While developers usually minimize the number of parking spaces they provide in new projects to keep costs down, a West Seattle-based group is planning a condominium building near the Junction with plenty of extra parking for commuters.

Planned for the 4500 block of 41st Avenue Southwest, the new development would stand about seven stories tall and have 50 to 60 condo units. Normally the city requires 1.25 parking spaces per unit but BCK Investments, the developers, want a building with parking for more than 200 cars. The surplus parking spaces would be rented to commuters, who would take a bus or carpool to work from the Junction.

"When we acquired the property several years ago, we thought we would just build townhouses there," said Kevin Krout, a partner in BCK Investments.

But they noticed a scarcity of street parking in the neighborhood. The group has West Seattle ties and had become concerned about future traffic congestion in West Seattle after voters gave up on the monorail proposal and with looming worries about years of future construction to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

That got them thinking about ways to design their project that might help ease the traffic crunch around the Junction.

Working with the Junction-based firm of Nicholson Kovalchick Architects, BCK Investments and its own West Seattle Construction approached King County Metro with their idea. A similar project in Renton has already shown much promise, Krout said.

BCK Investments received support for the idea from Metro as well as King County Executive Ron Sims. The additional parking spaces would be part of a "park and pool" facility, a place where West Seattle commuters could park their cars and either catch a Metro bus or be part of a carpool to get to work downtown, Boeing, the Eastside and other work destinations.

The developers would commit to build the "park and pool" if Metro would agree to lease the parking garage for 30 years, Krout said. While Metro officials expressed interest, they don't have money in their budget for it. So the developers are hoping to generate public support for the project so money could be budgeted for it in the future.

Krout and his partners are considering offering residents of the new condos free Metro bus passes for five years to encourage transit use.

In the evening after commuters have come and gone, the park and pool facility could be used by theater-goers, diners and Junction shoppers.

Such a project would require a change in zoning. Currently the property is zoned L-3. Park and pool facilities are not allowed in L-3 zones so the developers plan to apply for a "contract rezone" to a neighborhood-commercial zone with a 65-foot height limit.

Architect Brandon Nicholson said the construction site is on a considerable slope, which could help hide much of the parking garage. The rear of the property is 24 feet higher than the front so much of the four parking levels could be underground.

Most of the condos would be one- and two-bedroom units with some studios mixed in, Nicholson said.

The lower floors with the parking garage would stretch nearly from lot line to lot line, but the condo floors above would be stepped inward and cover about 64 percent of the lot surface.

BCK Investments is behind the large new mixed-use building under construction on the west side of California Avenue just south of Dakota Street.

The site of the planned development currently has three houses and two garages, which would be demolished.

Krout pointed out that a seven-story development is planned nearby, which will house a new grocery store and many condominium units. Several other mixed-use developments are planned in nearby blocks too.

The proposal recently went before the West Seattle Design Review Board, which is studying the concept now.

Tim St. Clair can be reached at tstclair@robinsonnews.com or 932-0300.