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Archive for the ‘Neighborhood Planning’ Category

Hajof2Hoods on Nov 12th 2012 12th Avenue Initiative,Neighborhood Groups,Neighborhood Planning

Upcoming 12th Avenue Stewards Meeting Nov. 13 2012

Monday, November 12th, 2012

12th Avenue Stewards:  Next Meeting

TIME: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 – 5:30-7pm

LOCATION: Seattle University Alumni & Admissions building(corner of 12th Ave and E Marion Street)

Please note the full agenda for this meeting.  Time limits on agenda items will be strictly followed to allow for all items to be discussed.

Agenda:

5:30 to 5:45pm:  12th Avenue Square Park Art – Patrick Donahue,
Seattle Parks and Recreation.

A conversation with Patrick Donahue of Seattle Parks Department to discuss next steps and goals for the park at 12th Ave and James Ct, including cost overruns regarding the art planned for the site.   For more information on the park and the space (including some helpful images of
possible designs), use this link: http://seattle.gov/PARKS/proparks/projects/12thAve.htm

5:45 to 6:15pm – Bridging the Gap Application

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) introduced the “Bridging the Gap” initiative which aims to improve sidewalks and other infrastructure, as well as to implement longer term goals such as the pedestrian and bicycle Master Plans.  Grants are still available: join us for a conversation about what project the 12th Avenue Community might engage in.  For more information on Bridging the Gap, click here: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/BridgingtheGap.htm

 

6:15 to 6:50pm – A Conversation with County Councilmember Joe McDermott

The 12th avenue Neighborhood is now within the new King County Council District 8. The 12th avenue Stewards committee welcomes Councilmember Joe McDermott for a discussion of issues and projects in the area.  In particular focus will be the redevelopment plans for the King County Youth Detention Center. Councilmember Joe McDermott’s home page: http://www.kingcounty.gov/McDermott.aspx

 

6:50 to 7pm  – Denny Substation and Power Lines

Discussion of City Light proposal to build a new substation and to run transmission lines above ground using large poles (“possibly 100 ft” tall) along 14th Ave, E Spruce, and 12th Ave S. More information here: http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2012/10/21/plan-for-denny-substation-could-mean-new-electrical-towers-running-across-capitol-hill

 

Please note the change in the agenda:  Chip Nevins of Seattle Parks and Recreation has to cancel his appearance.  We hope to continue the discussion of a new or improved park space on the current King County Youth Services center block.  We hope to reschedule Chip for the December Stewards meeting.

We look forward to seeing you this Tuesday, November 13, starting at 5:30pm.

Sincerely,

The 12th Avenue Stewards

 

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admin on Sep 15th 2010 Neighborhood Planning,Urban Design

12th Avenue Stewardship Committee Meeting – James Court Park meeting recap

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

The 12th Avenue Stewardship Committee had another great meeting last night about the future James Court Park.

The 12th Avenue community applied for Opportunity Fund grant money to build the James Court woonerf adjacent to the park. We should hear back regarding this funding by Thanksgiving 2010. Parks and the community has decided to hold off on further design work/preparations for the James Court Park until we find out if we will be getting funding for the woonerf as well. Design work can them move forward in tandem for both projects (hopefully).

Previous design ideas for the Park from the past two community meetings were further refined.
• A low retaining wall was added on the east side of the park. This would hold the rain garden (which will be able to absorb all run-off from the paved park) and give the park less of a “sloping” feel since the ground slopes down to the east.
• The blue “pillow” in the middle of the park will be covered in that squishy playground material and provide various levels for sitting, playing, climbing, or performance space. It will range from 6”-30” high.
• The “cloud” art piece will feature stainless steel convex mirrors (various diameters from 24”-42”) and will be 15-18 feet off the ground.
• The paving material will be sandblasted concrete. This saves money by not using specialty pavers and will also be easier for Parks to maintain.
• Lights will be found throughout the park, crating an even lighting scheme. Lights will not be reflected up into the cloud to respect the neighbors and prevent any errant light from reflecting out into the street.
• The park will include stationary tables with movable chairs, likely attached with cables to the tables so that they don’t get stolen.
• One concern was related to pigeons enjoying the park a little too much and making a mess under the cloud feature. The design team is looking into anti-pigeon measures.

Overall, the community members in attendance were very pleased with the final designs and expressed excitement about moving forward. Be sure to put your thinking caps on and start brainstorming names for the new park!

