RantWoman calls readers' attention to one of several monster buildings likely to sprout around the University District and within the "walkshed" of University Friends meeting
Design Review page for 7th NE and NE 45th
"Walkshed" is basically everything within whatever radius one chooses for walkability threshold. Just applying a set radius does not account for walkability impediments such as multilane freeways and associated freeway ramps. But hey, that's okay. The planning documents referenced above refer to provisions for bicycle access but the table of contents says nothing about pedestrian routings.
23 stories. 123 units. RantWoman has not plowed through the dozens of pages of design document for instance to see what market level the new units are being designed for or whether there are tax credit units, one of the measures developers can use to meet Seattle's very modest rules about affordable housing in new development. Nor has RantWoman chased down public comments. RantWoman is going to pop off fully aware that she may not have completely discerned many issues.
Sure, more housing is needed close in. RantWoman does not think living near a freeway is ANYONE's first choice. RantWoman can hardly imagine how anyone is going to want to live with so little greenspace next to a freeway..
RantWoman is savoring pictures from a recent walk in the Neighborhood. RantWoman wonders whether new neighbors would find the Meetinghouse as it is a precious sanctuary. RantWoman is alternatively considering whether the same precious sanctuary feeling could be reborn if the worship space were basically picked up and put on top of 7 stories of affordable housing. And anyway will all the new neighbors want / think they need a worship space as much as RantWoman thinks they should?
Stay tuned, and if there world is lucky, a badly needed tantrum will splash forth from Planet RantWoman in acceptable Quakerese.
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| The Meetinghouse at its Memorial day weekend best |
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