Jim Castanes (who spent four years living in Naples, Italy) always wanted to develop property for high end homes. In 1987, he formed the AMALFI Limited Partnership for a speculative project located on Seattle’s Lake Washington Boulevard in the Leschi area. The concept for the development was to develop two homes with a central driveway on a steeply sloping site. Formal composition and careful attention to proportion give a classical undertone to the contemporary detailing. The extensive “urban” gardens are reminiscent of his experiences in Italy. The homes featured two “master” bedrooms for a retired couple or a professional couple. This development project took three years and lots of effort, but in the end produced a new way for people to think about built spaces in tight urban areas.