August 18, 2010

Smart-growth group honors four proposed developments

Rendering courtesy of Quality Growth Alliance [enlarge]

Touchstone’s Kirkland ParkPlace was one of the projects selected. It would combine office/tech space with retail, a hotel, a garage and public space.

Quality Growth Alliance officials said yesterday they have picked the first proposed projects in the Puget Sound area to be recognized for promoting sustainable growth.

Three are in Seattle and one is in Kirkland.

The Seattle projects are: The Freehold Group's Interbay planned neighborhood development; Seattle Housing Authority's Yesler Terrace project that will replace aging public housing with office, retail and new housing; and Pryde + Johnson's conversion of the Sunset Electric Building on Capitol Hill into 89 affordable, energy-efficient apartments.

Touchstone's Kirkland ParkPlace was also selected. It will have 1.2 million square feet of office/technology space, 300,000 square feet of retail, a hotel, 3,500 underground parking spaces and about 3.5 acres of public space.

The alliance started the program to honor proposed projects that “exemplify smart, sustainable, high-quality growth” in King, Pierce, Kitsap and Snohomish counties.

Alliance members will support the projects by testifying before city councils, planning commissions and other review boards. The projects also will be publicized at various business and civic events.

The Puget Sound region is projected to see significant growth in the coming decades. Alliance members want to manage that by promoting development in densely populated areas with access to transit.

A jury of architects, planners, developers and others vet the nominated projects.

Projects are judged on:

• Design, location, density and mix of uses

• Transportation access

• Mixed-income levels for housing projects

• Community benefits

• Community participation

The alliance will accept nominations this winter for the second round. There is a submission fee of $2,500.

Applications are kept confidential. If a project is not recognized, the jury's comments will be given to the developer, who is encouraged to make changes and re-apply, for an additional $1,500 fee.

The alliance is made up of organizations that focus on real estate, environmental and civic issues. Members are the Urban Land Institute; Puget Sound Regional Council; University of Washington College of Built Environments; Enterprise Community Partners; Cascade Land Conservancy; Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties; Futurewise; and NAIOP, a commercial real estate development group.