I’ve been reading Suburban Nation (available at the library once I turn it back in), which has inspired me to come up with a few ideas for Seattle. One section discusses how to bring some of the successful features of malls to downtown. Malls always have anchor stores on opposite sides of the mall, requiring at least two walks through the mall past every store to see both anchors. However, cities put parking right at major destinations (arenas, convention center, etc.), completely ignoring this potential foot traffic.
Here’s the idea. With Link and Sounder we have less demand for parking at our stadiums. How about removing the North parking lot (which is single-level anyway) and put in small-footprint 5-story buildings complete with pedestrian-only streets? Instead of walking from Link or Sounder through a (boring and dangerous) parking lot, we could be walking past dozens of stores and restaurants. When there’s no game, this becomes transit oriented development and extra shopping for downtown.
On top, put offices or condos. Who wouldn’t want to live or work a block from transit?
(second image is my attempt at laying out what this would look like. ok, so I’m no architect, but it’s a start.)
You’re not the first one to think of putting something in there. Nitze-Stagen has a plan, which must have been put on hold because of the recession, to build a couple dozen-story building with a supermarket and lots of residential. Check it:http://www.djc.com/news/ae/11180613.html
I completely agree, I was actually thinking about this very thing this morning for some reason. Our cars don’t enjoy the game or concert. So we should leave them at home. Or at safe and secure well-lit parking garages stacked near the freeways — with speedy transit between the parking lots and the attractions.
Because you’re right. Big parking lots destroy opportunities to connect attractions to the surroundig communities.
[alex] It’s great that I’m not the first one to think of this – it should be done. I would prefer more smaller buildings to large ones, if just for the amount of retail street area my layout would provide compared to theirs. But almost anything is better than nothing.
[tv] It’s always seemed disappointing to take our nice bus tunnel out to our beautiful train station, then when I start to walk to our expensive stadium I’m dumped into a parking lot with a buzz of dangerous, loud, smelly, boring cars for a few blocks.
I agree about the pedestrian environment, but I think high density is good for that area… maybe make a compromise, with three 30 story buildings with pedestrian malls in between?
> Who wouldn’t want to live or work a block from transit?
Well I certainly wouldn’t want to live there but I’m sure there are lots and lots of people who would. I think it’s a great idea and the development planning would provide a lot of jobs right now when they are so sorely needed. Who owns the land? Would the State or City benefit from a sale?
As a car holding member of the right wing I always opt for transit to games. Having a great place to hang out before and after the games would be great. I don’t feel safe in Pioneer Square.
Nice twist on some old lyrics, Take parking lot, put up a paradise
I believe King County owns the land, and I’d suggest they don’t sell it, just provide a market-rate long-term lease. 100 year leases are common downtown, and allow for changes in land use in the future. Who knows, maybe hovercraft jousting, popular in the 2250’s, will require a larger stadium.
Here’s some info those plans, it’s a bit out of date, but should give you a sense of what the ideas are.
Good find.
Oops. That doesn’t bode well.
Doh! I guess there’s a first time for everything.
True, leasing works well for the UW. I don’t know if the county would be set up to administer it. Maybe they are. There must also be some laws regarding sale and lease of county lands which would determine how it would work.