With KFC razed, work begins on 86 Ballard units

Backyard chickens in Ballard will breathe easier now, knowing that Col. Sanders has ended his reign of poultry terror at 1140 N.W. Market St. The old KFC was razed in recent months, and crews working for Blueprint Capital are now starting the early earth work for a planned apartment building.

Also acting as its own architect, Blueprint obtained its master use permit in May for the five-story, 86-unit project. It acquired the land just over a year ago for about $2.2 million. The old working title, Lagom Living, may’ve been dropped.

Six apartments will be affordable, to meet Mandatory Housing Affordability requirements. All the units will be SEDUs (small efficiency dwelling units), with units averaging around 276 square feet. No parking is included, but tenants would have 76 bike stalls.

The team also includes Riley Group, geotechnical; Emerald Land Surveying; Blueline Group, civil engineer; BEE Consulting, energy; Swenson Say Faget, structural; and Root of Design, landscape architect.

No commercial space is included in the project, which totals about 37,413 square feet. That includes a 2,313-square-foot roof deck overlooking Market, from the building’s southwest corner.

And future tenants will be able to get McNuggets at the McDonald’s across the street.