Site Report #1: The Deep Read
The block between Brooklyn Ave NE, and University Way NE, and NE Campus Pkwy and NE 40th Street is purely student residential block. Alder Hall is the name of the building built on this block. Alder Hall is primary a dormitory for University of Washington (UW) students, it is surrounded by other student residential halls, restaurants, and UW buildings. On University Way NE, you will see a restaurant called Spring Kitchen and some coffee shop (Figure 1). On NE 40th Street, you will see some UW buildings for lectures and tutoring services (Figure 2). On Brooklyn Ave NE and NE Campus Parkway you will see Lander Hall and Poplar Hall, which are both UW dormitories (Figure 3 & 4). Underneath Alder Hall, on University Way NE, there is a District Market (Figure 5). You will be able to get a better understanding of the area shown in a hand drawn map (Figure 6).
Based on my site visited, block 34 is mainly for UW students’ and faculty usage. With the District Market underneath Alder Hall, make this block busier than other student residential halls around the area. Beside the District Market, block 34 is also a main block for commuters to commute to school, work, and U Village. Every morning and evening during rush hours, you will see different group of people getting on and off the bus to places.
Block 34 is also known as the “center” of west campus, which set itself apart from other student residential blocks. Therefore, it is not surprise that newspaper and magazine company decided to pick this block as their main block for newspaper and magazines box. The newspaper and magazines box is located right next to the bus stop. Since block 34 has huge human traffic from day to day bases, it is a good location for newspaper and magazines box.
Around Alder Hall, they are trees and some benchers. There is a bench located at the back of the building that is facing straight into a truck-loading garage; which always confused me why the bench was built there. The trees on block 34 are not big trees. One fun fact about those trees — I feel like the trees on block 34 never grow. Since the year I started school in UW, the trees stay the same size and height. Keep in mind that I am currently a senior now.
Couple years ago, City of Seattle had changed the surrounding of block 34. The traffic light on NE 40th St was taken out and the bike lane was built. I am not exactly sure what year and month those were built. However, block 34 used to have four way traffic lights between NE 40th ST and University Way NE. City of Seattle decided to change it to a four way stops signs and four way blinking red traffic lights instead of the regular traffic light. After those changes, the street around block 34 becomes more pedestrian friendly. Due to the changes, most commuters and students choose to use this path to different location. Since it is safer, and faster. Some of the questions I have about the history of block 34 are listed below.
- What was this building before Alder Hall? I know that UW had purchased the land to extend the campus due to the growth in students’ populations. But was it restaurant before, commercial business?
- What is underneath the building? Because I found out that, lot of the streets we used, underneath is a stream or river. Which is pretty cool how they can build a street above water land.
- What type of land was it before? Wetland? If so why do they choose this place to put the building? For example, they build husky stadium on a wetland, which is weird to me. Because server years later, they will somehow need to rebuild husky stadium and it costs so much.