DRA SeattleMarch 28, 2017Comment

Tall and Skinny Can be a Win-Win-Win for Downtown Seattle

DRA SeattleMarch 28, 2017Comment

From the Wall Street Journal of March 22, 2016 - a picture of taller “slender” proposed building. If New York City can do it, why not Seattle?

Seattle has a unique opportunity to make a huge positive impact on the LIVABILITY of our city right now. Amendments to the Downtown/SLU MHA by Councilmembers Bagshaw [6] and Johnson [3] approved by the PLUZ Committee on March 21 and passed on to City Council can potentially impact current “vested” projects and future ones in a true win-win proposition.

Developers can go higher in return for skinnier and more tower separation which should make projects more valuable. Seattle gets money for affordable housing. Residents get a more livable environment with better access to privacy, light, and air. And with more tower separation, we might even be able to solve serious traffic problems by widening narrow/one-way alleys. Not bad!

Please let your City Councilmember know how important PLUZ Amendments 3 and 6 to the Downtown/SLU MHA up-zoning legislation are to the future of downtown Seattle.

-Photo and info provided by Kirk Greene, Downtown Resident with minor edits.

DRA Seattle

Design Review, LivabilityDRA SeattleApril 07, 2016Comment

Two Massive Downtown Towers Threaten Traffic, Frustrate Residents

“The city actually has the authority to look, on a case-by-case basis, at each building and change the building,” Newman said....

Design Review, LivabilityDRA SeattleApril 07, 2016Comment

Two Massive Downtown Towers Threaten Traffic, Frustrate Residents

Alleys, Design Review, fairness and justice, HALA, Residential Dev StandardsDRA SeattleJune 14, 20162 Comments

Downtown Seattle at the Tipping Point for Livability

The proposed 500' 5th & Virginia residential tower right across the alley from Escala may very well be the “tipping point” toward a downward spiral for livability and an ultimate exodus from downtown Seattle.

Alleys, Design Review, fairness and justice, HALA, Residential Dev StandardsDRA SeattleJune 14, 20162 Comments

Downtown Seattle at the Tipping Point for Livability

HALA, Livability, AlleysDRA SeattleMarch 04, 20172 Comments

Seattle at a Major Crossroad for Livability

It doesn’t seem like a grand bargain to pack human beings in like sardines with no privacy or life-giving light...We think there may be a practical way to deal with growth, affordability, and livability....

HALA, Livability, AlleysDRA SeattleMarch 04, 20172 Comments

Seattle at a Major Crossroad for Livability

Livability, HALA, Design Review, AlleysDRA SeattleMarch 31, 2017Comment

Full Council to Vote on Downtown/SLU Upzoning on April 10 at 2 PM

With the future LIVABILITY of downtown Seattle at stake, it is critically important that at least two of the Amendments, Numbers 6 and 3, be passed as part of this legislation....

Livability, HALA, Design Review, AlleysDRA SeattleMarch 31, 2017Comment

Full Council to Vote on Downtown/SLU Upzoning on April 10 at 2 PM

fairness and justice, LivabilityDRA SeattleJuly 03, 2019seattle, seattlecitycouncil, justice, seattlejusticeComment

District 7 Council Candidates Answer Key Questions

After researching all of candidates in the District 7 Seattle City Council race, attending a number of Candidate Forums, and talking with the five we thought were best aligned with our values and downtown livability, we emailed each of them a list of five key questions and asked for short, succinct answers. Below are the answers we received, in alphabetical order, without edits:

fairness and justice, LivabilityDRA SeattleJuly 03, 2019seattle, seattlecitycouncil, justice, seattlejusticeComment