1022 NE 68th
Overview
Later this year, a new mixed-use building is set to open at 6716 Roosevelt Way NE in Seattle. If you stop by one of its future ground-floor shops, take a moment to look across NE 68th Street — you might notice something interesting: a vacant lot with a modern townhome already standing on its corner, quietly waiting to welcome its first residents.
That townhome is just a preview of what’s coming. It’s one of five four-story townhomes in a new development called Aster. Together, the five buildings will offer 36 homes and parking for 18 vehicles. The project is being developed by Shelter Homes and designed by Medici Architects.
Context
As of 2026, the current site is an active construction site. Although the aim was to have the Aster homes open and ready by Fall 2025, the latest site map from the developer’s website only shows the three south-facing townhomes, suggesting that this will be the first phase of availability.
The site of the Aster townhomes is zoned as Multifamily Lowrise 3 (LR3) due to Ordinance 125791, which allows for any residential use, so long as the building is up to 65 feet tall (since the Aster townhomes are located in the Roosevelt Urban Village). Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) applies to this site.
Updates
- November 2021 to January 2022: Neighborhood Outreach and Early Design Guidance
- July 2023: Master Use Permit Issued
- October 2025: Construction Permit and Start
- TBA: Construction Complete
- TBA: Grand Opening
What Neighbors Can Do
Interest rates shape the economic viability of any commercial real estate investment — and Roosevelt 1A is no exception. When rates are high, borrowing costs rise, construction financing becomes more expensive, and projected returns can shrink to the point where deals that once penciled out no longer do. There is little the neighborhood can do to directly accelerate development of this property.
With that said, we can show greater support for the abatement or demolition of the buildings at 1315 and 1317 by submitting a report via phone at 206-615-0808, sending an email to SCI_COMPLAINTSINFO@SEATTLE.GOV, or filing a complaint through the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections or the Find It, Fix It app.
Issues
Before the Aster townhomes could be built, the site housed several residential properties whose occupants were officially relocated in the early 2020s to make way for the new development. Following these relocations, most of the now-vacant homes fell into significant disrepair — becoming frequent targets for unauthorized entry and overgrown with hazardous weeds that neighbors flagged as a danger to local pets. The City of Seattle monitored these properties through its vacant building program, and while owners successfully secured the structures in their final months, most of the homes were removed from the program when they were demolished in 2023.
Once the homes were demolished, safety and maintenance concerns shifted to the broader construction site, as the vacant dirt lots became magnets for dumping, graffiti, and accumulated litter. Neighbors specifically noted that insecure perimeter fencing — combined with crumbling cinderblock foundations — created concealed areas where trespassers could avoid being seen from the street. These site-wide issues were resolved through city investigations that resulted in modified fencing requirements approved by arborists, followed by inspections confirming the project was actively under construction and fully compliant with city safety and zoning codes.
Project Valuation
| Year | Total Appraised Value |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,838,000 |
| 2024 | $5,481,000 |
| 2023 | $5,262,000 |
| 2022 | $6,061,000 |
| 2021 | $5,025,000 |
| CAGR | 3.820% |
Valuation history includes estimates from King County Department of Assessments starting from when the project was first proposed. They are only an approximation and are heavily influenced by a variety of factors, including the existence and condition of built structures.
Resources:
- Project Proposal 1: Early Design Guidance
Project Proposal 2: Administrative Recommendation
Aster Townhomes by Shelter Homes
Ordinance 125791
Article about Multifamily Zoning
009173-25CP: Report Confirming Active Work has Started
Parcel Info for 1022 NE 68th St
Parcel Info for 1023 NE 69th St
Parcel Info for 1024 NE 68th St
Parcel Info for 1027 NE 69th St
Parcel Info for 1028 NE 68th St
Parcel Info for 1032 NE 68th St
Since the Aster homes have started development, addresses for the parcels have changed notably. The map below indicates which parcel each address written in this article corresponds to. 1028 NE 68th St corresponds to the L-shaped parcel that is between 1024 and 1032 NE 68th St. Map is from SDCI Property Information Map.
