If you could live anywhere in Seattle, where would it be? In a special neighborhood? Along a certain tree-lined street? Maybe you want to be on the waterfront – Elliott Bay, Lake Union or Lake Washington?
For me, I would answer one building: Insignia Towers. The twin, 41-story pillars on the eastern edge of Belltown are still tops in my book.
Having visited scores of condo buildings – from Northgate to the stadiums – Insignia has always stood out for me. Like many people, I prefer contemporary architecture and modern conveniences, and that’s what you have here on this two-acre patch between 5th and 6th avenues.
I have toured the building many times with clients and curiosity-seekers and hear it in their voices – the wow factor speaks consistently and loudly with most people. And, as I recently wrote, the views are both stunning and different from atop each tower.
The South tower (588 Bell Street) opened in 2015 and was the city’s first luxury high-rise after the Great Recession. The North tower (583 Battery Street) followed a year later after its sister building quickly sold out its 348 units. There are 698 homes in total plus retail space at street level.
What I love about the community is the stunning fitness center. Picture two stories of exercise equipment, weights, stretching area, lap pool, whirlpool, steam and sauna. There is plenty of space for everyone. (The area is currently closed due to pandemic-related concerns.)
The icing on the cake is the rooftop amenity package. Each tower has a billiard area, TVs, sofas and chairs, as well as a reservable function room that will really impress your friends. From indoor or out, the rooftop views are some of the best in the city, although the easterly vistas – including Lake Union for many residents – will eventually go away in favor of progress in the form of two more 41-story condo towers right next door.
Because of the construction, you should see a noticeable price difference between homes on the East side vs. the views from the West. And there are always homes on the market with a wide selection of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units for sale any time of year. About 7% of the homes were sold in the past 12 months – a figure that is slightly above average for a large community.
As of Sept. 8., there were 30 homes for sale, including 19 that have 2 bedrooms and a pair of 3-bedroom units on the highest floors. I have seen 1-bedrooms as small as 807 sq. ft. on the 5th floor (seeking $559,000) to a 37th-floor, 3-bedroom palace covering 2262 sq. ft. (asking $2.49 million).
Price per square foot covers a broad range ($726-$1250) depending on the size of the home and the floor, with an average of about $925/sq. ft. Monthly homeowners dues comes to about 84 cents per sq. ft. There is no rental cap and about 70% of owners live in the community.
The buildings are centrally located for anyone, from tech workers to retirees. They are within walking distance of Seattle Center, Google and Facebook in South Lake Union, Amazon HQ to the southeast and the heart of Belltown a few blocks west.
To learn more, you can visit this special web address – ILoveInsignia.com – or feel free to contact me to understand how unique the two towers are to the city and its residents.