A friend of mine from another state recently asked me about community opinions regarding the Broadway Rezone proposal, saying, "Are people afraid of tall buildings because they think they'll fall on them in the next earthquake?" While this is not a concern I have heard voiced, it's true there are many opinions on all sides of the issue.
The neighborhood planning process directly involved citizens in making tough choices about the growth that Seattle - and Capitol Hill - has had and will continue to experience. Using projections of how many more people, housing and jobs will exist in Capitol Hill, the community and city staff sat down and made decisions about where the buildings will be located to house those future Seattlelites. The result was included in the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Plan, which was adopted as an official city planning document in 1999.
However, the question of increasing height limits on Broadway was put on hold at that time because people felt they did not have enough information to make a thoughtful decision. A study was begun to get more information. The results of that study were released in late 2003, and the time has come for Capitol Hill to revisit this issue. The recent hearing on May 3 provided a forum for residents, business owners, property owners and city staff to discuss and hear the differing viewpoints about raising the height limits on Broadway from 40 feet to 65 feet (which usually means a six-story building).
Both sides now
In my two years as chair of the Stewardship Council (and my two years of neighborhood activism preceding that) I have not heard compelling arguments on either side. On the one hand, many people who oppose higher heights say those heights will destroy Broadway by creating a "concrete canyon" which will never see the light of day, and that there are many historic buildings that will be demolished in the process.
But one has only to look at the Pike/Pine corridor to see that 65-foot buildings do not create an unpleasant streetscape. In fact, a planned 65-foot building at Pine and Broadway is shaping up to be a signature development for the whole neighborhood and has created an amazing collaboration between the community, the city and the developer.
Over in West Seattle, on California Avenue S.W. just south of S.W. Edmunds Street, is a good example of what Broadway with taller buildings might be like. These couple of blocks have six-story buildings with street level retail, and the street is the same width as Broadway, with a parking lane and a travel lane on each side as well as a center turn lane. Belltown this is not. And those blocks have lots of trees, which means they get sunlight.
Although some of the older buildings on Broadway have nice historical flourishes, overall the street is not cute enough to be a historic district like Ballard Avenue or Columbia City. It is far more likely that as some of those older buildings on Broadway age, repairs will become more costly and they will grow shabbier instead of charming. Those of you who own property - whether residential or commercial - know that buildings take a lot of money to keep in good condition.
On the other hand, many of the pro-height arguments also seem weak, such as that adding several hundred new housing units on Broadway will provide lots of new customers for street level businesses, perhaps enough to lift Broadway out of its economic ennui. Given that there are around 20,000 people living within five blocks of Broadway, I doubt that a few hundred more people living on Broadway in new, 65-foot mixed-use buildings will be enough to single-handedly revive Broadway's businesses.
Eyes and ears
Similarly I've heard the idea that all those new residents will provide more "eyes on the street," resulting in a safer Broadway. While this may help (assuming all those residents actually have their window shades open and bother to call 911), a lot of the problem incidents on Broadway are happening in the midst of dozens of passersby. If crime and nuisance behaviors are not deterred by people within 10 to 20 feet, I doubt several hundred "eyes" located 20 to 60 feet above street level will have much effect.
What is compelling to me is that no one effort alone will turn Broadway around. Each segment of the community - residents, businesses, property owners and developers - has unique contributions to make that can help, and each segment needs to do a little give and take.
Frankly I don't see the range of retail businesses that many residents would like locating on Broadway without the kind of "facelift" and "cachet" that new development can provide. Broadway was the retail corridor for the Puget Sound region - 20 years ago. It's not anymore. Broadway has lost its long-held niche in the region's economy and that particular niche is not coming back. But we can all be part of defining a new niche for Broadway that can revitalize the street, the businesses and the neighborhood, but only if we work together.
Capitol Hill is often cited as being the highest density neighborhood west of Minneapolis and north of San Francisco. Many 65-foot buildings are being built just off Broadway, as well as in many of Seattle's other urban villages. I have sometimes wondered if the resistance to taller buildings on Broadway is partially an attempt to hang onto what Broadway once was, a nostalgic vision which may unfortunately hinder Broadway's ability to grow into what it can become.
Raising height limits on Broadway will not by itself solve Broadway's problems, and neither will any other single effort. But taller, newer buildings might be one unique tool that, together with other efforts, can make the difference.
Randy Wiger served as chair of the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Plan Stewardship Council from 2002 to 2004. He may be contacted at editor@ capitolhilltimes.com.
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