Part of the downtown Seattle skyline. (GeekWire File Photo / Kurt Schlosser)Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s desire to potentially convert some of the city’s downtown office space into housing and other commercial uses moved a step forward with the selection of three top proposals from a call for ideas.The mayor and the Office of Planning and Community Development said Tuesday night that the winning proposals “exemplified imaginative and achievable designs that integrate housing, commercial areas, and community amenities, fostering a thriving and inclusive urban environment.”The first place entry came from a team consisting of Seattle-based Hybrid Architecture, with project architect Tom Geeslin; Seattle-based real estate firm Great Expectations; and Diamond Parking. The entry suggested converting the Mutual Life Building at 605 1st Ave. in Pioneer Square into a co-living space that would provide affordable units and create what the team called “environmental, economic, and socially responsible housing.” The historic building was built in 1890.Two second-place proposals included:. A team from the Seattle office of design and architecture firm Gensler. The proposal suggested a building with a more modern footprint, a centralized elevator core and a variety of unit mixes with great natural light

With the project targeting net-zero energy and net-zero energy, local architects Eckenhoff Saunders Architects have teamed up with Seattle-based Miller Hull to design the building.

After 22 years at The Miller Hull Partnership and 14 years as managing partner, Ron Rochon is retiring, passing the leadership role to colleague and friend, Rob Misel.