Seattle City Council approves High Point
plan
Contract rezone and street vacation plans
pass unanimously
SEATTLE—May
27, 2003—The Seattle City Council today approved a contract rezone
and street vacation that clears the way for the Seattle Housing
Authority to begin work on its plan to redevelop the 120-acre High
Point Garden Community in West Seattle.
SHA
plans to redevelop High Point into a mixed-income rental and home
ownership community with 1,600 housing units on-site and 250 units
elsewhere, thus replacing the existing 716 on-site units. The
community also will include a branch library, community center,
medical/dental facility, retail space, and new parks and open space.
A federal grant will help fund the redevelopment, with no City
spending requested.
The
Council action included approval of a contract rezone that allows
variable zoning within the development, including height adjustments
subject to conditions. The Council added an amendment to the
contract rezone requiring SHA to commit to a one-for-one replacement
of very low-income housing units (at or below 30 percent of median
income).
According
to Tom Phillips, SHA redevelopment project manager, a replacement
plan was already in place for the site. "We planned to carry
out a replacement housing plan for this site. They reinforced
it," he said.
The
Council also approved a preliminary street vacation that allows SHA
to re-grid the street alignment at High Point to fit the
redevelopment and to reintegrate High Point into the surrounding
neighborhood. The street plan incorporates an innovative natural
storm water runoff approach to the street design.
"This
is another demonstration of SHA efforts combined with City of
Seattle cooperation to deliver safe and decent housing to residents
with low- and moderate-incomes," said Councilmember Richard
McIver, who chairs the Housing, Human Services & Community
Development Committee.
"A
lot of people - residents, the design team and SHA staff - worked
very hard to create a great redevelopment plan," said Phillips.
"It's gratifying to hear the City Council acknowledge the
quality of our work."
SHA
will begin abatement and demolition on more than half the High Point
site this summer, with completion of this first phase expected in
early 2005. The entire redevelopment is scheduled to be complete in
late 2008.
City
Council Staff Martin Munguia and Charles Redell, Editor of The
Voice, contributed to this story.
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