Commander's Keep
2317 Harbor Avenue SW, Seattle
$1,998,000
2317 Harbor Av SW: $1,998,000
2311 Harbor Av SW: $568,000
Purchase both parcels for $2,566,000
Astounding opportunity to acquire 32,000 SF potential compound of 2-3 utterly private properties anchored by grand contemporary chalet with conversation-stopping 180° views encompassing Mt Rainier, Duwamish shipping lanes, Port of Seattle, Columbia Tower, Pioneer Square, Smith Tower, Seattle Waterfront Park, Space Needle. Sited on 24000 SF hilltop lot, 3700 SF chalet has AADU and may qualify for DADU. Adjoining parcel preserves the forever views and comprises a 6000 SF cliff segment that could accommodate up to 3 homes and a 2500 SF harbor segment, candidate for rezoning to match commercial zoning of its neighbors. Lucrative potential awaits in this rare offering near North Admiral amenities, short stroll from Water Taxi to downtown Seattle.
32,000 SF potential multi-dwelling compound
Luxurious 3670 SF chalet
4 BR 3.25 BA
Built 1980
AADU and potential DADU
Easy stroll to Water Taxi to downtown Seattle
Panoramic active nautical views
Completely private estate
2-car detached garage with workshop
Magical hilltop woodland setting
Rezoning potential to commercial
Close to Alki and North Admiral
The Chalet: Alpine Resort with Epic Maritime Views
Deluxe Sanctuary. Luxuriate in the tranquil seclusion of your turreted chalet atop a rugged bluff, as you plan your next takeover or incubate your IPO; no noisy neighbors or nosy passersby will intrude on your laser focus. Enjoy wholesome downtime exploring the hillside forest or waterside Alki Trail with your trusted canine companion. Host large-scale events on the vast observation deck and mesmerize your guests with eagle’s-eye vistas of nautical traffic in the Port of Seattle and the Duwamish shipping lanes. Opulent and textural interior finishes – slate, stone, Patagonian rosewood – sumptuously frame your art and antiquities.
Customizable Comfort. Bring your architect and create the perfectly functional palatial home of your dreams by seamlessly adjusting interior partitions and/or inserting a stairway to connect the lower level, currently configured as a self-contained guest suite with a private entrance. To spur your imagination, modified floorplans are included.
Built To Last. A profound feat of engineering (and commissioned, in fact, by Boeing engineer Charles F. Bernert as his own residence), the chalet is securely moored to its hilltop site by a massive concrete foundation. An engineer’s meticulous attention to detail distinguishes the masonry and construction.
The Compound
Opportunity to Expand and Add Significant Value. In Your Own Backyard. Take advantage of the chalet’s SF7500 zoning and pristine 24000 SF lot to add a detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) with similarly dynamic panoramic maritime views. Buyers contemplating this path should verify with the City of Seattle the viability of their project; the seller makes no assurances as to the feasibility of development.
Room To Grow. The adjoining 6000 SF cliffside lot, 2306 Lotus Ave SW, affords the opportunity to add up to three newly constructed homes, while safeguarding the chalet’s extraordinary views. Combine this lot with a segment from the chalet’s grounds to capitalize on SF7500 zoning. Buyers contemplating this path should verify with the City of Seattle the viability of their project; the seller makes no assurances as to the feasibility of development.
Lucrative Potential for Commercial Zoning. The 2500 SF lot at 2311 Harbor Ave SW, currently zoned SF7500, presents a profitable rezoning opportunity in a rapidly appreciating commercial submarket. Apply for commercial rezoning to match the westerly neighbor’s CI-55 (M) zoning. Buyers contemplating this path should verify with the City of Seattle the viability of their project; the seller makes no assurances as to the feasibility of development.
Icons of Pacific Northwest History
Respect for the Past. The Duwamish people, known to have inhabited Western Washington for 10000 years, have lived in the Alki region since the sixth century CE. The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center (DLCC), an archaeological and cultural conservation project launched in the 1990s and completed in 2009, pays tribute to this rich continuous history at a site 2 ½ miles from Commander’s Keep, on the Duwamish Waterway appropriately across the street from the ancestral village hah-AH-poos, also known as Duwamish Site 1. Designed by Byron Barnes of Potlatch Architects, the two-story post-and-beam cedar-log longhouse incorporates the stylistic features of traditional Duwamish longhouse construction, including generous skylights for natural illumination by day (and moonlit night) as well as removable partitions that allow the structure to accommodate 200 guests. In collaboration with the Burke Museum of UW, the DLCC houses and exhibits archaeological artifacts for study by visiting scholars and the public. The tribal kitchen preserves and hands down Duwamish culinary tradition.
Coney Island of the West. Established in 1907 on a boardwalk pier built on pilings, the famous (and infamous) West Seattle amusement park Luna Park at Duwamish Head, a mile from Commander’s Keep, welcomed thrill-seekers for a 10-cent admission ticket purchased at the Alhambra-themed main entrance on Alki Avenue. The 12-acre park’s attractions included a Figure 8 rollercoaster that traveled at six miles an hour, a carousel hand-carved by German immigrant Charles Looff (who designed major carousels from coast to coast), a natatorium (Luna Pool), and a live bear pit. It also boasted the longest bar in Elliott Bay. Outraged women and irate Prohibitionists shut down the park’s rides in 1913 because of its manager’s ties to prostitution and organized crime. The pilings on which Luna Park was built can still be seen at Anchor Park on Duwamish Head when the tide is very low.
Aeronautical Experiments. In summer 1908 Luna Park hosted a rare exhibition of a hand-constructed airship made from 300 lbs of Japanese silk by daredevil aviation pioneer L. Guy Mecklem. On June 27th 1908 Mecklem took his creation for a spin – the first manned flight in Seattle. The ill-omened expedition ended with a tugboat rescue of Mecklem and his vehicle from Elliott Bay. Undeterred, the adventurous Mecklem took to the skies again on July 4th in the freshly mended airship and this time won a race against multiple automobiles before landing near the Duwamish River. Commander’s Keep preserves and celebrates the risk-taking spirit of L. Guy Mecklem. Follow in the inventive footsteps of the previous owner, who hand built two airplanes in the detached two-car garage/workshop.
Effortless Access
Equidistant from the idyllic beach-town ambience of Alki and the prosperous bustle of Admiral, Commander’s Keep offers effortless access to West Seattle’s stellar outdoor recreation, plentiful everyday amenities, and characteristically laid-back restaurant culture. When you wish to venture across Elliott Bay to Downtown Seattle, saunter down the hill to Seacrest Dock for a scenic 12-minute foot-ferry ride – a speedy and dramatic way to swoop into town, whether your destination is a home game, a power lunch, or an evening at the opera.
