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U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL RECOGNIZES
ALYCONE PROJECT FOR SUSTAINABLE EXCELLENCE
- Eco-friendly residential building in South Lake Union becomes Seattle's first market-rate, multi-family project to earn prestigious LEED certification
SEATTLE, WA – October 31, 2005
Characterized by its numerous sustainable design elements and urban living amenities, Alcyone now represents Seattle's first market-rate, multi-family building to receive LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its environmentally friendly practices.
Developed by Harbor Properties Inc. and Vulcan Inc., Alcyone was designed and constructed from the ground up using sustainable development approaches. As a LEED-certified project, Alcyone exemplifies a state-of-the-art sustainable building committed to promoting energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, water savings and eco-friendly materials selection. LEED, which stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design," is the Council's rating system used to create a national benchmark for developing healthy, environmentally responsible buildings.
“For years, Seattle has been at the forefront of embracing sustainable development in every sector of the building industry, and Alcyone is another great example of how the city is truly setting the bar for green building on a national scale,” said Rick Fedrizzi, U.S. Green Building Council President, CEO & Founding Chair. “Achieving LEED certification is an impressive accomplishment limited to only those projects that meet stringent sustainability requirements, and I'm pleased to recognize Alcyone among this elite group of industry trailblazers.”
Located at the corner of Minor Avenue North and Thomas Street in Seattle's Cascade district, the 161-unit Alcyone project opened in June 2004 as the first new market-rate residential project in the growing South Lake Union neighborhood. The eight-story, 150,000-square-foot building attracts residents drawn to sustainable urban living close to downtown and nearby outdoor recreational activities, including eco-friendly Cascade Park directly across the street from Alcyone and scenic Lake Union.
“As part of Vulcan's triple-bottom-line philosophy, environmental sustainability is one of three criteria we use to measure the ultimate success of our projects,” said Ada M. Healey, vice president of real estate for Vulcan Inc. “Alcyone's LEED certification reflects the tangible results of our efforts to foster a healthy and vibrant community in South Lake Union where people can truly experience a sustainable urban lifestyle.”
“Since Harbor's inception some 30 years ago, one of our core values has been to create eco-friendly, urban residential projects that both promote downtown livability and minimize our impact on the surrounding environment,” commented Harbor Properties President and CEO Douglas Daley. “Being recognized for Alcyone confirms our company's commitment to environmentally sensitive development and, more importantly, motivates us to do more in the years ahead.”
The project team for the second phase includes:
- Landscaped roof-deck with P-patch organic gardens for residents to grow their own plants and fresh produce (irrigated with recycled rainwater)
- Non-toxic paint and flooring
- Energy efficient appliances
- Increased building insulation
- High-performance operable windows to conserve energy and provide fresh air
- Outdoor landscaping enhanced by drought resistant plants to help conserve water
- Flexcar program to reduce resident vehicle use and recharging stations for electric cars
- High recycled content materials used in construction, with 95 percent of construction waste recycled
- Wide pedestrian-friendly sidewalks to animate streetscape and provide easy access to rest of neighborhood
- Access to several bus routes and within close proximity to downtown
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“Sustainability and LEED were little understood terms when Alcyone's design process began. Thanks to progressive developers like Vulcan and Harbor Properties, GGLO had the opportunity to develop a sustainable design approach for Alcyone worthy of LEED certification,” said Nancy Henderson, project manager and LEED advisor for GGLO.
The project team for Alcyone includes GGLO (architect and interior designer), Magnusson Klemencic (engineer), Rushforth Construction Company Inc. (contractor) and Hewitt Architects (landscape architect).
Vulcan Inc., which owns approximately 60 acres in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood, has delivered 650,000
square feet of new developments in the past two years. The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (SBRI) Building, developed by joint partners Vulcan, SBRI and Harbor Properties, also earned a Silver LEED rating earlier this year and represents Seattle's first LEED-certified speculative building. Nearly 900,000 square feet is under development in 2005 and another 2.1 million square feet is in the development pipeline. Vulcan's vision for the area is to partner with the community to encourage a vibrant, diverse neighborhood that blends housing, retail, office, life sciences research, open space and public transportation.
Harbor Properties Inc. is focused on developing strategic workforce-housing infill projects that help to increase urban densities and diminish Seattle's reliance on cars for daily downtown commuting. The company is currently creating several mixed-use residential projects in urban Seattle neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, the University District, Belltown, and First Hill, among others.
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ABOUT VULCAN REAL ESTATE
Vulcan Real Estate directs all real estate strategies for Vulcan Inc., a Paul G. Allen company. Through strategic acquisitions and innovative development, Vulcan Real Estate creates a diversified portfolio of high-performing, quality assets. The company’s experienced, talented team of real estate professionals offers a full range of development services from site selection to build-to-suit construction. Its real estate model is based on quality, sustainable development that builds new value across the entire community. For more information, visit www.vulcanrealestate.com.
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ABOUT HARBOR PROPORTIES
Founded in 1972, Seattle-based Harbor Properties, Inc., is a full service real estate firm that owns, manages and develops a broad spectrum of real estate including office, retail, multifamily residential and resort properties. For more information about Harbor, please visit www.harborproperties.com.
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