Sonics Arena in Draft Form

A few days ago I went wandering through the Seattle Department of Planning (DPD) to see if there were any tangible signs of life. This is a fairly regular adventure for me (it's a hobby). If somebody is doing something at the city then somebody is billing hours, or noting some activity.

On the Seattle DPD site there is a list of documents associated with the arena address, 1700 1st Avenue S. The latest document, "Other Correction Letter: Cycle 4 corrections for ZONING", has 5 items the city needs clarification on regarding what Chris Hansen submitted for the permitting process. I didn't see any giant stop signs there, just clarifications on calculations of square footage, curb cuts, and increasing the "Green Score."

There is another document listed, "Land Use: Application Plan". It is a 107-page document that loosely defines the arena. The document is not intended for arena construction purposes, but does show some interesting details. And it is somewhat reassuring to know that there are a lot of details: 124 trees, two practice courts, 9 floors, etc. Nowhere in the document does it say that there is more behind it, but the enormity and precision of it absolutely do. Walls, floors, doors, and concourses lined out, floor by floor, for whatever reason I like seeing this stuff.

Drawings are different

For me, seeing drawings is strangely reassuring. They show that there is a specific intent with all of this. We've seen some of the graphics: pretty and exciting, but not very specific. I suppose that I could point to the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), as what is behind the black and white line drawing, but that's not quite the same. Those documents are very important, as is the impending Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). But it just seems more real, and more possible, with actual drawings of actual things.

Sonics Arena Practice Courts

Sonics Arena Parking Level 1

A few improvements

The City of Seattle Department of Planning has gone over all of the plans and they have a list of revisions they need from Threesixty Architecture and Chris Hansen. Well, I have a suggestion and I have a glaring omission.

First, I see the parking near the offices. Note to Chris Hansen: you are probably not going to want to park near the ice-making equipment. I'm just guessing that stuff makes noise and smells (gross).

Chris Hansen's parking spot

Second, I noticed that a room doesn't have an identified use. That could hold things up, you just never know. Everything around it has been labeled. Sonics Rising doesn't have a home office (it's true). So, how about we help you avoid potential delay by putting a mini fridge inside the door and "Sonics Rising World Headquarters" outside the door?

Sonics Rising World Headquarters (proposed)

We're here to help.