Land Use

Why the City Chose Alexandria for Mercer Megablock Deal

Mayor Jenny Durkan announced her decision to sell the Mercer Megablock to Maryland-based developer Alexandria Real Estate for $143.5 million earlier this month. At...

Sunday Video: Why So Many Suburbs Look The Same

https://youtu.be/vWhYlu7ZfYM In this Vox episode of Almanac, Phil Edwards explains why so many suburbs look the same. Principally, the advent of federal financing, the cul-de-sac,...

Seattle’s Comp Plan Shuffle: Some Amendments Move Forward, Others Peter Out

On Monday, the Seattle City Council passed a resolution identifying possible Comprehensive Plan amendments to be further processed in advance of a final ordinance...

Seattle Advances SEPA Reform with Equity and Affordability in Mind

Since its passage in 1971, the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) has been a cornerstone of environmental protection in Washington State. However, in recent...

Sunday Video: EPCOT–Yesterday’s City of Tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hqLo4J6mrQ Dave Amos looks at Walt Disney's unrealized tomorrow city plans (known as "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" or "EPCOT"), which were largely Modernist delusions...

Was the Mercer Megablock Deal a Megablunder?

On August 7th, Mayor Jenny Durkan finally unveiled the winner of the contest for the most coveted real estate parcel in town: the 2.8-acre...

Sunday Video: Where Manhattan’s Grid Came From

https://youtu.be/QaIOfgz8FVY In this video, Vox explains how New York settled on Manhattan’s modern grid.

What Could Rapidly Growing Seattle Do to Reduce Small Businesses Displacement?

Workie Wubushet, owner of Saba Ethiopian Cuisine, knew her campaign to save the restaurant she'd owned for nearly 20 years was over when the...