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The Eastside will have light rail service for the first time, as East Link launches Saturday. The Urbanist has everything you need to know about this momentous occasion.
An evening shot of Esterra Park on NE Turing St

East Link TOD: Overlake Takes Shape for Station Opening

More than 8,000 homes have either been completed in the past decade or are in development near Overlake Station, on the southern edge of Microsoft's megacampus.
A six story apartment rendered with white siding on the corners and brick in the middle.

Two Seattle QFC Redevelopments Run Into Concerns Around Height and Parking

Two housing projects -- one in Wedgwood and one in Capitol Hill -- are running into similar issues around tree retention, parking, and scale.
The immediate station area of BelRed station

East Link TOD: BelRed’s Scattered Development Could Preface Bigger Housing Boom

Near Bel-Red Station, more than 3,500 new homes have been built or permitted since 2017. However, development has been patchy due to uneven zoning.
Fire and smoke pours out of upper story windows of an old brick building with a fire crane seeking to control them.

Seattle Aims to Tamp Down Vacant Building Fires

Vacant building fires have become increasingly common in Seattle in recent years. In response to the threat that these fires can pose,...

Seattle Levy Proposal Lowers the Bar on Public Transit Investments

Seattle's draft transportation levy takes a big step back when it comes to public transit investments, only proposing two full corridor upgrades and allocating less overall funding to transit.

East Link TOD: Spring District Gradually Blossoms with Development

Buoyed by its light rail station and master plan, the Spring District has seen more than 2,000 homes, 4 million square feet of office, and 8,000 parking stalls recently delivered or in development.
A bike whizzes by on Greenwood Avenue with a brick building in the background

Phinney Ridge Apartment Complex Pioneers Unique Communal Model

Delivering 35 new family-sized homes, Shared Roof features a unique financing model catering to a range of incomes, built-in community, and hip cafes spilling into a public courtyard. Is the model replicable? The developer thinks so.

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Join The Urbanist for an East Link Opening Party

If you’ve been waiting for this as long as we have, please join us to celebrate, ride East Link, and come hang out at our afterparty at Goose Pub for beverages and food with fellow urbanists on April 27.
An Urbanist banner standing in a corner of a brewery with a few dozen people gathered chatting.

Join The Urbanist for Our Monthly Meetup on April 18

Our in-person meetup is at Stoup Capitol Hill every third Thursday of the month from 5:30pm to 7ish. On April 18, we'll again discuss the Seattle Comprehensive Plan.
A few dozen people gather at Westlake Park for The Urbanist's Center City walking tour.

Get Plugged In with The Urbanist’s New Local Events Calendar

The Urbanist’s new Local Events Calendar is the one-stop shop for finding events from a variety of organizations across the region. Readers can subscribe to the calendar so they never miss an opportunity to connect.

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The Urbanist is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. We depend on donations from readers like you to sustain our work. Subscribe as a monthly donor or make a one-time donation to help us grow.

Everything to Know About Sound Transit’s 2 Line, Launching This Weekend

The Eastside will have light rail service for the first time, as East Link launches Saturday. The Urbanist has everything you need to know about this momentous occasion.
An evening shot of Esterra Park on NE Turing St

East Link TOD: Overlake Takes Shape for Station Opening

More than 8,000 homes have either been completed in the past decade or are in development near Overlake Station, on the southern edge of Microsoft's megacampus.
The immediate station area of BelRed station

East Link TOD: BelRed’s Scattered Development Could Preface Bigger Housing Boom

Near Bel-Red Station, more than 3,500 new homes have been built or permitted since 2017. However, development has been patchy due to uneven zoning.

More Eastside Coverage posts »

An aerial photo of a boulevard with port cranes and Elliott Bay in the distance.

Planners Proposed Bigger Upzones Before Harrell’s Team Intervened, Records Show

A paper trail from fall 2023 shows that Mayor Harrell's office overruled his planning department and cut transit corridor upzones and halved the number of proposed "neighborhood centers" before release of the growth strategy.
Photo of Rian Watt wearing a t-shirt from the National Civil Rights museum and an unbuttoned button down shirt. He is smiling slightly.

Urbanist Leader Rian Watt Talks Housing Crisis on Hacks & Wonks...

The Urbanist's Executive Director Rian Watt appeared on Crystal Fincher's Hacks and Wonks podcast on April 9 to talk about the housing crisis. He offered three fixes for the Seattle Comprehensive Plan.

Op-Ed: Growth Plan Fails to Put Enough Housing for Workers in...

Cloud City Coffee is an anchor in the Maple Leaf business district. Seattle's growth plan isn't what the city needs to allow its employees to live close by.

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Transportation

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Land Use/Housing

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Commentary

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A view of a sunset over a lake with a pier in it.

The Urbanist Podcast: Vote Up to the End

It's time to vote for Seattle City Council, a housing levy, and elected positions all over King County. The Urbanist has published its general...

Guest Podcast: Recycling America’s Railroads into Trails

The Urbanist Podcast is on summer break so we thought we'd share with you a guest podcast on a topic near and dear to...
A photo of King County ballot drop box on a sunny day.

The Urbanist Podcast: All About 2023 Primary Endorsements

Primary election ballots are arriving in the mail and due by August 1st. In the run up The Urbanist Elections Committee has been hard...

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