Former Covenant House Location Gets Redo

The corner of 6th and F Street.

It's only now that I happen to be in the area of 6th and F, so I just thought I'd snap this photo of the redevelopment of the former Covenant House location. The project is being undertaken by Pfeffer Development, the same company that is currently building a low-rise in midtown and recently completed a First National Bank branch in the U-Med District. Occupying the former youth homeless shelter will be a Steam Dot Coffee, a new restaurant and bar called The Williwaw, and a revived Blues Central on the second floor. The one major thing Pfeffer's company did to the building was add an elevator shaft to the east of the building. With the elevator, patrons will be able to dine on the roof. For those who are curious, the Covenant House moved out of the building a few years ago and moved to a new larger building in east downtown. The building was originally home to the YMCA as early as the 1950s. The Williwaw will be owned by the same group that owns Humpy's and Flattop. Not surprising considering its location. This section of downtown is really starting to become something of its own. In related news, it may be safe to say Mark Pfeffer is counting on the building to receive many customers as plans are in the works to build a 16-story mixed-use tower on the 7th Avenue end of F Street. That project too is being developed by Pfeffer Development. 

Building by Pfeffer Rises in Midtown

I reported on this early last year when the building didn't yet have a main tenant. Fast forward to today and the six-story building being developed by Pfeffer Development will now be home to Kuukpik Corporation, a native corporation based out of the North Slope region. Groundbreaking started in October, but it is this summer that the steel is actually rising. What's great is that like Pfeffer's other projects, this building too will be placed up alongside the street making for easy sidewalk access. Both of Pfeffer's buildings on either side of the Kuukpik project already share that similar trait, so we now have three buildings on the south side of 36th Avenue reaching to the street with parking in the rear or side. As it stands now, Kuukpik will occupy one floor of the building while the rest will be up for lease.

By the way, check out the model boat made from baleen that was presented to Mark Pfeffer during the groundbreaking ceremony. It's a trip!