Overview
Next time you’re heading to Brunello Ristorante Italiano or picking up custom signs you ordered from FastSigns, take a look nearby. On NE 71st St, the empty lot once home to Wedell Auto Electric will soon be home to a new 6-story apartment building with 91 units. It will consist of small efficiency dwelling units, studios, and 1-bedroom homes. The building will have no retail space and no parking. The development team consists of real estate developer Isola Communities and architecture firm SHW.
Land Use Context
The site is zoned as NC2-55 (M) at 7012 Roosevelt Way NE and as NC2-55 (M2) at 1007 NE 71st St. The entire site is a Neighborhood Commercial 2 with a building height limit of 55 feet. The site can be commercial, residential, or mixed-use. The Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program applies, meaning Isola must either pay directly into the Seattle Office of Housing’s trust fund for affordable housing elsewhere in the city, or set aside a specific number of units as MH affordable on-site.
The ratio of units that must be MH affordable is based on the (M) and (M2) suffix difference. Should Isola decide to designate units as MH affordable, they would have to designate 6% of units on the 7012 parcel as MH affordable and 10% of units on the 1007 parcel as MH affordable.
This current zoning first took effect via Ordinance 125791 for the 7012 parcel in 2019, although the 1007 parcel was upzoned from LR1 (M1) to NC2-55 (M2) via Ordinance 126693 in 2022.
According to Shaping Seattle, the site has obtained a construction permit, meaning Isola Communities can begin construction any time.
- September 2019 to June 2020: Neighborhood Outreach and Early Design Guidance
- December 2022: Land Use Permit Issued
- June 2024: Construction Permit Issued
- TBA: Construction Start
- TBA: Construction Complete
- TBA: Grand Opening
Issues and Solutions
The site has a history defined by a steady transition from public nuisance to cleared, secured property. In early 2022, neighbors raised alarms about the abandoned Wedell Auto Electric shop, reporting that a hole in the roof was allowing squatters to enter the structure, alongside widespread graffiti, accumulated junk, inoperable vehicles, and dense overgrowth of invasive vegetation that obstructed public walkways. By May 2022, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections issued an Emergency Order and Notice of Violation, labeling the site a “high hazard” that jeopardized “life or limb” for those in the area due to its decaying structure and unsafe conditions. To address these risks, the owners were required to secure all entry points with plywood and clear the property of hazardous debris, inoperable vehicles, and invasive blackberry bushes and weeds.
The site was demolished circa 2023, though maintenance issues persisted into July 2023, with reports of overgrown shrubbery again obstructing the public walkway on NE 71ST ST. By early 2025, follow-up inspections confirmed that the site-related violations had been resolved and no further issues were observed, indicating that the immediate hazards had been successfully mitigated. Current visual evidence from June 2026 shows the site remains a vacant, fenced-in lot, effectively resolving the structural and safety problems that previously impacted the community.
Although Isola is actively working on the site, having recently extended their permit to January 2028, to complete the demolition of the former Wedell auto shop, the potential risk of encampments and overgrown vegetation still remains. Should such hazards arise, we can garner city attention by directly submitting a report to the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDC) by phone at 206-615-0808 or by the “Make a Complaint” widget on their online portal.
Project Valuation
| Year | Total Appraised Value |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,710,000 |
| 2024 | $2,671,000 |
| 2023 | $2,543,000 |
| 2022 | $2,639,000 |
| 2021 | $2,499,000 |
| 2020 | $2,357,000 |
| 2019 | $1,850,000 |
| CAGR | 6.569% |
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: Recommendation Meeting
- Project Proposal 2: Early Design Guidance
- Project Proposal 3: Recommendation Phase
- Project Proposal 4: Published Decision/Recommendation
- Projects Page Featuring 7012 Project by Owner, Isola Communities
- Project Renders by Architect, SHW
- Ordinance 125791
- Chapter 23.58C.040 – Mandatory Housing Affordability for Residential Development, Payment Option
- Chapter 23.58C.050 – Mandatory Housing Affordability for Residential Development, Performance Option
- Ordinance 126693
- 6738371-DM-008 Request, Expiring in January 2028
- Kidder Mathews: What are Efficiency Dwelling Units?
- Parcel Info for 7012 Roosevelt Way NE
- Parcel Info for 1007 NE 71ST ST