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Construction begins on Seattle's Tibet-inspired Potala Tower

High-rise Construction

Construction begins on Seattle's Tibet-inspired Potala Tower

The project's developer, Lobsang Dargey, is a former monk from rural Tibet. 


By BD+C Staff | April 16, 2015
Construction begins on Seattle's Potala Tower

The tower is named after Potala Palace in the Tibetan mountains, former home of the Dalai Lama. Renderings courtesy Lobsang Dargey / Weber Thompson

Construction on the 41-story Potala Tower in Seattle finally kicked off following a ground-breaking ceremony seven months ago. According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, the luxury apartment and hotel project is located in downtown Seattle, with PCL Construction serving as the general contractor.

The project's developer, Lobsang Dargey, is a former monk from rural Tibet. He organized the memorable ground-breaking in late August, which included prayers and chanting by monks at a nearby transmission repair shop that was later demolished. 

The cost of the project, designed by Seattle-based Weber Thompson, totals $190 million. Overseas financing through Path America will help fund the construction of this "modern sanctuary," as the project team calls it. The tower will house 142 hotel rooms, 340 apartment units, and a restaurant.

Potala Tower is scheduled for completion in 2017. 

 

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