THE CONTEXT
One of the largest urban revitalisation projects in the North America, South Lake Union is a 40-hectare dynamic mixed-use community comprised of bio-technology firms, university and private sector medical research institutions, a mix of affordable and market-rate housing, and tech-based commercial office buildings with diverse retail offerings.
THE WORK
As an employee of Vulcan Inc., Jason supported the project as Senior Project Manager supervising all aspects of development including master planning, contracts, feasibility studies, budgeting, entitlements, design and construction oversight. With his stewardship, this former industrialised area has become headquarters to some of the world’s most dynamic firms, including Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Alphabet. Additional tenants include top bio-technology research and medical facilities, including the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute. the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, the University of Washington Medical Centre, and the Allen Institute for Brain Science.
Lessons learned:
Transit first, transit first, transit first. Need to have a robust multi-modal transit strategy in place that’s supports development growth. Walkable density is priority number one, then bike infrastructure, mass transit and private vehicles last. South Lake Union’s success was underpinned by a new streetcar to service the district and connect it to other key neighbourhoods and transit hubs. It was paid for through a betterment levy value capture instrument.
Put the system in the room. Enabling governance and integrated precinct planning and management can unlock innovation. For South Lake Union, the Mayor assigned a representative from the economic development department to run interdepartmental planning sessions attended by the heads of each department (planning, sustainability, energy, water, roads and transit, etc…) so that issues could be addresses quickly and in a coordinated manor. This governance model led to a Seattle becoming an Investor-ready city.
Early infrastructure planning is vital and having all utility companies meeting together regular to coordinate and explore energy and water innovation strategies is key to leveraging precinct scale sustainability outcomes.
Having a flexible Urban Design Framework is much more important than a rigid master plan. Master plans were developed numerous times for South Lake Union at great expense and then thrown away when market trends changed. A well-developed urban design framework can adapt to our changing times and technology innovations.
Let the tenants and residents help drive the precinct vision. When Amazon came knocking on the door it changed everything. The lifestyle aspirations of Amazon employees helped drive the culture of the precinct from retailing, food offerings, public art and community space which important led to a precinct identity that is now largely recognised at the North America’s first innovation district.
Hold the retail. To generate a sense of place and authenticity, it important to hold the retail and tenant the ground plan with local retailers, arts and culture venues and food/beverage operators to create a distinctive place. This will help the precinct become a destination instead of just a place to work during the week.