Parks Meeting Materials

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admin on Sep 10th 2010 Neighborhood Planning,Urban Design

James Court Park meeting – Tuesday, Sept. 14th

Friday, September 10th, 2010

Please join the Parks Department and the James Court park design team for our third (and final I believe) public meeting on the James Court park design. We ended the last meeting with some really cool designs and great ideas for the park. Be sure to come to this one to see more finalized concepts! (And we’ll be sure to have snacks on hand at this meeting!)

Here’s a recap of the last meeting.

James Court Park Meeting
Tuesday, September 14th at 5:30pm
Seattle University Alumni & Admissions Building
12th Ave and Marion Street

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admin on Aug 27th 2010 Neighborhood Planning,Special Events

Larry Phillips tours 12th Avenue

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Last week Larry Phillips took a walk down 12th Avenue starting at Yesler and ending at Madison Street. Neighborhood residents, developers, and business owners shared their thoughts on the 12th Avenue corridor and discussed pressing concerns such as transit, the redevelopment of the King County Youth Detention Site and business vitality.

Check out the story over at CHS for more details.

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admin on May 28th 2010 Neighborhood Groups,Neighborhood Planning,Urban Design

James Court Park Meeting Recap

Friday, May 28th, 2010

watertown-sign-with-park-space

The Seattle Parks Department held a meeting last week to discuss plans for the James Court Park on 12th Avenue. Landscape design work will be done by Hewitt and Ellen Sollod, local artist and resident of the 12th Avenue neighborhood.

The 12th Avenue Stewardship Committee sent a letter to the Parks Department last year with a set of recommendations for the park design and these ideas were the basis for discussions at the meeting.

Neighbors at the meeting continued the discussion with these major themes emerging:
- Need to activate the park to keep it lively
- The park should celebrate and be a product of the community
- Despite its small size, the park needs to create a presence on 12th Avenue
- Possible use of play surfacing (the spongy stuff found in playgrounds) in molded sculptural shapes that could provide seating as well as a neat place to play on for kids
- There should be an interactive element at the park — something to get the community engaged with one another (tables for games, stage for performances, regular events, etc.)
- No room for a traditional swingset or other kid-only function
- This is also a chance to create a gathering space for the community and Seattle University students to come together
- The park should be bold and claim the neighborhood
- There should be some landscaping in the park but we are limited in the size so these elements need to be mixed with hard surfaces
- There should be some art element at the park (something interactive, a rotating exhibit, etc.)
- Some sort of artistic lighting feature at night to activate the park (although safety was not a huge concern from the neighborhood)
- The park will be directly across James Court from the new Seattle University student housing project with first floor retail uses. On the other side is WaterTown so there will be lots of people in the area and lots of "eyes on the park".

We are still seeking input and ideas for the park. The next meeting will be Tuesday, July 13th at 5:30pm at the Seattle University Alumni and Admissions building.

If you have comments or ideas in the meantime, please contact Susanne Friedman at the Parks Department at 206-684-0902.

12th-and-james-court-seattle-google-maps_1274306844128

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admin on May 17th 2010 Neighborhood Planning,Real Estate Development,Urban Design

Redevelopment Plan for the King County Youth Detention Site

Monday, May 17th, 2010

Representatives from King County met with neighbors at the 12th Avenue Stewardship Committee meeting last week to discuss redevelopment plans for the King County Youth Detention Facility at 12th and Alder. Current plans for the site include demolishing and building a new, larger court room facility with structured parking for up to 600 cars. The existing detention facility along Spruce Street will remain. The design team presented three options, which are shown below. These were not intended to be concrete design plans but rather three concepts to show general themes and to generate conversation about what is needed and wanted at the site.

Please see the attached word document below to review the minutes of the meeting and find out more about the plans for the site. Also attached is a document from King County outlining why the current court room facility is being rebuilt. King County welcomes your comments and questions. For more information, please contact their outreach coordinator, Shanon Kearney, at 206-269-0229 ext 112.

Option A

Option A

Option B

Option B

Option C

Option C

May 2010 Meeting Minutes

limitations-of-current-court-facility

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admin on May 7th 2010 Neighborhood Planning,Real Estate Development,Urban Design

Important 12th Avenue Meetings Coming Up!

Friday, May 7th, 2010

youth-detention-site

There are two important community meetings coming up soon to discuss redevelopment of the Youth Detention Center and planning for a new park on 12th Avenue. Refreshments will be provided.

