The ground has broken on the first of several major mixed-use developments in and around the West Seattle Junction that are expected to change the "synergy" of the area.

Capco Plaza, a seven-story apartment/retail building under construction on Southwest Alaska Street between 41st and 42nd avenues southwest, will give the Junction more of a "downtown atmosphere," said the developer Leon Capelouto.

"This creates some synergy," said Capelouto, who owns several properties in the area. "It will really help and benefit the Junction. I think it will create more commerce and pedestrian traffic."

At a West Seattle Design Review Board meeting earlier this year, the project was criticized for not being pedestrian friendly enough. Capelouto said the final approved design includes "community givebacks" that promote pedestrian traffic, such as a set back of 5 feet along Alaska Way to widen the sidewalk.

The two main commercial tenants will be a 40,000-square-foot QFC grocery store and a 20,000-square-foot Office Depot. QFC will have an entrance on the corner of 42nd and Alaska and access to the office supply store will be along 41st and Alaska.

Another 7,000 square feet is available for more retail. There's been a lot of interest, but Capelouto has not yet made a decision.

There are plans to create a "community area" with benches and tables next to the QFC entrance. It's also meant to tie to the new Junction Plaza Park to be built in the vacant lot across 42nd.

The first two underground levels of the new project will be for parking. A third underground level will hold Office Depot and the fourth level, above grade, will be QFC, with another parking floor above it.

Three floors with 160 apartment units will be located on top of that and will terrace down from west to east. It includes a total of 365 parking spaces, more than the minimum required by the city of Seattle.

"We wanted to have ample parking," Capelouto said. "It's important to supply parking."

Capelouto expects the project to be completed in about two years but plans to have the two major retail stores operating within 16 months at the earliest, while the apartments are still being finished.

Capelouto is a longtime Junction property and business owner. He ran Shafran's Apparel on California

Avenue for 40 years, which was located where the Matador restaurant is now.

He said his project is similar to other existing and planned developments in the area, such as Jefferson Square and Fauntleroy Place, a six-story, 185-unit apartment complex along with a Whole Foods Market planned at the intersection of Alaska Street and Fauntleroy Way.

That project is in the pre-permitting stages and is on track for construction to begin by March with an expected completion date of September 2009, according to a representative for the developers BlueStar.

Capelouto said his project wouldn't change the feel of the community, but instead enhance the "general commerce of the area."

"My goal is not to take away from the avenue..." he said. "People understand that this is a good thing. We've provided more goods and services and more places for people to live and that can't be a bad thing."

Capelouto has the support of the West Seattle Junction Association, as well as the Chamber of Commerce.

West Seattle Chamber Executive Director Patti Mullen said large-scale developments could be a positive change for the Junction.

"We are very supportive of all the projects that are being developed in the Junction," said Mullen. "(Capelouto's building) will be the project that starts to turn around the energy in the Junction."

President of the Junction Association Dave Montoure said Capco Plaza is a direct result of the city's "urban village" model and neighborhood planning.

He's confident that growth will roughly follow recommendations in the Junction neighborhood plan; development directly along California Avenue should remain one or two story with larger scale buildings built mostly on the outskirts to preserve that "Mayberry feel."

One obvious impact will be the influx of residents that go along with the mixed use, said Montoure. Currently, there are a few smaller apartment and condo buildings, but nothing on the scale of Capelouto's and other planned projects.

Nightlife in the Junction is already vibrant and more residents within close proximity of the many restaurants and bars could create tensions.

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com