Seattle’s streets can sometimes lead to an end point with space small enough for only a tiny business or park. This sandspit of terrain usually cannot accommodate a house let alone a high-rise.
That’s why it was intriguing to see a 41-story condominium spring from the ground on a triangular-shaped lot where Denny Way meets 6th Avenue and Wall Street. It’s where Seattle’s newest – and arguably finest – residential tower has just opened.
Introducing: Spire, a masterpiece of concrete, steel and glass that, well, is inspiring to see. It’s in a great location, where Belltown, Denny Triangle and South Lake Union converge, and an easy walk to all the tech and biotech companies in the immediate vicinity as well as many popular sites for entertainment and dining.
The 343-unit structure offers minimum 9-foot ceilings (10 feet in penthouses) and eye-popping views thanks to oversized panoramic windows. Plus, vistas from West to North are protected by zoning laws that currently prohibit construction above the ninth floor of Spire (to avoid blocking the Space Needle a few streets away).
Spire is the crown-jewel unveiling of 2021 for the Seattle condo market. It offers top-of-the line appliances (Bosch or SubZero/Wolf), wide-plank engineered oak floors, tiled baths and smart thermostats, with optional integrated smart-home tech and motorized window shades available (standard in penthouses). Add in quartz countertops, porcelain backsplashes, modular closets, soft-close drawers and Euro-styled cabinetry and you have a perfect blend of style and substance.
The amenities stand out for me. They start from the bottom up, with a first-of-its-kind (for Seattle residential property) automated-valet garage that incorporates the world’s latest parking-system technology.
Manufactured by Swiss-based Sotefin and installed by Parkworks of California, the 266-space system reportedly cost $8M; it allows residents to park their car in one of three bays before a robotic-like forklift takes it from there to carefully park the unoccupied vehicle in about 3 minutes, lowering it into a space within the eight-level, underground garage. Read more on the parking solution or watch this demonstration with the help of a Spire sales team member:
Walk into Spire from 6th Avenue, just south of Denny Way, to a dramatic two-story lobby lounge with 24/7 concierge, local art and a corner coffee bar (to come). The third floor offers a mix of business and pleasure: co-working lounge space, boardroom, theater and yoga/spin studio. (Homes start on the fourth floor.)
The amenities are capped by a top-floor fitness center with stunning vistas West to East, from Elliott Bay, the Space Needle and Lake Union. Saving the best for last, Spire Club, the 40th-floor social hub offers a great opportunity to mix and mingle: semi-private dining room and exhibition kitchen, indoor lounge and gallery. My favorite part are the multiple outdoor terraces with BBQ stations as well as indoor fireplace and outdoor firepits.
Other areas of the building include a pet spa, 80+ piece bike storage area and personal storage units. Nothing was spared for this amazing building.
Homes start in the high $400,000s (1-bed, 1-bath, 541 sq. ft.) and about half of the inventory is sold. Deeded parking is $75,000 extra for most units (one space is included for penthouse purchases, with an option for a second) and a monthly garage maintenance fee of $100.
Some of the best remaining units are located on the North/Denny Way side of the building, with unobstructed views. A 29th-floor, 1-bed, 1-bath, 765 sq. ft. unit, for example, offers Space Needle views from the living room and balcony, for $928,000. [In a follow-up blog post, we will show you a video of #2710, a 1-bed, 1-bath unit with den and offering similar North-facing views.]
Doors to this beautiful addition on the Seattle skyline opened in August and I would be delighted to schedule a tour of Spire as your representative. Let’s get inspired!
(This blog post is not a paid endorsement of Spire. It is an opportunity to provide fresh insights into local real estate developments from the perspective of a real estate professional living and working in Seattle.)