Tuesday May 11
7:00-9:00pm
Seattle University Alumni & Admissions Building (corner of 12th and Marion)
Representatives from King County and their design team will be holding a meeting to discuss their redevelopment plans for the site near 12th and Alder. This includes demolition of the existing building and constructing a new courtroom facility, adding up to five stories of structured parking, leaving some land for later development, and possible impacts to the open space on the northwest corner of the site.

There will be time at this meeting for questions and small group discussions with King County. We encourage you to attend and share your thoughts.

Tuesday, May 18
5:30pm
Seattle University Alumni & Admissions Building
Parks staff will be hosting a planning meeting for the new park at the corner of 12th Avenue and E James Court. The Parks Department will share information on the project scope and schedule. Please join us and tell us what you want to see in the new park!

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admin on Apr 19th 2010 Neighborhood Planning,Real Estate Development,Urban Design

Early Schemes for Redevelopment at the Youth Detention Site

Monday, April 19th, 2010
One of King County's early design schemes for the redevelopment at the Youth Detention Facility on 12th Avenue

One of King County's early design schemes for the redevelopment at the Youth Detention Facility on 12th Avenue

King County is moving forward (again) with redevelopment plans for the Juvenile Detention Facility at 12th and Alder. Basically, the detention facility itself (along Alder) will remain. The existing courtroom and office building near the center of the site needs to be replaced and will be demolished. In its place will be a bigger and better courtroom facility. King County is proposing to move all family court activities to this site which will double the number of courtrooms needed. Their plans also include an elevated parking structure for some 500 cars. The rest of the site will be redeveloped at a later date, probably by a private developer to be mixed-use housing and retail. These plans have not been developed so no partners have been identified.  King County is considering saving the open space on the site, currently located on the northeast corner where the Whale Fin sculpture is currently located.

For more detail on early site layouts, please check out the good pictures over at the CD News . I believe these were taken at the most recent Squire Park Community Council meeting and provide a good background of the potential site layouts.

If you want more information or have feedback, King County will be attending the 12th Avenue Stewardship Committee Meeting at 7pm on May 11th .  The meeting will be held at the Seattle University Alumni & Admissions building at 12th and Marion and all are welcome to attend.

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admin on Apr 8th 2010 Neighborhood Groups,Neighborhood Planning,Real Estate Development

Get Engaged in Your Community!

Thursday, April 8th, 2010
future location of james court gathering place park

future location of james court gathering place park

There are a couple of great meetings coming up soon in the 12th Avenue and Squire Park neighborhoods. Please come out and get engaged in what is happening in your community…

The monthly meeting of the 12th Ave Stewardship Committee is next Tuesday, April 13 at 5:30 P.M. at 824 12th Avenue (Seattle U. A. and A. bldg.) All who have a stake in or who are interested in the neighborhood are encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served. Agenda will include:

  • Seattle Parks Dept. regarding planning for new park (12th Avenue Gathering Place, pic above) at 12th and James Ct. and search for new additional new park space.
  • Seattle Housing Authority on plans to expand Yesler Terrace, including possibility of expanding to 14th Avenue.
  • Lorig Associates which is requesting a contract rezone for a new mixed-use development at Jefferson and Broadway.
  • Transportation issues update: SDOT and the Mayor have recommended the two-way Broadway alignment for the First Hill streetcar. Interest in extending route on Broadway to Aloha? What are next steps for 12th Avenue?

We also want to advertise the upcoming Squire Park Community Council meeting ,  Saturday, April 10th 10am-Noon at 722 18th Ave (CAMP) . The agenda includes great topics and live music!

  • Welcome, refreshments, and one Honkfest band: Bakra Bata (Caribbean).
  • Kay Smith-Blum Seattle School Board Director: a conversation about community concerns and ideas regarding our neighborhood schools.
  • King County Youth Detention Center development: Update on current status and next steps by representatives of King County and the development team.
  • The Brass Messengers will lead the crowd at the end of the meeting to Honkfest! at Washington Hall.
martin oliver whale fin sculpture at king county juvenile justice center
whale fin sculpture at king county juvenile justice center site

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admin on Mar 19th 2010 Neighborhood Groups,Neighborhood Planning

A New Park in the Neighborhood?

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Where do you think a new park should be located? Plans are still moving forward for the 12th Avenue Gathering Place at 12th and E James Court. However, the Parks Department has money for new park acquisition so the neighborhood is trying to identify possible sites. Please check out the links below for pictures of sites we have in mind and where they are on a map. If you have other ideas, please leave a comment!

Pictures of Potential Park Locations

Map of Potential Park Locations

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