Ever wonder how luxury condos get their names? The Art Stable in South Lake Union has a surprisingly straightforward etymology: the five-unit building features niche amenities designed with artists and art collectors in mind, including large, hand-cranked doors meant to allow massive works to easily enter each home. And it sits on the site of a former horse stable.

Built in 2010, the same year Amazon moved into its current headquarters, the Art Stable reflects a pivotal time in South Lake Union history. The oxidized exterior and warehouse-style doors recall the neighborhood’s industrial past, while the rooftop davit crane, built to lift residents’ furniture and art pieces, foreshadowed the area’s building boom. “It’s an agenda for the next decade,” said one of the 2011 Residential Architect Design Awards judges who named the Art Stable Project of the Year.

Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig, the only Seattle firm featured in Architectural Digest’s 2024 list of the top 100 talents in the field, designed the building’s shell with hyper-specific purpose. But he left each condo for its original owners to customize.

This 2,237-square-foot upper-floor unit’s breezy design maintains Kundig’s blank slate ethos with simple concrete flooring and unobtrusive track lighting. The 10-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, city and lake views, and art-ready gallery walls lend the open living space an expansive feel. The large, west-facing windows feature infrared-reflecting film and tint, protecting precious art from UV exposure.

The floor plan, too, suits the building’s original intentions. Two extra rooms, in addition to the well-equipped primary and secondary bedrooms, offer plenty of space for gym equipment, work-from-home setups, or art studios.

A moody home-theater-slash-guest-room, complete with built-in Klipsch speakers, sound insulation, and “disco lights,” offers slightly less lofty creature comforts.

Despite the Art Stable’s working artist branding, this unit doesn’t skimp on high-tech add-ons. Nest systems regulate and secure the home. The spare, white kitchen features a large professional grade range, a 98-bottle wine fridge, and a massive quartz island on castors. Even the primary suite bathroom, with its built-in bidet toilet and free-standing tub, spares no expense.

Perhaps the home’s most luxurious feature, though? Two garage parking spots in the heart of Amazon country.

Listing Fast Facts

516 Yale Avenue N 600 Seattle, WA 98109
Size: 2,237 square feet, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
List Price: $3,000,000
List Date: 3/8/2024
Listing Agent: Michael Doyle, Windermere Real Estate Midtown