Conclusion

From the bustling street of the Ave to the quieter residential areas, the University District is a dynamic neighborhood that supports the distinguished University of Washington in many ways. It not only provides entertainment and food, but is home to many students and faculty members. The U-District has always had a distinct cultural character, and despite the imminent change it will face in the new upzoning it will continue to be an active and lively neighborhood. In researching the U-District, and more specifically the block between 7^th Ave NE and 8^th Ave NE, and Ne 45^th St and NE 43^rd St, there are two key takeaways one should understand in perspective to the block’s history and future. The first takeaway is the underlying character of the block, its residential status, is virtually permanent and most likely will not change. While this block has been re-zoned a few times to accommodate more residents, from its beginning it has always been a residential block. It is highly unlikely that developers will tear down the apartment buildings and rental houses and replace them with restaurants. While the side of the block closest to 45^th street has experienced some periods of commerce, the interior and heart of the block has always been residential. The second takeaway is that despite upcoming upzoning, the priority and main demographic of the U-District and this block will be university students. While the composition of the U-District is dynamic, it will always be grounded by the university from whom its name is derived. The University of Washington is continuing to gain prestige and competitiveness as it matures. It is continually growing, and backed by funding from extremely successful and influential people such as Paul Allen and Bill Gates, it has secured its place as the top research university of the state and pacific northwest. As the university grows, the University District must grow and adapt with it. While this may include larger companies and high rise buildings to accommodate the influx of people, the U-District will stay committed to keeping the students and faculty of the University of Washington its priority. This is apparent in the City’s plans to install more street lights and crosswalks for students walking to and from campus from apartment buildings on blocks like Block 1. While developers want to maximize the U-District’s prime location for business, they will not be able to displace the thousands of students who call the neighborhood home.