December 22, 1999

Design Detailings: County execs lead ESA dinner talk

King County Executive Ron Sims, Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel and Pierce County Executive Doug Sutherland will discuss efforts by their counties to respond to the proposed listing of Puget Sound chinook salmon as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The panel discussion will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at the Rock Salt Restaurant in Seattle. The cost, which includes dinner, is $25 for reservations made before Jan. 7, after which the cost is $27. Space is limited, so early reservations are suggested. The American Society for Engineering Management is sponsoring the event. Call (206) 695-6823 for more information.

Seattle Library seeks citizen input

The Seattle Public library is organizing "work groups" of library users to help fine-tune the design of the new central library.

Internationally renowned architect Rem Koolhaas of the Office of Metropolitan Architecture and LMN Architects are designing the new library. Construction on the building is scheduled to begin in spring 2001 and end in 2003. The library will be constructed on the existing site at 1000 Fourth Ave.

The library has identified users groups, which are the: arts community, business community, children's services, disabled, homeless, ESL/literacy, general/recreational readers, researchers and young adults. Each group will develop a key list of recommendations for the architects. This is the phase, library officials say, where ideas can be explored and incorporated into the design. Work group meetings will take place in January. Participants should contact the facilitator, or library staff member who is leading the work group of their interest.

• For the arts community, the work group facilitator is Jodee Fenton who can be reached 206-386-4610. The meeting will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, at the Central Library's Lee Auditorium.

• The business community facilitator is Betty Tonglao, (206) 386-4655. Meetings are from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, Central Library, Small Business Conference Room, second floor and 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, Central Library, 1000 4th Ave., Small Business Conference Room, second floor.

• The children's services facilitator is Chance Hunt, (206) 386-4097. Meeting is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, Lee Auditorium.

• The facilitator for disabled people is Cleo Brooks, (206) 386-4690 V/TDD. Meeting is from 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Jan. 12, Central Library, LEAP office, third floor.

• ESL/literacy facilitators are Emily Wong, (206) 386-4148, and Peter Cole, (206) 386-4668. Meeting is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, Douglass-Truth Library, 2300 E. Yesler Way

• The general/recreational users facilitator is Gwen Scott-Miller, (206) 386-4641. Meeting is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, Central Library, Business and Technology Conference Room, second floor.

• The homeless facilitator is Patrick Grace, (206) 386-4139. Meetings are from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, Central Library, Lee Auditorium and 3 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10, Central Library, Lee Auditorium.

• The facilitator for older adults Shelley Adatto, (206) 386-4149. Meeting is from 10 a.m. to noon, Monday, Jan. 10, Central Library, Lee Auditorium.

• For researchers, the facilitators are Lynn Daniel, (206) 386-4622, and Tom Horne, (206) 386-4181. Meetings are from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, Central Library, Lee Auditorium and 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, Central Library, Board Room, fifth floor.

• For young adults, the facilitator is Jeff Katz, (206) 386-4151. Meeting is from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, Central Library, Lee Auditorium.

Latest projects for RCA/Huitt-Zollars

• The Seattle engineering and planning firm RCA/Huitt Zollars has prepared a master plan for Black Hills in Shelton and is proceeding with infrastructure engineering for the mixed-use project, which will include retail/commercial, office, light industrial, multifamily housing and a mobile home park. Two retail/commercial users have expressed interest in the 30-40 acres nearest the interchange. Black Hills will substantially expand an existing retail/commercial development east of the interchange, which includes Wal-Mart and Fred Meyer stores. Phase I infrastructure construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2000. The firm did not disclose the name of the developer of the property.

• The Port of Chehalis has selected the firm to prepare the conceptual land use master plan for 375 acres currently owned by Weyerhaeuser. The Port has acquired 40 acres for phase I development. RCA/Huitt-Zollars is preparing a detailed plan for the parcel owned by the Port. The plan will address development of a phased industrial park, to be named Curtis Industrial Park, and how future phases can be developed by extending road and utility systems. Phase I is expected to yield 700,000 square feet of industrial development.

• RCA/Huitt-Zollars has prepared a master plan and will provide infrastructure engineering for the Oakland Bay Planned Community in Shelton. The developer, LANN, has acquired approximately 280 acres in Shelton overlooking Oakland Bay. The wooded site will yield 1000-1200 dwelling units including 100-200 multifamily units and a church. Infrastructure construction on phase I (150-200 lots) is expected to begin in 2000.

• The firm has prepared a master plan and is proceeding with the preliminary plat for a large development in Ellensburg. Triple L is the owner and developer of the 92-acre property, which abuts Ellensburg's west interchange. The site is zoned tourist/commercial and light industrial.

The property, divided by State Route 97, is visible from Interstate 90.

Mayer/Reed starts transportation project

Mayer/Reed, a Portland engineering firm, has begun design work on a multimodal transportation center in the Everett. The firm is providing environmental graphics for the new facility's design. Mayer/Reed is working with Zimmer Gunsul Frasca, which has offices in Portland and Seattle, on the project. Amtrak, Sound Transit, Greyhound and commuter rail services will use the center, which also will house academic facilities for higher education and career development.

State puts architect info. online

Washington's Department of Licensing has made the Architect Registration Board Annual Report available online. The Internet format replaces the paper version of the report. The Web site contains the laws and rules of the board as well as information about the status of individual architects. The Web site can be found at www.wa.gov/dol/bpd/arcfront.htm.

Annual DOT traffic report available

The latest Annual Traffic Report issued by the Washington Department of Transportation -- which contains four years of annual average daily traffic volumes for more than 3,500 locations on the state highway system -- is now available. The report is $10 per copy and can be obtained by calling the state DOT's data office at (360) 753-6234.

The report also contains the percentage of truck traffic at various locations throughout the state, traffic volumes at automatic data collection stations, seasonal traffic, state ferry system data and maps showing traffic flow.

Book group looks at commerce, architecture

The Henry Art Gallery is hosting a winter book group, held on Thursdays, January 27 and March 2. The featured books are "Systems of Survival, A Dialogue on the Moral Foundations of Commerce and Politics," by Jane Jacobs and "The Geography of Nowhere, The Rise of Decline of America's Manmade Landscape," by James Howard Kunstler.

Both groups meet from 7 p.m. -8:30 p.m. in the Henry Gallery conference room. General registration is $28, $20 for students and Henry members. Call (206) 543-2281 for more information.

Portland interior design firm changes name

Hills & Associates, a Portland-based interior design and space planning firm, has a new name. The new name is the Hills Design Group. The nine-member firm, which specializes in corporate office space planning, has planned more than 2 million square feet of office space, lobbies and public spaces.

McGowan moves

McGowan Broz Engineers has moved to 15405 S.E. 37th St., suite 201 in Bellevue, along the Interstate 90 corridor. The telephone number is (425) 564-8400.

Florida conference to look at new urbanism

A conference in Seaside, Fla., from Friday, Jan. 14 to Sunday, Jan. 16 will address the topic of new urbanism. There is no registration fee. Conference sponsors will provide a continental breakfast each day and a reception on Friday evening. Housing is available in Seaside. The conference rate for a bedroom and bath in a cottage, sharing living/dining rooms and kitchen is $110/night plus tax. For reservations, call Courtney Hurst at 1 (800) 591-8696.