Hypothesis
The Eastlake community is at a turning point. As real estate rates increase affordable housing is disappearing and many home buyers and renters are being forced to look elsewhere for housing. Meanwhile, the diverse living and working conditions of a slow-growth, working class community, with multiple small business and property owners, is at risk. As multiple smaller properties are purchased by large developers they are being consolidated and renewed with large office blocks and condominiums. The resulting changes to the fabric of the Eastlake threatens the existing character and culture resulting in the gentrification of its native and historic inhabitants.
Thesis
They key to maintaining the culture and variety of Seattle’s Eastlake is in providing and preserving a diversity of living and working conditions within the existing fabric and scale of the community. These goals can be achieved in a number of ways.
- Provide a diversity of housing types for a variety of incomes including affordable housing.
- Provide a diversity of commercial building types and functions to attract and employ a variety business types and people.
- Design in ways that are sympathetic to a variety of transportation types including bus, light-rail, commercial vehicles, automobile, bicycle and pedestrian.
- Create structures that fit the existing fabric both in scale (massing), materials, and character.
- Create spaces that provide opportunity for community and human interaction.
- Provide support in the form of shared local services.
- Environtmental/Green Design
- Create places of pause by providing spaces where individuals can find inspiration and refuge from daily life. Make it humane!
SOURCES INCLUDE: Eastlake Neighborhood Plan
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