Slog - Comments on Losing that Space Needle View?

Comment by PC

PC — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:02:40 -0800

The rights of way in Seattle are narrow and many of the new developments crowd the street right of way. There need to be more setbacks at street level. And this may require that the developers be allowed to combine different parcels more easily, or that the higher zoning zone be expanded -- often you have a high zoned parcel but it just isn't big enough to build on with a setback.

By setback I also mean attractive shallow u shaped driveways to a portico, places of green with flowers or fountains, something that makes the street a bit more interesting and says "this is the entrance."

The older apt. buildings around town are built like this.

And stop requiring parking. People can park their cars, if they have one, in a garage 1 or 2 blocks away. How will we transition to relatively more car-free living if our very housing and building codes mandate 1 or 2 parking spaces with every unit? And those spaces cost $45K each? So that everyone who buys has to buy one? so that we are requiring a 45-90K buy into the car - CO2 system in our very zoning or housing code?

Lots and lots of premier buildings and more affordable buildings around the world do not have parking, eg no. 10 downing.

Comment by I could see my house from here

I could see my house from here — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:25:14 -0800

But think of the great view of these buildings that the visitors to the Space Needle will have!

Comment by Westside forever

Westside forever — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:35:23 -0800

Sheesh, expect to get your cake and eat it too? The increase in density is a huge benefit to the city and its surroundings. To also expect such development to meet subjective aesthetic criteria is a bit much. It's reasonable to require generous setbacks, pedestrian access, and environmentally friendly construction, but it's going to take several decades of "aging in" for the south lake union neighborhood to develop a patina of charm.

Comment by infrequent

infrequent — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:41:18 -0800

you can have density, walkable streets and a sense of community and still enforce height limitations on buildings.

Comment by jrrrl

jrrrl — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:49:39 -0800

these are office buildings. who cares what they look like except the people who work there? nobody's going to be walking along these streets, it's a glorified office park. the only thing we can do is encourage taller height limits so they will take up less of our city.

Comment by Jubilation T. Cornball

Jubilation T. Cornball — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:21:28 -0800

I honestly hope the folks on the west side of Cap Hill don't lose their needle views, as most of those buildings are so unspeakably ugly that said view is their only redeeming factor.

Comment by max solomon

max solomon — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:12:04 -0800

how will the people living on the 400' level get to their units when there is no more power?

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:01:00 -0800

I'd rather attend the Mass Transit meeting at Northgate tomorrow night.

That has a much greater chance of doing something than fighting the inevitable growth of taller buildings around Lake Union.