By reporter Steven Smalley
Everyone?s seen them. A row of quaint Magnolia ramblers, one after another, suddenly interrupted by a giant edifice ? out?of place among the other residences. Perhaps you drive by and shrug, or maybe they?re towering over you right next door.
To neighbors on West Plymouth Street, it?s their reality in a big way ? very big. Renee Duprel lived adjacent to a one-bedroom home situated on a small lot. When it sold, she hoped for some nice new neighbors. She got much worse, according?to her. She now lives next to a construction site that is gigantic compared to the previous little place. The latest structure is the?talk of the neighborhood. Duprel called Magnolia Voice.
?It?s a giant box. It?s a flat roof that takes advantage of going as high as you can,? explains Duprel. ?That thing is an?eyesore, and it might be legal, but it?s wrong.?
Duprel?s not the only nearby resident up in arms. One declared her equity was reduced by $80,000 because her view of?downtown disappeared as a result of construction.
?Having such an eyesore that has no redeeming qualities destroys a neighborhood,? states Liz Brousseau, who also lives?on the street. ?We have a close friendly neighborhood, and I am saddened that they lost their views. I would like the?developers to experience having an eyesore in their back yard.?
?They go as high as they can to take advantage of the views,? says Duprel. ?It?s a selfish house, really. This is not a?house a neighbor would build to be part of the neighborhood. They?re going to sell it. They?ve been trying to sell it all along. It?s?always been a property to flip.?
Now a long-time Magnolia real estate agent comes forward to shed light on the issue. He asks to remain nameless.
?There is an influx right now in tech, particularly in South Lake Union,? he says. ?It?s created an environment that?s?bordering on boom. Go in any neighborhood in Seattle. You?ll see construction site after construction site. From a?regulatory standpoint, it?s an environment where, pretty much, anything goes.?
After 20-years of selling Magnolia homes, he sees the emotional reaction of long-time residents.
?People are angry. They?re upset,? the agent reveals. ?We are getting a backlash. People have had their views?obstructed, have had the entire tenor of the community changed because of this development. People are extremely?frustrated with that.?
It?s all done in the name of density, according to the agent.
?I just don?t think it?s being done responsibly,? he says. ?For example ? complete disregard for regular homeowners. Letting?developers put up monstrosities that block views, or just block light. I?m all for responsible development. I?m a real estate?agent. Sometime the highest and best use of property is not development. People say, I just don?t want to live here anymore.?
Then, the agent continues, there is the city rule which allows contractors to receive a ?remodel? permit just by leaving up?only one wall following destruction of the rest of the house.
?It?s a loophole that?s being exploited around the city. It?s a complete joke,? he says. ?Downtown they?re just basically?giving it a wink. What?s required is a public outcry. And we?re seeing it.?
As for the future, the agent foresees Seattle becoming more like the City by the Bay.
I?m afraid we?re going to be the next San Francisco, and we don?t want that. There?s a reason why people live here,? he?says. ?The aesthetic of the northwest is different, and we want to keep it that way.?
In the meantime, neighbors fume.
?I would invite the city officials to look at the photos or come and see this build for themselves and how one house can?destroy so many people?s lives,? says Brousseau.
Duprel says it?s time to visit the politicians.
“We want to go to the city Council meeting and ask them if they want this on their block? I see what it?s doing to the city,?and it?s not right,? she says.
To neighbors on West Plymouth Street, it?s their reality in a big way ? very big. Renee Duprel lived adjacent to a one-bedroom home situated on a small lot. When it sold, she hoped for some nice new neighbors. She got much worse, according?to her. She now lives next to a construction site that is gigantic compared to the previous little place. The latest structure is the?talk of the neighborhood. Duprel called Magnolia Voice.
?It?s a giant box. It?s a flat roof that takes advantage of going as high as you can,? explains Duprel. ?That thing is an?eyesore, and it might be legal, but it?s wrong.?
Duprel?s not the only nearby resident up in arms. One declared her equity was reduced by $80,000 because her view of?downtown disappeared as a result of construction.
?Having such an eyesore that has no redeeming qualities destroys a neighborhood,? states Liz Brousseau, who also lives?on the street. ?We have a close friendly neighborhood, and I am saddened that they lost their views. I would like the?developers to experience having an eyesore in their back yard.?
?They go as high as they can to take advantage of the views,? says Duprel. ?It?s a selfish house, really. This is not a?house a neighbor would build to be part of the neighborhood. They?re going to sell it. They?ve been trying to sell it all along. It?s?always been a property to flip.?
Now a long-time Magnolia real estate agent comes forward to shed light on the issue. He asks to remain nameless.
?There is an influx right now in tech, particularly in South Lake Union,? he says. ?It?s created an environment that?s?bordering on boom. Go in any neighborhood in Seattle. You?ll see construction site after construction site. From a?regulatory standpoint, it?s an environment where, pretty much, anything goes.?
After 20-years of selling Magnolia homes, he sees the emotional reaction of long-time residents.
?People are angry. They?re upset,? the agent reveals. ?We are getting a backlash. People have had their views?obstructed, have had the entire tenor of the community changed because of this development. People are extremely?frustrated with that.?
It?s all done in the name of density, according to the agent.
?I just don?t think it?s being done responsibly,? he says. ?For example ? complete disregard for regular homeowners. Letting?developers put up monstrosities that block views, or just block light. I?m all for responsible development. I?m a real estate?agent. Sometime the highest and best use of property is not development. People say, I just don?t want to live here anymore.?
Then, the agent continues, there is the city rule which allows contractors to receive a ?remodel? permit just by leaving up?only one wall following destruction of the rest of the house.
?It?s a loophole that?s being exploited around the city. It?s a complete joke,? he says. ?Downtown they?re just basically?giving it a wink. What?s required is a public outcry. And we?re seeing it.?
As for the future, the agent foresees Seattle becoming more like the City by the Bay.
I?m afraid we?re going to be the next San Francisco, and we don?t want that. There?s a reason why people live here,? he?says. ?The aesthetic of the northwest is different, and we want to keep it that way.?
In the meantime, neighbors fume.
?I would invite the city officials to look at the photos or come and see this build for themselves and how one house can?destroy so many people?s lives,? says Brousseau.
Duprel says it?s time to visit the politicians.
“We want to go to the city Council meeting and ask them if they want this on their block? I see what it?s doing to the city,?and it?s not right,? she says.
Renee Duprel, concerned homeowner