Site Report 4

A snapshot of the the development potential for parcels in the U District, with Block 63 highlighted in red

Focus Areas of the University District Urban Design Framework, with Block 63 highlighted in red

Continually in my report, I’ve noted first hand how Block 63 serves as a sort of buffer zone between the distinct residential and commercial sections of the University District. The planning documents confirm this, such as the 2016 report establishing the area of Block 63 as part of the “North Tier” of the U District, characterized as a “...transition area from the Core to lower density residential areas in the North” (Seattle 16). This report represented the final recommendations for the U District Urban Design (UDUD) project, in preparation for the rezone.

What the report makes clear in the foreword is that the zoning changes must “align future growth with local priorities, including affordability, public space, diverse and attractive architecture, and preserving character buildings” (Seattle 2). The focus on community goals is an important one, and represents over half a century of work towards a more inclusive planning process in the wake of “Freeway Revolts” and the like, which have ensured that all stakeholders have a role in community development.

Perhaps most important of these goals to students is housing affordability, a major concern for students in Seattle, where rents are rising precipitously. While new rentals are increasing the supply of housing, most of the supply shifts are at the higher end of the market, meaning that cheaper, older units are still hotly contested (Rosenberg). This bifurcation of the market is noted in a 2014 public comment referring to historic preservation, which acknowledges that units in older buildings supply “...rents that are considerably more affordable than smaller units of new construction” (Seattle 41). However, as a 2013 report by the city (the U District Urban Design Framework) shows, much of Block 63’s older rental housing stock is ripe for redevelopment (highlighted in blue), even though such areas are ultimately unaffected by the recent upzone, and remain LR3.

Recent changes on the block and neighborhood, such as the addition of townhomes and the development of new high rises, attract a more urban subset of the global middle class described in lecture. This is seen in the ownership patterns of in the public records, the deeds of which list a mixture of individual Chinese and white owners of parcels, suggesting a more global mixture of talent in innovative areas like the U District. However, of the rezoned parcels (which only include the townhomes on 50th and the YMCA), the townhomes are new and unlikely to be redeveloped anytime soon.

The most likely change on the block will likely be the redevelopment of the University Family YMCA, which the 2016 report makes clear, “...would make it possible for the YMCA to redevelop… The new facility is planned to include housing for recently homeless young adults” (Seattle 41). While no concrete plans have been put in place yet, the zoning changes allow for such a mixed facility to be built for the community, representing a major potential shift in neighborhood character through the inclusion of facilities for homeless people.

Throughout Block 63’s history, transition has been central to it’s character. So it is fitting that, as I end, the greatest transition is afoot, which has the potential to reshape the urban form of the block, with a new focus on mixed use development. There are currently no plans in place for development, but in cities, the circuitous path of change will inevitably continue forward, reshaping Block 63 and the U District in ways and forms that we can hardly imagine, writing a new history for a neighborhood shaped by its grooves.

Works Cited

Rosenberg, Mike. “'Turning Point' for Seattle Rent Hikes?” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 20 Dec. 2016, www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/turning-point-for-seattle-rent-hikes-some-hot-areas-see-rents-drop/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2017.

Seattle DPD, City of. “U District Urban Design: Final Recommendations.” U DISTRICT URBAN DESIGN, 6 Oct. 2016, www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/p2535413.pdf. Accessed 8 Mar. 2017.

— — —. “U District Urban Design Framework.” U District Residential Market Analysis, June 2013, www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/dpds022258.pdf. Accessed 8 Mar. 2017.