One fenced lot adjacent to the light rail station has recently sprouted a “for rent” sign. This lot next to the rail station would be a plum spot for some lucky lunch truck, obviously — but what other purposes could such an available space be put to?
Speaking of street vendors, Dylan wrote to the mailing list recently:
Taqueria Latinos II has been parked at the corner of Weller and 12th (just on the other side of the Jose Rizal bridge) for about 4 months now. For those of you who have been lucky enough to swing by, we have enjoyed their generous servings of authentic south of the border cuisine. One of the best taco trucks in Seattle, they use fresh ingredients and are nice folks — can’t beat that. On April 23rd they are moving to 2537 15th Ave S, right behind the Bank of America.
Thanks to Chris, Brook, and Dylan for the tips, and Tim for the taco truck photo!
I’ve been going down to the Taco Truck down on Rainier Ave. next to Enterprise Rent a Car. I’ll be glad when we have a Truck within walking distance here on Beacon Hill.
It’d be a perfect garden space, to add to the network of farms on BH that we’ve started. A farm that could possibly supply the taco truck with tomatoes, lettuce, tomatillos….??
just sayin.
will call and find out the details. i’ve had my eye on this space for a while now.
My family and I have been lucky enough to sample the truck’s yummy food and totally agree! As recent southern cal transplants, it was refreshing to find cheap, good mexican food like we are used to. I’m so excited that it’s coming closer!!
Good place for a tent city. Why doesn’t the owner for this property sell it so that it can be developed? If the owner just hangs on renting it nothing will happen on this site.
By the way, any news on a potential farmer’s market around the light rail station?
Doug, I think you are right. This is the only lot owned by this particular owner and when I saw that for-rent sign, I was quite dissapointed. Sure, it would be nice if mobile food vendors (other than taco trucks, I can get perfectly good tacos at El Quetzal) or similar temporary business could use it for a year or so until the zoning issues can get finalized, but to me it is just a sign of a less than saavy property owner and a less than desireable result in the end. I have a feeling that if this owner retains this lot and develops it seperately, the lot will be developed to below it’s potential. I’m all for allowing property owners to do what is allowed within the zoning and building code restrictions, but I just think it would be nice if the owner of the rest of the lots on the station block (the rest of the lots are owned by one person) would purchase this lot, allowing a cohesive block-wide development strategy. Maybe that is asking a bit too much for Beacon Hill.
Could a food cart or other mobile commercial business operate on these lots under the current zoning?
I’d love to see these vacant lots used as extra space for Festival Street activities, a farmer’s market, a book fair, etc.
It would be a mistake for any of the property owners to sell right now. The market is down, and the way the properties are currently zoned the value is low. (Especially if this is one of the single family plots.)
Renting the space out will provide at least some form of income–to the property owner and to the business owner renting the lot.
i understand not wanting to sell this piece of land in a down market, but if i were the property owner, it would be nice to get things rolling with development 9 months after rail opening. i also tend to agree with doug & chris. taco trucks are nice, but it would be nicer to get something more permanent than another roach coach. i’d gladly walk a couple more blocks to el quetzal, anyway.
I completely understand why a property owner wouldn’t want to sell until the zoning situation is settled. Particularly if, as Melissa says, this is one of the plots that is currently single-family zoning. It’s worth a lot more if it’s upzoned.
Those previously SF5000 lots on the east side of the station block were upzoned to NC40 a number of years ago following the original neighborhood plan, but I think that point is still important. Nothing is currently preventing the owners from building something similar to the church/apartments going in on 14th, but the tipping point for a developer to buy up the entire lot may be the upzone to 65′. As Melissa said, this may just be an effort to generate a little income while the site remains vacant, in anticipation of selling after the zoning changes go through. I’m not sure if utility connections have been installed, but I have seen contractors working in the alley on occassion since the station has been completed and the fences have gone up. I haven’t seen any permits filed, though. I would think that water, sewer, and power would need to be installed and metered for anything to move onto that lot.