Site Report 4
Outside of the University Food Bank. Seattle, WA. Taken by Marie Desprez on March 1st, 2017.
Front Entrance of the University Branch of the Seattle Public Library. University District, Seattle, WA. Taken by Marie Desprez on March 1st, 2017.
The University District Park Plan was put in place to create or enhance open spaces in the U District, particularly around the light rail station. Urban planners and architects wrote this plan, but it was influenced by all the people living in the U District, including students. They held public forums and workshops in order to get people involved and to see what people would want the most out of open spaces in their neighborhoods. The three public forums each had a different purpose, including deciding where these open spaces would be and what purposes they would serve. It seems as if the public forums were integral for the city planners to make decisions about how to move forward. Their main goals were to have one central park and then other smaller parks and plazas in the different neighborhoods. My block is half residential but also has a school and a library, and I can see how people would want smaller parks nearby. Historically my block hasn’t changed very much and I think a park would be a positive addition because the area is utilized by a lot of people and it would probably be well-used.
The University District Retail Plan was interesting because it talked about how currently, the U District is boring and looks cluttered and not well-maintained. City planners want to change that, and add more urban shops to attract more people. This would be a change from the history of the U District because right now, the shops exist mostly to serve the people living in close proximity. The paper discussed how the light-rail service and station are making the U District more accessible. This is obviously different from how the U District has been historically. It is becoming more of an area for people to visit or spend leisure time in, rather than just being a function area for residents.
I think the light-rail is something we should take into account when considering future development of the U District because it is changing how the U District is being used. Historically it has been residential neighborhoods but they want to make it more urban and draw more people there. A student-centered U District ideally would be less expensive and have a diversity of different shops and businesses I think.