Developers and Bainbridge Island residents Dave Christianson and Terry McGuire shared details and took questions about their proposed community workspace for arts and artisan Monday night during a public meeting.
Christianson is with Tseng Properties, LLC, which is leading the development on a 4.5-acre property off of Day Road near the Bainbridge Island Saddle Club’s facility.
Only 1.5 acres of the site is buildable land because of wetlands, said Michael Wangen, the Bainbridge Island architect working on the project.
Construction on the 10-building project, known as Creative Space, could start as early as this summer and be finished in six to 12 months, said Christianson.
Island Craft, a similar artist development, is being constructed nearby Creative Space on Day Road.
All 10 of the Creative Space buildings are 40 feet by 48 feet, and proposed uses include boat and vehicle restoration, woodwork, painting or sculpture work. Space is not intended to be used for office or retails space, although there could be display and sales events open to the public, Christianson said.
Two of the buildings would be 1.5 stories with a 1,920-square-foot garage on the first floor and a 920-square-foot loft above. One building would be a residence for the facility’s manager. No other units would have residential space.
Eight of the buildings would be divided into two studio spaces, each side about 960 square feet, with the possibility a 440-square-foot storage loft. Tenants could potentially rent the whole building.
The developers want to rent space at about 75 cents a square foot, they said Monday.
McGuire said the goal is to rent the 960-square-foot studios for about $720. A unit with a loft would be about $1,050. The final price would depend on construction costs, which are still unknown, she said.
McGuire and Christianson also live next to and have their own personal workspace by the proposed development. They have lived on the island for about 25 years, Christianson said.
Access to Creative Space would be off of the same gravel road used to drive to the Saddle Club facility and Manzanita Park.
There are no proposed changes to the road or its overhead tree canopy, although about a dozen Saddle Club members at Monday’s meeting voiced concerns about who would maintain the road with the new development.
There is an easement for the road use and the county will be looking into who is responsible for the road’s upkeep according to that easement, said Heather Beckmann, a planner with the city.
Christianson said he was “willing to pony up” and help maintain the road.
“If I am causing wear and tear on the road, I have to cover the expense,” he said.
Saddle Club members also were concerned whether the road could handle more traffic and how how safe it would be because it has mainly been used as a trail.
Juliet LeDorze suggested creating a trail alongside the road for equestrians and pedestrians.
Beckmann said the city would talk to the park district about that possibility.
The project is in the pre-application phase and there will be another public comment period after an application has been submitted to the city.
