Comments on: Leavenworth Condos : The Future http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/2010/01/06/leavenworth-condos-the-future/ Leavenworth Real Estate including Lake Wenatchee and Plain Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:22:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve Schwind http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/2010/01/06/leavenworth-condos-the-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3691 Steve Schwind Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:45:24 +0000 http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/?p=1929#comment-3691 A variety of housing is always good for a healthy community. Interesting thoughts and observations. The idea of a patio home is something I've carried on about for a good while over the years, even before we had a glut of condominiums. In my estimation the ideal circumstance has been the idea of a smaller, stand alone homee on a parcel of land that allows for each homeowner to enjoy limited common space around their "home" where they could garden i.e. have a few flower beds to maintain individually thus allowing some sense of independance in housing wants. The common driveway/cul-de-dac would spider-web out to each individual's garage, likely contained within the foot print of the house. Now you have independance, economy, density and minimized exterior maintence required of each individual home owner. I first observed this sort of arrangement in Kirkland. The challenge we'd face with this sort of community is the snow storage/removal concern, outside of that, it's the way to go in my mind. The first Share housing project of the end of Prospect Streetcomes close to the idea. A variety of housing is always good for a healthy community. Interesting thoughts and observations. The idea of a patio home is something I’ve carried on about for a good while over the years, even before we had a glut of condominiums. In my estimation the ideal circumstance has been the idea of a smaller, stand alone homee on a parcel of land that allows for each homeowner to enjoy limited common space around their “home” where they could garden i.e. have a few flower beds to maintain individually thus allowing some sense of independance in housing wants. The common driveway/cul-de-dac would spider-web out to each individual’s garage, likely contained within the foot print of the house. Now you have independance, economy, density and minimized exterior maintence required of each individual home owner. I first observed this sort of arrangement in Kirkland. The challenge we’d face with this sort of community is the snow storage/removal concern, outside of that, it’s the way to go in my mind. The first Share housing project of the end of Prospect Streetcomes close to the idea.

]]> By: Al Lorenz http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/2010/01/06/leavenworth-condos-the-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3274 Al Lorenz Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:02:10 +0000 http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/?p=1929#comment-3274 Geordie, you could really practice what you're preaching and develop and build them yourself! Opportunity is knocking! :) Geordie, you could really practice what you’re preaching and develop and build them yourself! Opportunity is knocking! :)

]]> By: Geordie Romer http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/2010/01/06/leavenworth-condos-the-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3259 Geordie Romer Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:14:45 +0000 http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/?p=1929#comment-3259 Amanda- Creating affordable housing is a sticky wicket if ever there was one. Density and subsidies are probably the two biggest keywords here. Density allows builders to save on land costs so that home prices are lower. There are some great examples of high density communities but it takes a planning department and a community that are willing to work outside the box. Leavenworth has trouble even working within the box. Leavenworth has asinine rules about duplexes inside the city limits and in my experience the city planners hardly understand their own rules. I have a client who has a dilapidated multi-family property that they would like to replace but can't. City rules no longer allow multi-family at the same density. Leavenworth also has been stingy about providing water and making development easy within the city limits so builders go outside of town where land lots are bigger and land costs higher. Can't have an affordable house on a $200,000 lot. A few years ago the city was even considering lot aggregation. Own two lots next to each other? With lot aggregation the city makes them one lot and reduces the value of your property. I think the city would have gotten their pants sued off of them if they tried this. Subsidies can be in the form of waived fees or donated land or materials. To some extent this is the model the SHARE housing on Titus is using. The homeowners own the house, but not the land it sits on. In return for affordable housing they give up the possibility of appreciation. I don't think Leavenworth will see much in the way of affordable housing. The leadership in the city and the vocal residents who live in town have been very anti-growth and anti-density. Without density, forget affordability. Amanda- Creating affordable housing is a sticky wicket if ever there was one. Density and subsidies are probably the two biggest keywords here.

Density allows builders to save on land costs so that home prices are lower. There are some great examples of high density communities but it takes a planning department and a community that are willing to work outside the box. Leavenworth has trouble even working within the box.

Leavenworth has asinine rules about duplexes inside the city limits and in my experience the city planners hardly understand their own rules. I have a client who has a dilapidated multi-family property that they would like to replace but can’t. City rules no longer allow multi-family at the same density.

Leavenworth also has been stingy about providing water and making development easy within the city limits so builders go outside of town where land lots are bigger and land costs higher. Can’t have an affordable house on a $200,000 lot.

