Site Report #1

This block of the University district function as a respite from the veracity of the city. It is a center of entertainment and provides a place for locals and visitors to enjoy shopping, or perhaps catch a flick. Some notable fixtures of the block are it's play theater, movie theater, and record shop. The centralization of entertainment begs the questions “has this area always been a center for entertainment? Does this block have a history of functioning as a gathering place of people? or is that simply a new phenomena?” The Neptune theater looks to have been built in the 1940's or 50's, and maybe was the first such entertainment business in the area. From the outside, the theater appears like it gets little use, and if you visit the area at night, you may find yourself amidst some more seedy characters than you would like. However the inside of the theater speaks a different story. It is modern and up to date, managing to fit into the modern picture while still maintaining an obvious history written on its walls. Unfortunately many of the buildings and businesses around it look more run down, and get little use today. There must have been some major economic issues that have hit the area and hit it hard. It will be interesting to research how the large themes of America have contributed to the rise and fall of the area. Juxtaposed next to all these old buildings and businesses is a large portion of the block cordoned off from the public and under construction. Interestingly enough right next to the construction of the link is the UW Tower, which is the only upscaled part of the whole surrounding area. What has caused this seemingly sudden modernization of the area? There had to be something there before the construction of the underground rail, and there could very well have been buildings and businesses that were bought out by the government to build the railway. I know that there is an eminent domain clause in the constitution, so how does this clause contribute to the expansion and modernization of block 07 and the University District as a whole? If there are plans to potentially upscale the area how is that going to change what block 07 functions as? Can the block maintain its history of entertainment, or will it just become another apartment complex?

Another thing that caught my attention was the vibrant colors of the buildings, and how each building was different from the one next to it. The colors really give each building a unique tone and set the mood for the average consumer. Typically in modern buildings, much of the design goes into a single blueprint and then the ones around them are just carbon copies of that one design with small deviations from that first design. I think it really shows how the values of city dwellers has changed over time. For example, when these buildings were built there must have been more value in standing apart from the surroundings. And now there is more value in building en masse as the population has grown. It seems as if some of the creative flare of civil engineers and architects has been suppressed by the need to build massive amounts for the cities exponential population growth. The unique part of Block 07, and many blocks along “the Ave” is that Each does their best to attract customers to their doors, and it is apparent from the disparate conditions of some of the older buildings and businesses that some do a better job than others.