First of two Valdok buildings opens in Ballard

On the corner of 17th Avenue NW and NW 56th Street in Ballard, Valdok I, opened its doors on October 15. It was it designed by local architecture firm Clark Barnes, along with its eventual neighbor, the Valdok II.

The project, as part of paying homage to the Scandinavian heritage of Ballard, was named after Bjorn Leo Valdok, the former owner of some of the land where the building now stands. Valdok, who was originally born in Tjme, Norway, moved to Seattle in 1959. He worked on a halibut fishing boat for his first year in town before establishing an accounting practice. He died in 2014; the Valdok family sold the property in 2016 for $3.5 million.

Valdok II is split into three parts, with a middle section set back from the street to allow for more robust outdoor space. On the ground floor, this translates with to elevated patios with outside entries and planters for ground-floor units (or closer to the ground for live-work units); above, that means terraces. On either end, the building’s thicker sections contain ground-floor retail with apartments above.

Like the name, designs are Scandinavian-inspired—which is often shorthand for minimalism, but here it comes with wood accents in siding, dividers, and awnings. Wood-slat details continue into the common areas, bordering a chunky metal fireplace, dividing common areas, and accenting cabinetry.

Shared amenities include a gym, co-working space, a dog park, a resident lounge, a roof deck—complete with gardening space for residents!—and bike storage.

The units themselves sport the airy, modern, open-concept look that has come to define new construction in Seattle, with nine-foot ceilings and tall windows. Apartments range from studio to two-bedroom; currently available units rent for $1,845 to $3,185 per month.

Clark Barnes also designed the Crane, an Interbay project that opened to residents earlier this year, and the Elara by Pike Place Market. Valdok I is owned by Lennar Multifamily Communities.

This article has been updated to reflect that Valdok is owned by Lennar Multifamily Communities, not just Lennar.