First Press on the Ship Lofts
The Ship Lofts Development has made it into the news! Puget Sound Business Journal was the first to pick up on us.
“Developer plans ship-shaped luxury condo building on Foss Waterway” by Shawna De La Rosa
Full Text:
As more companies migrate to the South Sound, David Grieshaber bets high-paid executives will be looking
for luxury living close to water.
To meet that need, Grieshaber, who founded a sustainable-housing company called Ship Lofts LLC, plans to
develop a 31-unit mixed-use condominium development on the shores of the Thea Foss Waterway. Units will
likely start above $1 million.
The site, at 1179 Dock St., is situated between the 11th Street and East 21st Street bridges. Grieshaber said
he expects the development, currently in the design and planning phase, to be complete by 2024 or 2025.
He is currently seeking equity partners.
The trapezoid-shaped project, called Ship Lofts, will be designed to resemble a ship. Its footprint closely fits
the odd-shaped waterfront lot, which is long and narrow. Grieshaber said he is negotiating to hire an
undisclosed architect.
“It’s a skinny piece of property and other developers couldn’t figure out what to do with it,” he said. “We had
the idea for the building and it fit perfectly on the site.”
Eco Industrial House has a purchase agreement on the land while it evaluates the site’s feasibility. The 1.3-
acre property is listed for sale at $3.5 million. Though the site is currently a parking lot, a fruit processing
plant operated there for 110 years.
The property is owned by 1179 Dock LLC. Its directors are listed as Beth Hilton, Leslie Trucco-Hilton and
Kevin Trucco, according to public records.
“So far so good,” Grieshaber said. “We went through the special permitting process and there were no red
flags.”
The five-story building would be 100,000 square feet, with 60,000 of that used for livable space. Units would
range from 1,000 to 3,500 square feet, with one to two bedrooms and 15.5-foot ceilings. Grieshaber expects
to add about 1,700 square feet of office space.
The project will aim to be carbon neutral, sustainable and eco-friendly. Mass timber will be used throughout
as an homage to the area’s mill history. The project will also include fruit trees, which will reflect the site’s
fruit processing past. He plans to attain Living Building Challenge and Salmon-Safe Puget Sound
certifications.
“We believe all buildings should be built with the highest level of sustainability now,” he said.
Grieshaber is also chief information officer at Gamerz Golf, which is building a golf entertainment center in
Fircrest.
