Neighborhood Spotlight: Ballard

Seattle is a city made up many of unique neighborhoods. Whether you are looking for trendy shops, fresh and local restaurants, or a natural escape within the city limits, each neighborhood has its own charm. Martin Selig Real Estate is excited to be opening our first commercial real estate space in Ballard, at 15th and Market, projected to be available in 2019. Whether you are looking for Ballard retail space for lease, a commercial space for lease in Seattle, or would simply like to learn more about this historic neighborhood, here are a few reasons you should consider making Ballard your company’s next home.    

A Brief History of Ballard

At the end of the 19th century, Ballard was not a neighborhood but a thriving city of its own. In the 1880’s, historical accounts say ship captain William Rankin Ballard lost a coin toss with his business partner. The consolation prize was 160-acre of “worthless timberland” northwest of Downtown Seattle. Captain Ballard opened a sawmill on his newly acquired land and founded a settlement which he gave his family name.

Through the end of the 19th century, this city and started attracting many immigrants particularly from Scandinavian countries. With the help of the plentiful “worthless” timber, the city prospered. It became one of the world’s largest exporters of wooden shingles, exporting over 300 million in 1898 alone. However, the city’s population continued to grow and infrastructure could not keep up. As health risks mounted at the turn of the century, Ballard was annexed and became part of Seattle in 1907.

Ballard Today

Though you won’t find many wooden shingle exporters these days, you’ll still see Scandinavian flags flying and references to Ballard’s former nickname “Shingletown” throughout the area. Today, Ballard is known for its Pacific Northwest feel, nautical charm, and of course, great-tasting seafood fresh from the Puget Sound. A few reasons to make Ballard your company’s next home include:

Transportation and Walkability

Rather than navigating the hustle and bustle of Downtown, leasing a commercial space in Ballard gives you the opportunity to work in one of Seattle’s favorite neighborhoods. With prevalent bike lanes and open sidewalks, it is an easy neighborhood to get around without a car. This area is also served by neighborhood, express, and Rapid Ride bus lines making it easy to access by public transportation. If you do have a car, the community has more parking available than most downtown office spaces. In terms of commuting, average commute times from surrounding areas are typically:

• Ten minutes by car, 20 minutes by bus from Fremont
• 15 minutes by car, 30 minutes by bus from Queen Anne
• 15 minutes by car, 30 minutes by bus from Northgate/North Seattle
• 20 minutes by car, 35 minutes by bus from Downtown

Food and Amenities

Many Seattle residents will make a trip to Ballard on the weekends to dine at one of their many tasty restaurants and eateries. Working in Ballard would give you the chance to explore the area’s many food choices on the daily. Popular dining options in Ballard include:

• Many sit down restaurants and places for a quick bite
• Frequent stops from some of Seattle’s favorite food trucks
• Easy to access grocery stores, drug stores, and local farmers market
• Among the city’s most breweries per capita for a post-work craft beer

Additional Features

From fine dining to quirky shops along Market Street, there is no shortage of things to do in Ballard. Beyond the shopping and dining, Ballard has a host of outdoor spaces to make the most of as well.  

If you are partial to a post-work nature walk or outdoor jog, Ballard is the place to be. Golden Gardens and Discovery Park are two of Seattle’s favorite natural spaces within the city, and both are just minutes from Central Ballard. Whether you are interested in winter strolls through the woods or summertime beach volleyball, these parks are hard to beat.

At Martin Selig Real Estate, we are passionate about helping our tenants make the most of their experience working in our spaces. To learn more about our commercial real estate for lease in Ballard and beyond, explore our properties online!

Images courtesy of Flickr.com.