Janus

Seattle, WA

Janus is a new mixed use urban redevelopment located one block from the heart of Seattle’s Greenwood-Phinney Urban Village. The five story building will face a large retail parking lot across the bustling arterial of NW 85th Street on the north, and on the south, face a series of quiet well maintained single family bungalows, across a narrow alley.

The project is named after the Roman god of transitions, whose image features two faces, similar to the site of Janus.

Facing commercial NW 85th Street, Janus presents as a smooth, horizontal clad residential box floating above a continuous glassy retail band.

Facing the single family homes to the south, Janus is a series of vertical bays, angled slightly so as not to look directly into the private homes. Balconies, roof overhangs, and material changes relate to the single family character.

Transitioning between the busy commercial arterial and the narrow quiet alley is a bicycle greenway, 1st Avenue NW. A covered, recessed street-level plaza adjacent to the main corner retail entry provides space with seating for outdoor dining along the greenway.

A continuous weather-projecting canopy wraps the corner and, along with continuous curbside planting and street trees on NW 85th, will encourage pedestrians along this otherwise hostile arterial.

The project contains 105 apartments, 9,000 sf of street level retail, parking for 86 vehicles and 29 bicycles, as well as a fitness facility, a bike club, and lounge areas.

The project was completed in fall 2016.