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Former hideout for Microsoft founders being transformed

Jul 14, 2015, 10:05 PM | Updated: May 8, 2016, 10:06 pm

What was once a place for Paul Allen and Bill Gates to spend hours honing their programming skills is now becoming a place to live.

Vulcan Real Estate announced the groundbreaking of its latest project at in the University District on Tuesday.

The former site of the Computer Center Corporation will become a seven-story apartment building. The Augusta Apartments will house 208 rentals and 3,600 square feet of ground floor retail space, according to Vulcan, a Paul Allen company.

What are they building?

The site is where Allen and Gates, co-founders of Microsoft, spent time programming and debugging. Computer Center Corporation allowed the two then-high school students to use its computers in exchange for debugging its mainframe.

Allen’s connection to the site is what eventually led to Vulcan’s purchase in 2001.

The name of the building pays homage to the site’s history. It is named after Augusta Ada Byron, Countess of Lovelace, who is regarded as the world’s first computer programmer. She was a British mathematician and writer from the mid-1800s. She was a friend of Charles Babbage, who created the first mechanical computer.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to add to the incredible vibrancy of the University District,” said Ada M. Healey, vice president of real estate for Vulcan Inc. “We are also looking forward to honoring Paul Allen’s connection to the 41st & Roosevelt site and finding ways to celebrate its history.”

Augusta is designed by Runberg Architecture Group and will be constructed by Exxel Pacific, Inc. The project is targeting LEED for Homes Gold level certification or better as well as Salmon Safe accreditation.

Augusta will be within walking distance of the University of Washington campus, the Burke Gilman Trail, and the new University District light rail station, which will open in 2021 at the corner of 43rd and Brooklyn.

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Former hideout for Microsoft founders being transformed