Urban Changes to University District, Seattle Wa

U-District Light Rail Station

University District

Seattle, Washington

Seattle, Washington’s University District has been called the city’s last affordable urban core district and that now stands to be threatened as the City of Seattle looks to bring economic improvement into the area.

In March 2016, the city expects to unveil its newest public works project, U District Station, the first of many additions to the cities light rail lines snaking around the city. The U District Station will help connect the northern districts for the urban center and by design, any other part of the city along Sound Transit lines.

While the U District Station itself is not controversially held to those local residents, the air rights above it are. Since 2013, many public and alleged, private discussions have taken place as to how the city should handle ownership of the air rights above the transit line and should it be for sale. If so, then to who?

Over the years, decisions to sell the land to the local university, University of Washington, were made and left up to the University to decide how to use the airspace. Leading up to the decision, University of Washington proposed a simple but out of character development in an ultra-tall urban office building that would rival buildings found almost exclusively in Seattle’s densest downtown core. This office building would be nearly 100% occupied by the university and its affiliates as it tries to grow its newest venture as a start-up incubator for young aspiring entrepreneurs and established local business looking to scale their operations.

It’s this type of development that has some local residents concerned as they have witnessed other districts within the city, such as South Lake Union and Beltown, undergo similar community changes which has taken their once culturally rich and affordable communities and turned them into, “...a soulless glass-and-steel playground for the young and wealthy.” as one Seattle Times reporter quoted.

However, despite the notion of impending gentrification, it seems undeniable that the U District has been a source for the city’s drugs, homeless, and outcasted youth. The district, with incredible state and local public and private backing, has already begun implementing secondary steps to transform the city into a more vibrant tech hotspot, but many are left wondering, is anyone thinking about those that will get left behind in the move?

A Brief History Lesson

Seattle is a city that lies between the salty shores of the Puget Sound to the west and the land locked Lake Washington. Dotted with picturesque views Mt. Rainier and Mt. Jefferson, this truly unique amphibious city has built its culture upon its lush access to resources and natural exposure to geological wonders.

^[1] The first settlers came to the area in 1851 and established a townsite first called New York – Alki; Alki being the Chinook word meaning "by-and-by"(Bagely, 2003). Across the bay from New York – Alki, now recognized as Elliott Bay, pioneers settled a secondary village where they believed a deep water harbor could be viable. They called this settlement Seattle, in honor of a befriended Duwamish Indian leader named Sealth. The original village grounds were established on what is now commonly recognized as the Pioneer Square District.