A few years ago the city was even considering lot aggregation. Own two lots next to each other? With lot aggregation the city makes them one lot and reduces the value of your property. I think the city would have gotten their pants sued off of them if they tried this.

Subsidies can be in the form of waived fees or donated land or materials. To some extent this is the model the SHARE housing on Titus is using. The homeowners own the house, but not the land it sits on. In return for affordable housing they give up the possibility of appreciation.

I don’t think Leavenworth will see much in the way of affordable housing. The leadership in the city and the vocal residents who live in town have been very anti-growth and anti-density. Without density, forget affordability.

]]> By: Amanda http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/2010/01/06/leavenworth-condos-the-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3251 Amanda Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:06:49 +0000 http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/?p=1929#comment-3251 Geordie: I just don't see why condos would appeal to young families with young noisy and active children. I knew a family that lived in a townhome on W Whitman St. They moved out to a single family residence after their 2nd baby was born. The reasons: not enough space for their growing family; they could not keep their children quiet enough to satisfy their neighbors; and there was not enough space for their children to play outside. Local wages to support living inside Leavenworth is certainly an issue. We were able to afford our home in the city because we negotiated a really good deal and we do not work in Leavenworth. Yep, we commute down to Wenatchee and E. Wenatchee. We love our fiber internet connection and the ability to listen to internet radio while we check our e-mail, social networking sites and do so much more. We constantly bugged the PUD until it came to our neighborhood. I cannot understand why the Chamber does not do more to promote the cheap power and great fiber we enjoy. (Of course I cannot understand why the Chamber works so hard to anger the downtown merchants either.) What do I want to see in my community? I want a wide range of homes, condos, apartments, etc. in a wide range of prices. I want to see more variety to businesses in Leavenworth. There needs to be more to our businesses than just retail & hostelry businesses. Our town needs parks in more areas, not just the clusters around the schools, highway and on the river. After we achieve all that, I firmly believe that we will be able to persuade not just the retiree population to settle in our area, but others as well. Amanda Geordie: I just don’t see why condos would appeal to young families with young noisy and active children. I knew a family that lived in a townhome on W Whitman St. They moved out to a single family residence after their 2nd baby was born. The reasons: not enough space for their growing family; they could not keep their children quiet enough to satisfy their neighbors; and there was not enough space for their children to play outside.

Local wages to support living inside Leavenworth is certainly an issue. We were able to afford our home in the city because we negotiated a really good deal and we do not work in Leavenworth. Yep, we commute down to Wenatchee and E. Wenatchee.

We love our fiber internet connection and the ability to listen to internet radio while we check our e-mail, social networking sites and do so much more. We constantly bugged the PUD until it came to our neighborhood. I cannot understand why the Chamber does not do more to promote the cheap power and great fiber we enjoy. (Of course I cannot understand why the Chamber works so hard to anger the downtown merchants either.)

What do I want to see in my community? I want a wide range of homes, condos, apartments, etc. in a wide range of prices. I want to see more variety to businesses in Leavenworth. There needs to be more to our businesses than just retail & hostelry businesses. Our town needs parks in more areas, not just the clusters around the schools, highway and on the river. After we achieve all that, I firmly believe that we will be able to persuade not just the retiree population to settle in our area, but others as well.

Amanda

]]> By: Geordie Romer http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/2010/01/06/leavenworth-condos-the-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3226 Geordie Romer Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:45:55 +0000 http://iciclecreekrealestate.com/?p=1929#comment-3226 Received this email from a reader: Geordie, your assessment is spot on! We live in Mount Vernon and have most interest in a vacation property that allows us easy access to Stevens Pass. The extra drive down the mountain to Leavenworth is not as convenient, thus not as appealing as what you presented….Lake Wenatchee or better yet Stevens Pass. I have gathered that the leased land and environmentalist considerations make a Stevens Pass project a challenge….is that true? Lake Wenatchee area would be a great 2nd choice….gotta admit, I cringe every time I view a picture of the outdated and cheap cabinets in the Kahler Glen properties….let alone the HOA dues when I don’t even Golf! Received this email from a reader:

Geordie, your assessment is spot on! We live in Mount Vernon and have most interest in a vacation property that allows us easy access to Stevens Pass. The extra drive down the mountain to Leavenworth is not as convenient, thus not as appealing as what you presented….Lake Wenatchee or better yet Stevens Pass. I have gathered that the leased land and environmentalist considerations make a Stevens Pass project a challenge….is that true? Lake Wenatchee area would be a great 2nd choice….gotta admit, I cringe every time I view a picture of the outdated and cheap cabinets in the Kahler Glen properties….let alone the HOA dues when I don’t even Golf!

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