Planning for Yesler Terrace moves into "concept" phase
Various mixtures of office, retail and housing under consideration
SEATTLE—January 7, 2009—After nearly two years of community discussions and preparation, preliminary concepts for a revitalized Yesler Terrace are beginning to take shape.
"We can't start drawing pictures of new housing yet," cautions Project Manager Judith Kilgore, "but we are getting closer to understanding both what might be possible within the new community, and what will be needed to make it economically feasible, and the first step is to create concepts that do the job in different ways."
On December 10, the Yesler Terrace Citizen Review Committee got an introduction to what is envisioned for the new community. At its mid-January meeting the CRC will discuss concepts for the site in more detail. The Committee will continue to review various ways in which the mix and intensity of uses on the site can best serve the interests of the community and Seattle Housing Authority.
"The new Yesler Terrace will be a different place than it is today. We envision a dynamic and welcoming urban neighborhood that comfortably houses significantly more residents than the current site," explains Kilgore.
"We will be looking at concepts that accommodate 3,000 to 5,000 residential units along a spectrum of income levels. Retail space to support the residential community could occupy 50,000 to 100,000 square feet. And we are looking at significant office space—from 800,000 to 1.5 million square feet." Between 5 and 8 acres of open space would also be included on the 28-acre site.
There are several reasons for looking at an increased level of activity at Yesler Terrace. For the Housing Authority, the new housing, retail and offices will help pay for the low-income housing units as well as new open space and other public features. The new uses will also provide new employment and business opportunities for Yesler's residents.
Current concepts include the replacement of all 561 low income housing units on the original site.
"In addition to renewing the housing that is already there, we believe that the new Yesler Terrace neighborhood will offer wide-ranging economic and social benefits to the community," said Kilgore. "Over the next 15 years we will see a rebirth of Yesler Terrace as a place where people from across our society can come together to enjoy cultural diversity, high quality living and access to nearby amenities."
Kilgore expects that the master plan being developed by Seattle Housing will unfold slowly enough that there will be an orderly and economically sustainable phasing strategy. Seattle Housing will continue to work closely, every step of the way, with residents and agencies to anticipate difficulties and maximize future opportunities.
The concept work currently being prepared by the planning team will continue to reflect the Guiding Principles developed by the Citizen Review Committee and adopted a year ago by the Seattle Housing Authority's Board of Commissioners. These principles include social equity, economic opportunity, environmental and sustainable stewardship and one-for-one replacement housing.
Once concepts are further refined, the development team will further develop these concepts into alternatives to be analyzed in an Environmental Impact Study, which will include a preferred alternative selected by the Board of Commissioners.
It is likely that the redevelopment of Yesler Terrace will take as long as 15 years to complete, with construction expected to begin sometime after 2011. This extended timeline also allows for regional economic recovery and a rebound in the real estate market, both of which are necessary for the success of the project.
