While sustainability in the US is biased in favor of environmental strategies, the Capitol Hill Equitable Transit Oriented Development (CHETOD) prioritizes Community, Economy and Integration – all while achieving certification of LEED For Homes Platinum and Salmon Safe Certification for both The Park and Station House, as well as compliance with Evergreen Sustainable Development Standards for Station House.

Design for Equitable Communities was of paramount importance because this project was guided by community priorities identified during Architect through Community charettes and other events spanning six years prior to the release of the RFP by the Transit Agency. Leveraging the public investment of transit in this high opportunity neighborhood that was already experiencing gentrification and displacement, the CHETOD offers affordable homes for 125 households earning below 60% of the Area Median Income between the two buildings.

In this neighborhood that is proximately close to South Lake Union (home to global tech companies), University of Washington, and downtown, the economic pressure for high-priced housing has pushed out many of the LGBTQ, BIPOC, artist, and student populations that once made up the majority of the residential population of Capitol Hill, even before the racist redlining policies that began in the 1940s.

The public process of the CHETOD enabled legislation at the state and local level requiring the Transit Agency to offer future TOD sites at a significant discount – far less than “fair market value” required at this site - and instead, prioritize the creation of affordable housing.

In addition to affordable housing, the Capitol Hill ETOD includes many community priorities such as a permanent home for the Farmer’s Market, community gathering spaces, sustainable development, small commercial spaces for local retail, and arts integration. In this way, the project embodies Design for Integration and Design for Economy. Each program element was leveraged to create a sum that is greater than its parts. Having an engaged community resulted in a Development Agreement between the City and Transit Agency that compelled a future developer to provide a public plaza that could serve as a central gathering space for the community as well as a permanent home for the Farmer’s Market.  This public plaza also became the nexus of three major art installations (the fourth is in the publicly accessible Community Room at Station House) that comprise the AIDS Memorial Pathway. And the commercial spaces that surround the plaza are occupied by small and local businesses that further activate this community gathering space.  The plaza has become the center of Capitol Hill – the place to host community fundraisers, pop-up dance performances, impromptu drag shows, and roller skate meet ups.

It is only when the community leads and informs the process and design that Design Excellence can be truly achieved.

Project Information

CLIENT
Gerding Edlen Development Community Roots Housing

LOCATION
Seattle, WA (Capitol Hill)

PROJECT TYPE
Master plan

COMPLETED

SCOPE

PROJECT TEAM
Schemata Workshop (Architect)
MAKERS (Urban Design)