Oh, well

My, this is going well. I had hoped to make this an interactive blog but didn't have the time or IT knowledge to do it. www.centraldistrictnews.com has done it for me. Go there for all the latest on 23rd & Union as well as the whole CD.

Best regards,
Jean

the vision

My vision for the E Union corridor in the Central District of Seattle is this:

1. The housing density is on the arterials, and includes work force and/or affordable housing units.
2. On these arterials there are mixed-use projects and more retail/restaurant/services sites. I want Art here.
3. Jobs are created at the commercial portion of the mixed-use development.
4. The pedestrian zone remains and we get some green or open space in exchange for density.
5. We get appropriate public transportation to move said density to and from work, ball games, downtown, Broadway, UW, Seattle Center, wherever.
6. I support project-specific up-zoning at 23rd & E Union to 65' and ask for tradeoffs:

1. We get a commitment for traffic-calming as needed by project, e.g. the project at 2203 E Union has its garage driveway on 23rd. Drivers will have to turn right only and are likely to go around the block and back north on 22nd. We ask for chicanes on 22nd or something the developer does to mitigate the increased traffic/try to keep it off the residential streets.
2. It is my understanding that the Mayor wants affordable housing in any project up-zone. If a specific site won't pencil out with affordable housing, I support the developer providing work force or affordable housing on a site nearby.

7. I support project-specific up-zoning from 22nd to 20th to 40' from the existing 30'. This makes the business district viable for development and steps the height down from 65' to 40' toward the residential blocks.
8. I support extending the Urban Village to include the existing commercial block from 21st to 20th.
9. I support maintaining the existing 30' zoning height from 20th to 18th, continuing the stepping down.
10. DPD and Council support the residents and businesses in the Union Street Urban Village as we work together to update and bring to life the Central Area Plan.