23rd & Jackson
APRIL 5, 2021 | SEATTLE, WA
Revitalizing the Legacy of 23rd & Jackson
Sitting just shy of the banks of Lake Washington, in Seattle, WA is the newly constructed multi-family apartment complex Jackson Apartments. Owned by Vulcan Real Estate, the revitalization of the corner block started back in February 2016 when the company purchased the 23rd Promenade and massive parcels of land nearby, noting, “We are excited to introduce housing to this very prominent intersection in the Central Area”.
Interior designed by Vida Design and executed by Exxel Pacific, this project was a massive undertaking. ACME had the opportunity to work alongside these dedicated teams, aiding in the fabrication of casework, wall treatments, upholstery, and accents used throughout the complex.
For over a century, the intersection of 23rd & Jackson has been a local hub of Seattle, constantly changing and evolving as the years pass. Rachel Sowieja, Founder and Principal of Vida Design, said the concept behind the design was, “… inspired by the eclecticism of the neighborhood and the history of the Central District. There are so many wonderful stories here around the arts as well as cultural and civic leadership. There is a lot of vibrancy here that was captured in our design.”
To demonstrate the wide mix of communities that called the corner of 23rd & Jackson home, it was integral that the interior furniture reflected the legacy in the wide mix of materials.
“The custom hand-crafted details for FF&E [furniture, fixtures, and environments] and case goods used throughout the building help to tell the story and create memorable moments in the Amenity spaces.”
Sheena Brittingham, Director of Design and Principal for Vida, mentioned the lobby in particular as an important element in capturing the final aesthetic, “The main mixed materials lobby wall which incorporated yardsticks, caning, glass, wood, and rope was a crucial part of our design that we needed to get exactly right. ACME did an incredible job working with our team to achieve the design brilliantly.
Through this mix of familiarity and variety in materials, the memoirs of 23rd & Jackson were able to be brought home.
Years of history captured within newly painted walls, Rachel added, “This project evolved over a four year period, but the actual design about 6 months – fast and furious!”. After redraft and redraft, it was finally time to get to work bringing this dream into reality.
Whatever your vision, our team can bring it to life.
When ACME started fabrication, Exxel Pacific was adding the final touches to the interior structure. This would be the largest scale commercial interior project our team had undertaken, and great experience towards our future projects. ACME fabricated a majority of the casework, wall panels, wall art, metal shelving, and stainless-steel countertops in most of the common areas and employee workrooms.
In the Sky Lounge, our team built the metal shelving, main cabinetry, and island used for day-to-day activities. Located just right of the Sky Lounge kitchen, we crafted custom felt paneling to dampen noise levels in the communal pods.
Similar to the Sky Lounge, the Social Lounge we fabricated the island, back bar banquette, wall paneling, red upholstery couch, and cabinets. After installed, the team at Exxel Pacific came through to add the final tiling touches seen in finishing.
The mixed-material lobby art installation required a two-part application with our team installing the initial draft in location and coming back later to add the final touch ups. Throughout this creative process, we made sure the final product matched the vision our clients had for the space.
In the Fitness Center, we created a custom bookcase to surround the water fountain station, while also crafting a wooden, green wall panel for a splash of color to the room.
Take a Limitation and Turn it Into An Opportunity.
The gallery planter sectional also added an opportunity for our team to demonstrate their ingenuity. The original rendering from Vida Design had the appearance of floating frames in between the planter boxes, however with the hanging hardware that had already been approved, there was no way of achieving that design in an attractive fashion. Our team came up with a plan to create laminated wood designed from the original base, and have the frames attached to that and still maintain their floating appearance.
The distinctive shape of the leasing lobby banquette and nuances of surrounding the concrete support column was a unique challenge for our team. We fabricated two separate pieces that locked together around the column for a seamless finish. The coordination and planning came together in a smooth and flawless installation.
Overall, this fabrication project took around 2 years for completion, working around delays from quarantine orders. Starting back in 2018 with the initial draft, to installing the final custom piece in 2020, this has been a project worked on with hardened dedication and passion.
Was the Design Achieved?
“We are really thrilled with how it turned out. With the help of ACME as a trusted partner in crafting so many of the amazing custom details, it truly did end up looking just like our renderings- actually even better! We truly could not have done it without your team!”, said Rachel Sowiaeja of Vida Design.
She went on to add, “We also have to give so many thanks to the incredible client, Vulcan Real Estate, for allowing us to step outside the box and really push some boundaries. In addition, the construction team at Exxel Pacific worked so tirelessly to make sure every detail was executed as planned.”
23rd & Jackson is now available for leasing, with Vulcan Real Estate recently partnering with Ventures to fill retail space with small, local businesses on the lower floors.
Jackson Apartments was a project filled with passion and determination. From Vulcan Real Estate funding the revitalization, to Vida Design creating an environment that brings the community together, to Exxel Pacific ensuring standards were met on every aspect, to ACME fabricating the vision that was crafted for captivating the community for years to come.
“We appreciate the amazing collaboration with ACME on Jackson, and look forward to an enduring partnership on projects for years to come! Let’s keep making magic happen together!”
We asked Vida Design their plans for this upcoming year: “For 2021, Vida will continue to focus on marching forward with our wonderful clients and friends (like ACME!), up and out of the pandemic. It has been a tough year, but we are stronger for it. We will be focusing on expanding into some new exciting regions and will also look for any opportunity we can to do work that will positively impact communities.”
We look forward to seeing what comes from Vida Design, and the changes coming to ACME for 2021. Stay tune for new and exciting updates on both fronts!
We want to give a huge thanks to Vida Design for allowing us the opportunity to interview them for this piece. They provided incredible insight into what created 23rd & Jackson a special project.
Be sure to check out all of the businesses mentioned in this article to see more of the incredible work they’ve done. If you want to hear more about 23rd & Jackson or what else ACME has done, send us an email at info@acmescenic.com or give us a call at 503.335.1400.
All Photography Used (c) Shelsi Linquist Photography
