Review board OKs six stories for 15th Ave E mixed-use development planned for old QFC block

The East Design Review Board has approved plans for a six-story mixed-use development at the old QFC block on 15th Ave E in Capitol Hill, Seattle. The project, developed by Hunters Capital and designed by Runberg Architecture Group, aims to revitalize the area with a new plaza and additional retail spaces, while preserving a cherished European hornbeam tree. Despite some opposition from local residents regarding the building's height, the design includes features intended to transition smoothly into the adjacent lower areas. The approval can still be appealed to the city’s Hearing Examiner, although no such appeals have been filed so far. As the project moves forward, existing structures, including the old QFC grocery store and the historic Moore Family building, will be demolished.

The neighborhood is already feeling the impact of redevelopment, with ShopRite announcing its closure and Rudy’s relocating to a nearby Hunters Capital project. Construction is expected to begin within the next year, marking a significant transformation for 15th Ave E. This development is part of a broader wave of revitalization in Capitol Hill, which also includes a Safeway redevelopment project planned for 15th and John.