Density, parking, safety and walkability were some of the common themes at the community open house Thursday, Nov. 7, for the Uptown Design Framework (UDF).
The open house, hosted by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), allowed Uptown business owners, residents and landowners to give feedback on different areas of the Uptown plan. When the feedback session was over, representatives from each group presented their plans and what they heard from the audience. This open house was the first step in creating a UDF for the Uptown neighborhood. The framework is expected to be done by December 2014.
Josh Brower from the Seattle Planning Commission kicked off the presentation section.
“It’s so important to get people here and talking about what you want to see over the next 20 years,” he said.
Connectivity
Uptown Alliance chairperson Katie Idziorek spoke on the connectivity of the neighborhood. Uptown is a “multifaceted neighborhood,” she said, so it’s important keep these connections in mind as plans move forward to develop the area.
A number of transportation changes are planned or have been completed. The new Ballard-to-Downtown high-capacity transit, streetcars and the Lake-to-Bay loop are all underway, give us a “chance to plug into those projects and figure out ways Uptown can work with them in this neighborhood,” she said. As density increases, there will be high demand for all modes of traffic in the neighborhood.
Uptown is a “to and through” neighborhood, Idziorek said. This means there’s a high volume of traffic going through the neighborhood, and it’s important, she said, to think about how the neighborhood can draw people to stay vs. just passing through.
From the audience, Idziorek heard that Uptown should be accessible for people of all ages and abilities. She also heard people would like to see more integration of all modes of transit. People also wanted to see a transit hub in Uptown and better connections throughout the city, including improved east-to-west connections.
Economic vitality
Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce president Connor Haffey presented information regarding Uptown’s economic vitality. Haffey talked with audience members and heard “very different views often dealing with the same issue, which is great — that’s why we’re here.”
There is an interest in increasing density in the commercial area, Haffey said, but without losing the character of Uptown, as well as a desire to diversify the mixture of businesses in the area. There are a lot of restaurants and bars, Haffey said, but it’s important to look at what else can come into the neighborhood.
Balancing transportation and parking is another issue that needs to be dealt with as density increases.
“Are there areas where we’re OK with there not being enough parking because we want people walking?” Haffey asked.
There’s a need to build on the neighborhood’s existing cultural attractions, Haffey said. Lastly, there’s a need to make sure the area is safe. It’s important to address safety and homelessness, Haffey said, but “handle it in the right way.”
“We don’t just move people out of the area, but we treat them and we help the community grow from there,” he said.
Bower said this issue of safety is something they talk a lot on the commission: “As you activate streets and get people there, it does a lot to address public safety.”
Living in Uptown
One big question is “Why do I live in Uptown?” said Uptown Alliance volunteer and local resident Kay Knapton. For Knapton, the views of Puget Sound, the tree canopy, the Space Needle and Mount Rainier make it worth it.
“The issue with all of the views is how do we accommodate the increased density while we do not lose access to those views?” she asked, noting that was one of the major concerns she heard from people as they stopped by her table.
The traditional pattern has been for people to leave the city and move into the suburbs as they have children. It’s a matter of getting people to see Uptown as a good place to raise a family, Knapton said.
“We just need to tweak people’s expectation about the kind of activities that are appealing for kids,” she said. “It doesn’t need to be the swing and the grass in their own backyard.”
The current population is divided, Knapton said, between older people and young professionals. One goal is to get a greater mix of age and racial diversity to live in the area. For some people, this means solutions as simple as offering more two-bedroom housing and family-friendly establishments.
Public realm
Uptown is enviably located as far as public realm is concerned, said architect and urban planner Lesley Bain. It has Seattle Center, the parks and the streets.
While the public realm might be the envy of the city, it still needs improvements, Bain said, and that includes walkability, safety, lighting and improved intersections and sidewalks.
Some roads feel dangerous, she said, like Denny Way and Mercer Street, and streets need to have a mixture of tree cover and active retail.
It will be a new day, Bain said, when the Alaskan Way Viaduct comes down and John, Harris and Thomas streets are connected.
“Thinking ahead is great so we can get ahead of those changes and make the public realm there a great thing,” she said.
Seattle Center
Seattle Center director Robert Nellams heard the feedback at his booth “loud and clear.”
There are a lot of changes going on at the center in the next few years. In December, an agreement will go to the city for Cornish College to officially take over the Playhouse.
KEXP will break ground in the beginning of next year, and the project should be finished in 2014. With KEXP’s renovation, the center plans to remodel the Armory’s loft to make up for lost meeting-room space.
Next year, a play area will be built near the center square.
By next June, Seattle Opera needs to decide whether to take on the Mercer Arena. Seattle Opera has given Nellams “every indication that they will” and plan to renovate the site to be their future home.
At his booth, Nellams had two images of what Memorial Stadium could look like after a renovation. The first design would move parking underground, tear down the garage and completely redevelop the site. That design comes with a hefty $200 million price tag.
The other, “more economic version” keeps the existing stadium site and renovates what is already there.
Nellams also heard from the audience that they’d like expanded parking, more lighting and safety, no smoking and limited vehicles and bikes at the center.
Neighbors would also like the Mercer garage to be redeveloped, he said, because it’s a “blight in the neighborhood.”
“The most amazing thing for me — because in my role, this is a topic that comes up all the time — not one person mentioned one word about KeyArena,” Nellams said. “I just found that amazing.”
As the meeting wrapped up, Brower encouraged the community to stay involved throughout the process.
For those wanting to be involved in the UFD, there is an Uptown Alliance meeting on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at the Expo Building (100 Republican St.) in the community room. The meeting will go over the feedback from the open house.
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