Introduction

Hand-drawn map of block 04 by yours truly

Block 04 is in a key position within the University District, at the crossroads of two of the area’s main thoroughfares: 45^th Street NE and NE Roosevelt Way. Due to its prime location, the block hosts a variety of commercial and residential enterprises, and has a long history as a neighborhood center within the U District. In many ways, the story of block 04 mirrors the larger history of the U district and Seattle. The area the block now sits on began as a forested slope, inhabited by the native tribes that made their home in the Pacific Northwest. European Settlers arrived in the mid 1800’s and by the early 20^th century, following the relocation of the University of Washington to its current campus and the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exhibition that took place there in 1909, the block had grown into an established urban area, complete with zoning codes, clear divisions of property, public services, and transportation systems that connected it to the rest of the growing city. Throughout the rest of the 20^th century, the block grew and developed into a denser, more commercially driven area, mirroring the growth of the University district. Now at the beginning of the 21^st century, the block faces a whole new set of both challenges and opportunities that must be addressed in the years to come. In four site reports I will explain the past, current, and future conditions that have shaped and will continue to shape this block.