Belltown vs Denny Triangle High-Rise Comparison
First Light and Nexus are two of the newest condo towers in Seattle's core, four blocks apart, both with a Walk Score of 99 and both a short walk to Amazon and the Denny Triangle employment cluster. The real decision is not the skyline. It is age and size, the neighborhood the building actually sits in, the entry price, the developer behind each tower, and how a specific unit is positioned in its stack.
Registry-Backed Facts
These facts come from the published building records on this site. A purchase decision still requires the current resale certificate, budget, reserve study, meeting minutes, and insurance review.
| Factor | First Light | Nexus |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 300 Virginia | 1808 Minor Ave |
| Neighborhood | Belltown, Seattle | Denny Triangle, Seattle |
| Year built | 2024 | 2020 |
| Residences | 459 | 389 |
| Stories | 48 | 41 |
| Building type | High-Rise | High-Rise |
| Developer | Weber Thompson | Burrard Group |
| Published HOA range | $700–$2000 | $700–$2000+ |
| Published starting price | $800K | $650K |
| Walk Score | 99 | 99 |
Buyer Fit
First Light is the newer and larger of the two, completed in 2024 with 459 residences across 48 stories, developed by Weber Thompson. It sits in Belltown between Pike Place Market, the Elliott Bay waterfront, and Seattle Center, with amenities that include a sky terrace, pool, concierge, and gym. As the most recent construction here it carries the highest published entry point, from $800K. It fits a buyer who wants the newest building in the comparison, a taller tower, and a Belltown address closer to the water and the Market.
Nexus completed earlier in 2020 with 389 residences across 41 stories, developed by Burrard Group, and sits a few blocks inland in Denny Triangle between Downtown, South Lake Union, and Belltown. Its published entry price starts lower, from $650K, and its amenity package centers on co-working floors, fitness, and a rooftop. It fits a buyer who wants a more accessible entry point into a newer downtown high-rise and values being in the center of the South Lake Union and Denny Triangle tech core.
Seller Strategy
The seller decision splits on the same axis. With 459 units, a First Light seller competes against the larger pool of similar in-building listings, so timing around active and pending units inside the tower matters more, and the listing has to justify the newest-building premium. A Nexus seller has a slightly smaller unit count and a four-year head start on resale history in the building, but competes against First Light's newer construction a few blocks away. In both towers the winning listing leads with the specific unit's stack, view orientation, floor height, and current HOA position, not with generic new-construction language.
Jeff's Take
From a distance these read like the same decision: two newer downtown high-rises with skyline views, a Walk Score of 99, and the same walk to Amazon. They are not the same decision. First Light is newer, taller, and larger, finished in 2024 with 459 units across 48 stories in Belltown. Nexus is the 2020 building, 389 units across 41 stories, sitting inland in Denny Triangle. The age gap, the size gap, and the neighborhood gap are the things that actually matter here.
First Light gives you the most recent construction in the comparison, a taller tower, and a Belltown address closer to Pike Place and the waterfront, at the highest published entry point, from $800K. Nexus gives you a lower published entry, from $650K, a few more years of resale track record in the building, and a position in the heart of the Denny Triangle and South Lake Union core. Neither wins on the amenity list alone. The better-positioned unit in either tower beats the weaker unit in the other, every time.
Before you choose, I put the two specific units side by side on view orientation, floor height, monthly cost per square foot, parking, and the current HOA reserve and assessment position. With a four-year age difference between the buildings, the reserve study and any planned capital work read differently in each, and that comparison, not the marketing, is what tells you which building is actually the better buy for you.
FAQ
First Light and Nexus are both newer downtown Seattle condo high-rises. First Light is in Belltown, completed in 2024 with 459 units across 48 stories by Weber Thompson. Nexus is in Denny Triangle, completed in 2020 with 389 units across 41 stories by Burrard Group. First Light is the newer, taller, and larger building with a higher published starting price. Both carry a Walk Score of 99.
Neither is universally better. First Light offers the newest construction, a taller 48-story tower, and a Belltown address, at a higher entry price. Nexus offers a lower published starting price, more resale history in the building, and a Denny Triangle location in the tech core. The better choice depends on the specific unit's view, floor, monthly cost, and the building's current HOA financial position, which matters more than the amenity list.
First Light has 459 residences across 48 stories, completed in 2024. Nexus has 389 residences across 41 stories, completed in 2020. First Light is the larger and taller of the two buildings.
First Light's published starting price is higher, from $800K, than Nexus, from $650K, reflecting First Light's newer 2024 completion. Actual pricing depends on floor, view, unit size, and market conditions, and both span a wide range up through penthouse levels.
Related Research
The full building record, amenities, and registry facts for First Light.
The full building record, amenities, and registry facts for Nexus.
The 5-point method for comparing the HOA behind each building.
Use the interactive tool to compare any buildings side by side.
Free Consultation
Compare a specific First Light or Nexus unit
Send the listing links and Jeff will review unit position, HOA questions, and resale risk before you decide.
