Conclusion

There are lessons to be understood after learning the history of Block 26. One takeaway is that density stimulates people to think of new ways to grow. If the University District was located on the fringes of Seattle where there was an abundance of land, development of the area would look drastically different when real estate developers were given the option of building out rather than up. With density comes walkability since the distance between buildings is short when real estate developers only have the choice to construct new buildings where old ones stood. Another takeaway from Block 26’s history is that economic drivers are contributors to influencing urban development. Throughout the site history of Block 26, the University of Washington has had a strong presence in the U District as it pulled world-renowned faculty and researchers around the world to the UW campus. The abundance of talented individuals in the region incentivized the district to change to reflect the ideals and characteristics of those that live in and are part of the neighborhood’s community.