Big Pioneer Square renovations include F.X. McRory’s building

Urban Villages Inc. has some big plans for Pioneer Square.

The Denver company announced Tuesday that it has plans for a a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of three buildings in Seattle’s senior neighborhood. The project will require retrofitting and refurbishing of three long-standing buildings:

• The Manufacturer's Building at 419 Occidental Avenue, home to F.X. McRory’s.
• The Westland Building at 100 S. King Street, home of The Pioneer Collective and Live Nation.
• The former Schoenfeld Furniture building at 115 S. Jackson Street.

The focus on the project will be on creating “active alleyways,” transforming the spaces in-between buildings into retail and dining hubs. Think Post Alley 2.0.

"From unique dining choices to boutique retail to farmers' markets and festivals, the alley corridor between the buildings will capitalize on the growing energy in Pioneer Square to be more than a thoroughfare, but a true destination," said Jon Buerge, vice president of UVI. "These buildings, streets and alleys were originally built decades ago to facilitate the transportation of goods, but today we can reactivate them to convene people, ideas and energy while maintaining their historic appeal."

UVI also plans to renovate each building for Class AA office space as well as upgrading mechanical systems and more creating more interior spaces for residential, retail and office tenants.

Joe Mabel

One tenant who won’t be benefitting from that boost in space is F.X. McRory's. The Seattle bar & restaurant institution will actually end up losing about half of its square-footage in the Manufacturer's Building. Per PSBJ, proprietor Mick McHugh agreed to give up the west section of the business but kept the bar and patios. He’s currently negotiating a new lease with UVI.

Historic Block in Seattle's Pioneer Square to be Revitalized Through Renovations and Investment [NO]

Pioneer Square block redevelopment will shrink FX McRory's [PSBJ]