Escala is another one of the new "thin and tall" buildings (see correction in comment) which seems to be the trend in condo design in Seattle these days. I had reservations about the look of the building in the beginning but the more I look at it the more it looks appealing, almost futuristic. One of the biggest selling points is readily apparent from the outside; huge balconies. Some of the decks on the upper levels are over 200sq ft and are large enough to have their own fireplace. The sales person noted that the codes were changed so that no other condos in Seattle will have balconies of that size. That's a real shame because having such large balconies almost makes it feel like you have a backyard.
Since the showroom for Escala is large and they have a full size condo mock up, it was easy to picture what the interiors would really look like. I am assuming that the actual condos will look the same which can be a leap of faith. Overall, the interior of the condos have a transitional look meaning that they have a more traditional style compared to other new developments. The base finish does leave something to be desired as they only include basic mid-level stainless steel appliances. Another place that the lower quality shows is in the bathroom fixtures. They can be upgraded impressively for a price, of course. Units have a washer and dryer but they are condensing (ductless) dryers which can take hours to dry a load.
The units start from about 1000sq ft although they always seem to include the deck and foyer in calculating the size. A unique aspect of Escala is that every unit has a foyer; a hallway between the elevator and the front door that is not shared with another unit. I am not sure if this is a plus or a minus since you get privacy but can only access your unit from one elevator and are cut off from your neighbors. The prices start from about $600k and quickly increase from there.
HOD are about $0.80 per sq ft but this is where the story takes a turn for the worse. As an owner of a unit you must also be a member of their private club. The list of amenities is huge because of this including a private restaurant, bar, spa, wine cellar, gym with pool, etcetera. For this privilege you are REQUIRED to spend several hundred dollars a month on top of home owners dues which adds up to several thousand dollars extra a year. I can see the novelty of trying the services like a massage or a private dinner initially but I can also see it getting real old real fast.
Location is slightly too east for my taste. It is close to shopping and some Belltown restaurants but I doubt there will be much of a view after further development in the area in the coming years. The only protected view is south down 4th avenue as it sits on the bend in the road between Virginia and Stewart. Here are the scores; I follow the Zagat format.
Location: 23
Building/unit quality: 24
Amenities: 27
Cost: +$600k
http://www.escalamidtown.com/
Update: Escala has dumped their private club and associated fees to entice buyers. New HOD is little above $0.50 per sq ft although there is concern this might increase significantly over time.
2 comments:
"Escala is another one of the new "thin and tall" buildings which seems to be the trend in condo design in Seattle these days" -- Hello Dunno - nice blog! And welcome back. Forgive me for correcting you on this point [in quotes above] but Escala is definitley not one of the new "thin and tall" projects. The new code limits floor plates of these new taller structures to 10,700 SF. That equates to the size of LESS THAN two normal city blocks and a width of approximately 100 feet or less. Fifteen Twenty-One Second, ICON Tower, AVA are the three most recent examples of projects entitled under the new code. Olive 8 is a bit larger but certainly more in keeping with the tall and slender idea. In contrast, Escala and Hotel 1 are old code, old school in their proportions: almost as wide as they are tall. These projects cover approximately four city lots - almost 240' of width, compared to those under the new code that are closer to 100' wide. When viewed obliquely this is not so apparant, but when viewed straight on, it will surprise how broad they will appear. Not that there is anything wrong with that if prefer those proportions. For my money, I prefer the Vancouver model of towers with smaller plates and taller, leaner proportions - much more elegant, because they look like real towers. Of course, if you are from NY, even our tallest towers are pip squeeks, but we will catch up!
Thanks for the correction!
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