In this latest podcast episode, reporter Ray Dubicki and I discuss a notable housing trend in Seattle, the conversion of big-box Safeway grocery stores to mixed-units developments creating hundreds of units of new housing. My recent article on the 734 homes proposed at the site of the University Village Safeway grocery store in Northeast Seattle attracted some buzz, but it’s far from the only Safeway mixed-use development in the mix. University District, Queen Anne, Magnolia, and Capitol Hill Safeway sites all have development projects in the works as well.
Plus, there are other Safeways with huge surface level parking lots that would offer excellent opportunities to add housing near light rail in Southeast Seattle. Creating more housing, near both a grocery store and light rail station, feels like a smart move for Seattle’s future.
As promised in the episode, here’s a link to Ray’s iconic article on Ballard’s Fred Meyer. Sprawling big-box Fred Meyers, QFCs, Whole Foods, and so on across the city appear ripe for housing-above-grocery redevelopments, but Safeway redevelopments are leading the way thus far.
Oh and the 2,060 homes I mention in the podcast? It’s actually 1,772 that are either being built, or are in the works, above new Safeway mixed-use developments. Chalk my mistake up to the pressure of being on air — we are still working on our podcasting and editing chops! Even so, we hope you’ll find much to learn and enjoy in this episode.
Natalie Bicknell Argerious (she/her) is a reporter and podcast host at The Urbanist. She previously served as managing editor. A passionate urban explorer since childhood, she loves learning how to make cities more inclusive, vibrant, and environmentally resilient. You can often find her wandering around Seattle's Central District and Capitol Hill with her dogs and cat. Email her at natalie [at] theurbanist [dot] org.
