The two towers of Wayfarer Apartments rise ten stories above a sloping site in Seattle’s Yesler Terrace neighborhood. The project’s developer opted for a modern palette integrating elements from diverse eras. Wayfarer has 261 apartment units, a guest suite, a 130-stall garage, tenant storage, and bicycle parking. The project achieved LEED Gold certification.
Wayfarer includes a unique blend of amenities: a podcast studio, two-story library, art gallery, parlor, conservatory, as well as designated rooms for gaming, cards, and music. The project also features a roof deck, courtyard, sports court, club room, dog wash, fitness center, and workspaces. These amenity spaces include several high-end finishes, such as decorative plaster walls, wood ceilings, curved tile and wood openings infilled with curved storefronts, quartz slab walls, hanging metal armatures, and a custom 2-story wood wall feature in the library. In addition to the unique interior features, Wayfarer also has ten curved concrete bioretention planters on the Boren Ave frontage, the largest nearly 25 feet in diameter.
W.G. Clark navigated several challenges during this project. With the existing site having contaminated soils, our team worked carefully with the geotechnical engineer to evaluate and ensure the soils were disposed of appropriately. As soils were removed and deeper excavations continued, excess water was discovered. A wellpoint construction dewatering system and 142 additional stone column rigid inclusions were needed to stabilize the site. W.G. Clark overcame these hurdles during excavation with proactive measures and innovative adjustments, leading to minimal impact on Wayfarer’s schedule.
