At the end of 2011, the 2500 block of Montrose Street looked like it would soon experience a host of changes. Metro Impact had introduced a project called Montrose Court, which would have meant the construction of eight new homes on the north side of the block and three homes on its south side. Though some neighbors on Christian Street had problems with the height of the proposed homes due to concerns about shadows, we were pretty confident that the project would get built quickly.
Years went by, and the project wasn't happening, though the two-story homes that populated the north side of the block were eventually demolished. Earlier this year, a hole appeared on the south side of the block and we thought that the project was finally getting underway. Alas, the block still sits undeveloped and the Montrose Court lots are overgrown.
Recently, a reader tipped us off that the project will almost definitely not be taking place as originally conceived. They directed us to a listing for one of the lots on the north side of the street which boasts approved zoning permits to build a double-wide quadplex with 5,200 sqft of interior space. The lot consolidation, zoning, soil testing, demolition, and leveling are all finished. One of these lots can be yours for the price of $355K. If you'd like, you can purchase five consolidated lots on the north side of the block for $1.775M. You could do rentals or condos, though we're guessing that parking would be out of the question.
As for the south side, we have no idea what's happening and when. It seems possible that Metro or another developer could easily build three homes here, as building permits for two homes are already pulled from L&I. Maybe it's just a little more patience that's necessary to see at least some of the Montrose Court project get built. What do you think is better on this block? Eight homes with garages or twenty apartment units? Whichever you prefer, it seems we'll be getting the latter.