Comments on: Some Rules Are Begging To Be Broken http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/ Smart Growth defined: Making the car an option, not a necessity.* Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:35:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Apartments Coming To The Neighborhoods | hugeasscity http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1622 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:09:17 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1622 [...] 2203 East Union, Central District; 93 units; J C Mueller LLC; designed by Mithun. [...] […] 2203 East Union, Central District; 93 units; J C Mueller LLC; designed by Mithun. […]

]]> by: flotown http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1335 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:54:06 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1335 Hardipanel, metal, vinyl windows - change some of those elements to get the upzone I say Hardipanel, metal, vinyl windows - change some of those elements to get the upzone I say

]]> by: Andrew http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1319 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:40:15 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1319 Posted too soon. Couldn't they be granted a variance which would cover the difference? If not, the neighborhood boards should be allowed to vary specific projects at their discression. An up-zone requires a city council-vote, which seems like WAY too high a bar to be crossed in this case. Posted too soon.

Couldn’t they be granted a variance which would cover the difference? If not, the neighborhood boards should be allowed to vary specific projects at their discression. An up-zone requires a city council-vote, which seems like WAY too high a bar to be crossed in this case.

]]> by: Andrew http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1318 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:38:18 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1318 <blockquote>If we can’t put a six-story building there, we can’t in good conscience utter another word about how green we supposedly are.</blockquote> AMEN!

If we can’t put a six-story building there, we can’t in good conscience utter another word about how green we supposedly are.

AMEN!

]]> by: 953 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1317 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:10:51 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1317 are we really fooling ourselves. since when is 2 stories the make or break in gentrifying seattle. the neighborhood suffers from neglect, I agree. but if we are really interested in gentrification and 'society as a whole' we shouldn't be looking at making exceptions for one development but density building in the zoning structure on a more systematic level. otherwise we just favor those folks who are looking for a good deal and less interested in the community they are moving into. are we really fooling ourselves. since when is 2 stories the make or break in gentrifying seattle. the neighborhood suffers from neglect, I agree. but if we are really interested in gentrification and ’society as a whole’ we shouldn’t be looking at making exceptions for one development but density building in the zoning structure on a more systematic level. otherwise we just favor those folks who are looking for a good deal and less interested in the community they are moving into.

]]> by: dave http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1316 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:28:29 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1316 The developer said that if it's only 4 stories, the building (assuming it got built) would not have underground parking, so instead of ground floor retail, you'd get ground floor parking -- ugh. That right there justifies the upzone for me. The developer said that if it’s only 4 stories, the building (assuming it got built) would not have underground parking, so instead of ground floor retail, you’d get ground floor parking — ugh. That right there justifies the upzone for me.

]]> by: danb http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1315 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:39:58 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1315 Greg, as far as I know there is no explicit public benefit such as affordable housing being offered by the developer in exchange for the upzone. But as I see it, the public benefit of simply having a building on that site is huge. The site has sat unused for seven years and the whole neighborhood has suffered for it. The developer has said that he can not make a quality project pencil with four stories. The fact that no one else has attempted to develop a 4-story building there over seven years lends credence to the developer's claim. My biggest fear is that if the upzone is not granted, we'll end up with a much crappier 4-story project, or nothing at all for years to come. In my view, the developer is not an enemy who will be getting something for nothing if the upzone happens. I am grateful that the developer is proposing to bring us a well-designed project at an appropriate scale in a neighborhood that has suffered from neglect for decades. Your question about how the project addresses the needs of the neighborhood is a good one. In the short term, what that corner needs more than anything is lots of eyes on the street. The issues of race, poverty and gentrification in the Central District are complex and deeply rooted in our society as a whole. In what way do you think that site should be developed in order to address these issues head on? Greg, as far as I know there is no explicit public benefit such as affordable housing being offered by the developer in exchange for the upzone. But as I see it, the public benefit of simply having a building on that site is huge. The site has sat unused for seven years and the whole neighborhood has suffered for it. The developer has said that he can not make a quality project pencil with four stories. The fact that no one else has attempted to develop a 4-story building there over seven years lends credence to the developer’s claim. My biggest fear is that if the upzone is not granted, we’ll end up with a much crappier 4-story project, or nothing at all for years to come. In my view, the developer is not an enemy who will be getting something for nothing if the upzone happens. I am grateful that the developer is proposing to bring us a well-designed project at an appropriate scale in a neighborhood that has suffered from neglect for decades.

Your question about how the project addresses the needs of the neighborhood is a good one. In the short term, what that corner needs more than anything is lots of eyes on the street. The issues of race, poverty and gentrification in the Central District are complex and deeply rooted in our society as a whole. In what way do you think that site should be developed in order to address these issues head on?

]]> by: Greg http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1307 Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:31:32 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/05/some-rules-are-begging-to-be-broken/#comment-1307 Do you know the specific benefits that rezoning this from 4 to 6 stories will give us? Will these extra two stories qualify for an affordability bonus? Oh yeah, and will this building solve the neighborhood's problems by addressing them head on or is it just gentrifying them away? Or am I just hyperventilating by asking these kind of questions? Do you know the specific benefits that rezoning this from 4 to 6 stories will give us? Will these extra two stories qualify for an affordability bonus?

Oh yeah, and will this building solve the neighborhood’s problems by addressing them head on or is it just gentrifying them away?

Or am I just hyperventilating by asking these kind of questions?

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