Proposal for West Coast's Tallest Skyscraper Won't Fly in Seattle

Federal regulators might have killed a proposal that would have built the tallest skyscraper on the West Coast in the city of Seattle.

1 minute read

January 4, 2016, 1:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Seattle

Anthon Jackson / Shutterstock

"The Federal Aviation Administration has sent a 'notice of presumed hazard' to the developer who has proposed to build a 102-story building at Fourth Avenue and Columbia Street in downtown Seattle," reports Marc Stiles.

The notice argues that the proposed tower would obstruct operations at Boeing Field. A shorter construction crane could also "interfere with helicopter flights to and from Harborview Medical Center," according to Stiles.

The notice also gave the project's developer, Miami-based Crescent Heights Inspirational Living, a path toward completion of the project: choosing a project alternative that would top the building out at 965 feet tall. The current tallest building on the West Coast is the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles, which stands 1,018 feet tall.

Monday, January 4, 2016 in Puget Sound Business Journal

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

15 minutes ago - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

1 hour ago - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

2 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.