Mike Hlastala: a developer with vision and sense of civic duty
By Mona Lee
Mike Hlastala is a developer with a passion for his work. A lifetime of unique experiences has lead him to this career path, which he views as a privileged opportunity-not just to construct buildings, but to help build a better world.
Hlastala's Seattle roots date back a few generations but, because his father-a professor of respiratory physiology and biophysics-worked a number of years abroad, Hlastala spent several of his childhood years in Germany, Japan and other parts of the world.
Now, surrounded by a close-knit family of many wonderful relatives, Hlastala lives in Magnolia with his wife and family. He says he likes the small town feel of Magnolia, where folks tend to look out for one another.
Hlastala learned to appreciate how urban design can help create this sense of community while living abroad near walkable, high-density, transit-oriented neighborhoods where people get out and meet one another, shop in stores along the streets or gather in open spaces to discuss news of the day.
These kinds of places once dominated American home towns before automobile-oriented zoning mandated functional suburban arterials lined with strip malls, big-box stores and parking lots.
Hlastala explains that he wants to help return America to its old way of life, one neighborhood at a time. He is not alone. These hopes are shared by urban design architects such as James Howard Kunstler who call their movement "new urbanism." Hlastala studied the new urbanism Web site early in his career, and his architectural training at the University of Washington included an urban design studio centered around light-rail planning.
Hlastala says a love of building and construction is "in my blood." His great grandfather was a builder, and his family built their own house when he was a kid. As a child, he liked to draw and to construct miniature buildings with Legos. A friend of his fathers' introduced the youngster to the construction field and encouraged him to become an architect. So Hlastala later chose a dual major in architecture and construction management at the University of Washington.
Before teaming up with his friend Steve Rauf to found Othello Partners, Hlastala worked for Baugh Construction Company and then for Opus Northwest. He says he learned a lot at Opus, and felt proud to work for a company with strong ethics-one that designs, builds and develops its own projects.
On its Web site Opus claims: "We believe we've found a better way to build. It starts with a belief that if we listen more intently and collaborate more closely, together we will build structures that not only fulfill your vision for today, but inspire the lives of tomorrow."
It was during his work with Opus that Hlastala first met Rauf. They worked together on the Union Station development in Pioneer Square, and discovered that they shared a common interest in building urban, mixed-use developments around transit centers.
A special opportunity came when the mayor of Bremerton wanted to transform that city's downtown ferry terminal area, turning it from a huge, unsightly parking lot into a vibrant pedestrian center with mixed-use development. Hlastala says he takes pride in his belief that this development, for which he served as project manager, has brought families to the area and improved Bremerton's quality of life.
The Othello Partners business office is located in a townhouse on Chicago Street in New Holly Phase III, just a short walk from the Othello light rail station now under construction. The main room, sparsely furnished with only a dining room table and matching chairs, makes a peaceful, uncluttered impression. Its only adornments are a mantle piece and some drawings of the company's plans for their future developments on the northwest and southwest corners of Martin Luther King Way and South Othello Streets. This development-combining town homes, condominiums, apartments above with stores and restaurants below-will be situated virtually next door to the station.
Hlastala says he sees the Othello project as an ideal opportunity to realize his vision of a pedestrian friendly neighborhood with community spirit and a strong sense of place. Besides the prospect of a beautiful, well-designed light rail station, what attracted him most to Othello were its pedestrian amenities.
Adjacent to the lovely pastoral scene of Othello Park, the neighbors had already developed design guidelines that coincide well with his vision of the way a town center should unfold. Hlastala says he likes the fact that public art as well as a small plaza will be included in the light rail station area-just throw in a small fountain, some park benches, shops along the streets, trees, shrubs, maybe a sidewalk café or two and, of course, a good many pedestrians.
With its 700 residential units, the Othello Partners project will add a significant portion of those pedestrians. There will be two mixed-use buildings, one on either side of Othello Street. Included will be such amenities as green space, community meeting rooms, balconies, outdoor recreational facilities and more. Parking will be inside and not visible from the street.
Hlastala says he feels confident that the company's plan for only seven parking spaces per residential unit will not be a problem. In fact, he says he believes that adding fewer parking spaces to the neighborhood will be an asset, resulting in fewer cars. The company hopes to rent or sell parking spaces separately from residences, so that people without cars will not have to pay as much; this creates an incentive for occupation of the units by transit-oriented residents without cars.
Hlastala also anticipates that there will be a flex car program, wherein residents share cars. Othello will attract people who want to live near a light rail station, he says, because it will be more affordable not to have a car. This will be true especially as oil becomes scarcer and gas prices escalate.
Asked about the controversial issue of affordability, Hlastala said he is aware of the acute need for workforce housing in Seattle, especially in the Rainier Valley, which has traditionally been home to many working families. In discussions with local residents, he says he has heard individual's concerns that their children will not be able to live in the Valley as property values catch up with other parts of Seattle.
Even though Othello Partners faces the reality that building costs are increasing at the same pace, they still want to make their project a relatively affordable option to living downtown.
Asked what he means by "affordable," Hlastala said the company defines it as manageable for families whose incomes range is between 70 percent to 120 percent of the area's median income. Hlastala said that, given astronomical building costs, the tax-credit incentives he receives are essential for developing properties in this median range.
The project will consist of a combination of town homes and condominiums for sale as well as apartments for rent. The proportional balance between owned and rented properties will be determined by market research.
Part of Hlastala's job is contacting investors across the nation and convincing them of the project's financial viability. He said this has not been a hard sell; many investors are looking for just this type of attractive, transit-oriented development, which they see as the wave of a future without cheap oil. Some investors have even sought him out, Hlastala adds.
Attendance was strong on Sept. 11, when Othello Partners presented their initial concepts to Seattle's Design Review Board. One neighbor pointed out what he considered to be the irony of the meeting's date being the anniversary of a great tragedy involving two tall buildings known as the "twin towers." Noting that Hlastala and Rauf's planned six-story buildings will be much taller than any yet seen in Othello, this resident predicted a tragic future.
Picking up on the coined phrase, other neighbors, fearful that greater density will increase crime, now refer to the Othello Partners' project as "the twin towers." Hlastala admits he is saddened by the negative implications of this inappropriate comparison. He adds that he feels the term should be used in reverence for people who lost their lives in the Sept. 11 attack.
Hlastala insists that his company wants to listen to neighbors and help build a people-pleasing urban environment. He understands, however, that in response to change there will always be skeptics.
Hlastala and other neighborhood supporters of the project acknowledge the importance of public safety infrastructure such as police protection and good street lighting, but otherwise feel confident that a well-designed, high-density Othello development will bring more eyes on the street and therefore less crime.
