs (third from right) and other partners move the ceremonial first shovels full of dirt to commemorate the groundbreaking of the University District Station Building.Victor Balta/University of Washington
The office tower location has earned a perfect Transit Score of 100 and a Walk Score of 99. Within walking distance of the UW campus, the UW will occupy five floors of the building with administrative space. The remaining 133,000 square feet will be leased for other office and retail use. The building is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.
According to LPC, the project will feature robust health and wellness components, including interconnecting staircases that provide floor-to-floor connections without needing to use the elevators. The amenity deck and rooftop terrace provide open-air elements and will feature unobstructed views of Mount Rainier, Lake Union and the Olympic Mountains. The project will also deliver 8,000 square feet of public open space, which will be programmed to be enjoyed by the broader local community.
This blog post was adapted from a Lincoln Property Company news release.
