We began our journey to District Heating with the general impression that a large sewer main running through Interbay was a ‘Bad Thing’. We never thought of it otherwise until our ambitions to be environmentally responsible linked to our knowledge of building systems which linked to our experience with finance which linked to our background in physics which tied into a guy we met from Switzerland.

To us, wasted energy is an abundant alternative resource in need of advocates. King County’s participation in this Pilot Project is to be commended. They are being the public leaders we need to plan for our community’s future.

In general, we consumers of energy aren’t interested in purchasing electricity or gas or coal or whatever…we just want reliable energy for comfort, hot water, appliances and lighting. The Interbay District Heat Utility is an example of how we can provide for what we need in new and smarter ways. Turning a Bad Thing into a Good Thing.

Sometimes the word “possibilities” means achieving lofty goals and fulfilling long-held ambitions.

Other times, it just means having a great place to live.

And if it’s affordable, centrally-located, environmentally responsible, and energy efficient? All the better.

Currently, we are designing an innovative apartment building for Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood. A modern structure with a light and airy central courtyard, Barrett Park will feature windows on opposite sides of each unit to promote airflow and ventilation, and provide all units with garden views. Bamboos and other tall vegetation will provide added visual appeal and a cooling effect. We’re even looking into using stretched fabric as a covering for the courtyard to protect from rain and excessive sunlight, which would also add visual appeal as it catches the wind.

Step out the door and catch Metro’s coming RapidRide express bus,  bike on the flatland, or share a car, Barrett Park will encourage environmentally responsible transportation while saving residents money – and living well in the city. Surrounded by parks, close to the basics like groceries and with waterfront to the north or south, the apartments will serve the growing Interbay work community as well as Seattle Pacific University students and faculty, who will be just a short walk from campus.BP WestElev

Affordable, centrally-located housing in Seattle. Too lofty an idea? We think not.

The October 2009 Mobile Chowdown answered the question “will anybody come”. 3,000 people showed up to enjoy the great food offered by Marination Mobile, Maximus Minimus, El Camion, Gert’s BBQ, Skillet, Parfait Ice Cream, Dante’s Inferno Dogs, and Kaosamathai. It is true we were overwhelmed by the turnout. Interbay is a natural gathering place and so Mobile Chowdown will be returning to Interbay on January 9, 2010 for round two of mobile feasting. We hope to see you there!

The Mobile Chowdown is back after a smashing inaugural event. Some of Seattle’s best food trucks – including Marination Mobile, which was voted by Good Morning America viewers as the best food truck in the country — will rally on Jan. 9 at Interbay to celebrate all that’s great about “curbside cuisine.”

Vendors include: Marination Mobile, El Camion, Dante’s Inferno Dogs, Veraci Pizza, Anita’s Crepes, Kaosamai Thai, and Gert’s BBQ. Once again, the trucks will convene at the lot at 1616 W. Bertona in the Interbay neighborhood. There will be live music and a dining area.

The Mobile Chowdown is sponsored by Seattle Magazine, the Freehold Group/Interbay Neighborhood Association, and Suzuki + Chou Communimedia.

EVENT DETAILS:
Mobile Chowdown
Jan. 9, 2010
1616 W. Bertona (Interbay)
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Twitter: @mobilechowdown
Web: Seattle Magazine

After researching the different possibilities for an urban wine district and by talking to winery operators around Washington, we came up with the following reasons we think Interbay would be the perfect location:

1. There isn’t one in Seattle. Enough said.

2. Bringing a group of wineries together increases the sales of Washington wines.

3. Bringing a group of wineries together makes for great wine tasting events.

4. The affordability of retail locations in Interbay would enable the participation of quality small- to mid-size wineries in the area.

5. The cruise ship industry. With Interbay positioned near the newly opened port, tourists will have access to the best the state has to offer, without figuring out how to get to Woodinville or Walla Walla.

In the planning stages, the wine district would – as we see it now – consist of a long wing of connected retail storefronts in the mixed-use Interbay Building, with a large covered outdoor patio and lounge area for shared use.

If you think you can help make this happen, call or email us with your thoughts.

For more information please download the following leasing brochure:

Interbay Wine District.pdf

Just next to downtown Vancouver, B.C. is something you don’t see everyday: a busy farmers’ market right next to a concrete plant – in this case, Granville Island. It’s a neighborhood that combines retail, manufacturing, and creative ventures, all in one spot. It’s disjunctive, and eclectic, and layered with different kinds of activities and different kinds of people who found ways to work together.

And that’s why we like it, and why we really like Interbay so much.

For the past ten years, the Freehold Group and our neighbors have imagined Seattle’s Interbay district to have a similar feel. Our combined vision for the area is to create spaces with vitality. Places for people to meet over breakfast or shop while their kids are practicing in the playfields, to find great local food and neighborhood restaurants for lunch and dinner, to visit the vet or get a hair cut. Unique and beautiful places – some modern, some old – where creativity and productivity happens.

And so far, so good. With locally-based businesses from successful craftsmen making world-class musical instruments to high-tech machinery turning out commercial cutting surfaces, Denali Fitness, a software design firm, video producers, the Seattle Storm WNBA headquarters, and more, Interbay is now home to some really innovative people who are doing some really interesting stuff. It’s a place where people feel a strong sense of community.

Big things are happening here, a step at a time. And we love the mix.

Most people like the idea of making the world a better place. It’s why we recycle. Why we take the bus to work once a week.

Why we want to add to the conversation about things like “sustainable development.”

A catchphrase popular in the real estate world right now, this term sometimes refers to ecological concerns, and sometimes it refers to the endurance of a structure based on the quality of its materials and construction. And those things are important. But there is another important element to this concept that is often overlooked: the longevity of the design itself.

In Europe and elsewhere, structures are used for centuries, not mere decades. 200-year old edifices serve in turn as libraries, museums, theatres and schools. To us, this is the true definition of sustainability: when a building survives over a long period of time because it’s still relevant, still practical.

At the Freehold Group, we are not just business people who hire architects. We are designers and architects ourselves. We are long-term thinkers, and our goal is to make every building we create a truly sustainable part of the city’s design, one that a hundred years from now will be appreciated for its form and artistry but also for its diverse functionality.

Like Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood. Largely neglected for over forty years, this area has recently begun to experience economic growth with cutting-edge facilities which complement the lifestyle of its inhabitants. The buildings we’ve created and restored there are now home to craftsmen, small business owners, factories, and artists, all working under the same roof.

Creating spaces that serve multiple purposes in our rapidly changing world: consider it our form of recycling.