Alta Arlo
Designed during a period of strong emphasis on on-site stormwater management, the project incorporates bioretention planters throughout the central courtyard. These raised, landscaped elements serve ecological and social purposes, creating natural screens between private patios and shared spaces and encouraging residents to make full use of their outdoor areas.
Located in the heart of Columbia City, this 340,650 SF mixed-use development is designed as an active extension of the neighborhood. Restaurants, shops, offices, and live-work spaces line the street-facing façades, arranged to complement the nearby library, community center, and playfields. Open plazas and public spaces reinforce the project as an inclusive part of the community.
Details
LOCATION Seattle WA
SIZE 340,650 SF
COMPLETED 2022
STORIES 7
UNITS 243
PHOTOGRAPHY Andrew Nam
The building draws from the area’s historic context through its brick façades and regular window rhythms, reinterpreted with modern scale and detailing. Larger brick modules, expanded openings, and playful railing patterns give the project a contemporary character. Thanks to the site’s irregular shape, the full scale of the development is revealed gradually as one moves around its frontages.
Columbia City is known for its walkable fabric and informal cut-throughs, a quality carried into Alta Arlo’s design. Two southwest-facing public plazas along Rainier create welcoming “community living rooms” and extend the retail frontage along the street. From the southern courtyard, visitors can glimpse the central residential courtyard, maintaining privacy for residents while preserving visual connection. A through-block passage links Rainier Avenue and S Alaska Street and includes commercial office space, an amenity much needed in the neighborhood.
The project includes 240 homes, from studios to two-bedroom apartments, organized around a central courtyard. A range of amenities offers residents places for gathering and retreat, including an activity lawn, fire pits, outdoor kitchen, and an all-season amenity pavilion. The roof deck adds panoramic views, lush landscaping, a pet relief area, and a mini golf course, while a fitness room, coworking lounge, and double-height lobby further connect daily life to the street and courtyard.
