Site report #3: Audio Tour

Seattle Municipal Archives Map Index

Seattle zoning map of 1947, City Planning Commission, Seattle Municipal Archives Map Index

Seattle zoning map of 1958, Book Publishing, Seattle Municipal Archives Map Index

Seattle zoning map of 1923, City Zoning Commission, Seattle Municipal Archives Map Index

Audio:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7AYdv3qP7v7QUN3cEJCNkdScUE/view?usp=sharing

While the particular buildings have changed over the years, the hall mark of my block is perhaps its lack of change. Essentially since its inception, the block between 8^th and 9^th and 42^nd and 43^rd has been a residential area. Zoning maps from 1923, 1947,1960 and 1973 all label the block as residential and with a maximum build height of 40 feet. This block has always been a place where people live and continues to be just that to this day. However, there are now potential zoning changes that may be passed that would raise the maximum build height to an unprecedented 55 feet.

Though homes have been a characteristic of this block, over the last few decades it has made a shift towards high density living. Much of the property is now owned by real-estate investors and developers. Very few buildings remain from before 1910. There are four to be exact, serving as either apartments or duplexes rather than single family homes, one of which seems set to be torn down and replaced by a 20 unit apartment complex. This is perhaps in anticipation of potential new zoning laws.

One era in particular of the timeline of this block was the eighties. In the early to mid eighties, a number of apartment buildings were constructed. In this decade alone, 6 apartment buildings were constructed in total, with one more being built in 1976 and another being made in 1990. In 1980 and 1982 there were also substantial changes made to Seattle zoning laws, which had a big effect on this block. In 2008, a series of town house plats were also constructed. While many other buildings on this block are owned by landlords and realty companies, these seem to be owned by individuals and families, though the structures are of a cloned design. In 2014, a series of apartment buildings for University of Washington housing were built, aptly named after Edison, Newton and DaVinci, each great thinkers of their time. From looking at the registered names for the housing on this block, many residents are of Chinese and or other Asian ancestry. The high number of apartment buildings and general absence of single family homes suggests that this is a neighborhood for lower income housing. Some of the buildings are also apart of University of Washington housing, which indicates that many residents are students or of some other affiliation with the University.

One more thing of note is that there is a small park on the corner of 9^th and 43^rd. It is unclear as to when exactly this park was constructed, but it was named Christie park as of the year 1981, after the leader of the Press Expedition James Christie. Next to Christie park also sits an empty lot, which exists as more of a curiosity than anything else. As it turned out, due proposition 1 passing in 2014, Christie park is set to expand into the empty lot.

Bibliography:

"U District Urban Design." U District Urban Design - What & Why - Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development. OFFICE OF PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.

"Christie Park." Christie Park - Parks. Seattle Parks and Recreation, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.

Veyera, Joe. "Christie Park set to expand with Seattle Park District passage." The Daily of the University of Washington. The Daily of the University of Washington, 24 Sept. 2014. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.

"Researching Historic Land Use and Zoning." Researching Historic Land Use and Zoning - CityArchives. Seattle Municipal Archives, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.