[Re]vision The Ave
ECONOMIC & HOUSING DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR UNIVERSITY WAY
PURPOSE
The U-District is at a point of renaissance as the fabric of the neighborhood is changing. University Book Store, a neighborhood staple on University Way, will be moving into a new University of Washington (UW) affiliated tower – a large development project off of University Way. As students of the built environment, there was the motivation with this announcement to examine the conditions of University Way in a UW Master’s of Urban Planning studio during the spring quarter of 2022. The UW-affiliated tower is posed to be a catalyst for growth in the U-District, but the declining University Way will be detrimental to the tower’s success if not addressed.
Commonly known as “The Ave”, University Way serves as the backbone for off-campus life with live music, diverse food options, and unique local businesses; At the same time, it houses an uninviting public realm with dilapidated buildings indicating a lack of investment. The team identified two major issues at the root of the deterioration of The Ave in the Initial Conditions Report. They are:
1. ECONOMIC STAGNATION
2. HOUSING DEFICIT
[RE]VISION STATEMENT
Alongside, community stakeholders, The Re[vision] The Ave Studio has identified discrete interventions that will address challenges on The Ave and position the community to be a vibrant, successful neighborhood with the addition of the UW-affiliated tower development.
INTERVENTIONS
NEIGHBORHOOD INTERVENTIONS
The Ave needs placemaking and design interventions to represent the character of the neighborhood and bring improvements to the physical quality and atmosphere of the built environment.
Click Here to Learn More about Facade Improvements, Community Crosswalks & Pedestrian Opporunities.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
Publicly owned land presents a unique opportunity for a curated intervention focusing on affordable housing and social services.
Click Here to Learn More.
MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENT
Two privately-owned site-specific feasibility studies demonstrating market-rate mixed-use development opportunities on The Ave.
Click Here to Learn More About “Flowers+” & “Big Red”
ADAPTIVE REUSE
An adaptive reuse proposal for the privately-owned University Book Store property to transform it into a vibrant node of activity on the Ave serving students, tourists and the neighborhood.
Click Here to Learn More.