Lakeshore Village Apartments

The Lakeshore Village Apartments Site (currently known as Lake Washington Apartments) is located at 9061 Seward Park Avenue South, Seattle, Washington. The property consists of a low income housing development first constructed in 1948. The property covers approximately 16.5 acres and includes 34 buildings with 366 residential apartments. The housing development underwent renovation in the mid-1990’s.

Part of the renovation process in the mid-1990s included removal of heating oil underground storage tank (UST) systems next to the apartment buildings. Diesel contaminated soil was identified and removed from 9 of the 18 UST locations. Contaminated soil was left in place at 4 of the UST locations, where either buildings or buried pipes were in danger of being undermined, or other structural hazards were found.

The 2010 Periodic Review concluded that groundwater had not been investigated and therefore the soil-to-groundwater pathway could be a concern. The 1998 No Further Action (NFA) determination was rescinded by Ecology in April 2010 since groundwater may have been impacted. 

In 2012, groundwater sampling was conducted near the 4 UST locations where soil contamination remained. Only one of the groundwater samples, which was collected near building 35, had a diesel range total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration exceeding the groundwater cleanup level. Three groundwater monitoring wells were installed in the vicinity of building 35. Groundwater monitoring results indicate that contaminated groundwater is contained within the property boundary and is not migrating off the property.

A NFA determination was issued by Ecology’s Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) in June 2013. A new Environmental Covenant was recorded with King County that supersedes the 1998 Restrictive Covenant. An Environmental Covenant restricts activities that might result in exposure to the contaminants. No additional cleanup actions were determined to be necessary. Confirmational groundwater monitoring is required every five years to confirm the long-term effectiveness of the cleanup action.

The cleanup actions completed at the Site appear to be protective of human health and the environment. 

Soil and groundwater cleanup levels have not been met at the standard point of compliance for the Site; however, the cleanup action has been determined to comply with cleanup standards since the long-term integrity of the isolation or containment system is ensured, and the requirements for isolation or containment technologies are being met. 

The Environmental Covenant for the property is in place and continues to be effective in protecting human health and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances and protecting the integrity of the cleanup action. 

Groundwater monitoring results indicate that contaminated groundwater (that exceeds MTCA Method A groundwater cleanup levels) is contained within the property boundary and is not migrating off the property. 
Based on this periodic review, Ecology has determined that the requirements of the Environmental Covenant continue to be met. No additional cleanup actions are required by the property owner at this time. It is the property owner’s responsibility to continue to inspect the property to assure that the integrity of the remedy is maintained.