High Point Redevelopment

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Newsletter - Building Community

Awards & Recognition

High Point Redevelopment

New rental housing opens in second phase of High Point

SEATTLE—October 13, 2008—New rental units have been steadily coming on line all summer in the second phase of the award-winning High Point redevelopment in West Seattle. After the first ten townhomes were turned over in June, the pace has picked up steadily. A total of 72 new townhomes have been added so far, and 66 more will come on line next month. Completed rental units will total 256 by April.

The Commons at High Point opens with a community celebration

SEATTLE—July 4, 2008—Over 350 residents and neighbors gathered on Independence Day to celebrate the opening of the Commons, High Point's newest park. The three-acre park has ample open space for pickup soccer and volleyball, play structures for small children and a viewpoint mound and amphitheater. Designed with residents' help by the Pomegranate Center, the amphitheater provides a unique community gathering space.

High Point Commons Park opening celebration scheduled for July 4

SEATTLE—June 5, 2008—High Point’s new park, The Commons – located at Lanham Pl. SW and SW Graham St. – will open in early July. A community barbeque and potluck from 5 pm-8 pm on July 4 will celebrate the opening. Community members are invited to bring a favorite side dish or dessert to contribute. Seattle Housing Authority will provide the main course. There will also be a kids’ talent show (ages 6-18), games, and activities for all. Those interested in volunteering or taking part in the talent show, can e-mail Julie Shaffer or call her at 206-615-3560.

High Point wins Smart Communities award

SEATTLE—October 3, 2007—The Seattle Housing Authority’s High Point neighborhood was one of only nine development projects in Washington State to be honored this past September with a 2007 Governor’s Smart Communities award.

Celebrating Phase II progress at High Point

SEATTLE—September 25, 2007—The redevelopment of High Point from a collection of worn-out public housing units to a thriving mixed-income community of renters and home owners continues. New streets are enhancing connections between High Point and the rest of West Seattle. Parks and open spaces make this a healthy, walkable neighborhood.

Join Seattle Housing staff and neighbors for a community event celebrating the begin-ning of the final phase of construction. The celebration is being held October 3 at 4 p.m. at the corner of 31st Ave. SW and SW Myrtle. All are welcome. Click here to read more.

Phase II of High Point moves forward

SEATTLE—August 7, 2007—Absher Construction has begun building 256 units of rental housing for Phase II of High Point. Work on new streets and other infrastructure by Tri-State construction is 60 percent complete. The first units of new rental housing will be ready for occupancy in six months, with completion of the entire project expected by the end of the decade. Click here, for more details.

Judith Fay Park dedicated Monday, June 25

SEATTLE—June 22, 2007—Join High Point friends and neighbors in a midsummer celebration at the new Judith G. Fay Park, located at the corner of SW Raymond St. and 32nd Ave. SW. The dedication will take place at 5 p.m. on Monday, June 25. All are invited to celebrate Judy Fay's long-time service to the community as a Seattle Housing Authority Commissioner and long-time High Point resident. For more details, click here.

High Point lauded by Urban Land Institute

SEATTLE—May 11, 2007—The High Point redevelopment in West Seattle was recognized on May 11 by the Urban Land Institute as one of the outstanding projects of the year in the United States. The prestigious ULI Awards For Excellence were awarded to just ten projects across North, Central and South America, out of a field of over 170. Click here for details.

High Point wins Vision 2020 Award

SEATTLE—April 30, 2007—Citing High Point as “an exceptional effort that promotes a livable region,” the Puget Sound Regional Council presented its VISION 2020 Award to Seattle Housing Authority on April 5, in recognition of the High Point redevelopment. VISION 2020 awards are presented annually. High Point was one of six projects recognized for innovative design and effectiveness. Click here to learn more.

High Point a finalist for Rudy Bruner Award

SEATTLE—February 20, 2007—The Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence is a national award that bestows $50,000 on one outstanding urban project every other year. The High Point redevelopment is a finalist, along with five other urban sites, for this prestigious award in 2007. Just for being named a finalist, High Point will receive $10,000 that will be used to equip one if its new parks. Click here for more information on this award.

Breathe Easy homes at High Point offer residents a healthy housing option

SEATTLE—January 6, 2007—Asthma is the sixth-ranking chronic condition in Washington state and the leading serious chronic illness of children in the U.S. There is also a disproportionately higher incidence of the disease among low-income families. Thanks to partnerships and grant funding, 35 low-income families are living in Breathe Easy homes designed to reduce the disease. Click here to find out more.

Contractor selected for second phase of construction at High Point, work begins

SEATTLE—September 13, 2006—Tri-State Construction Incorporated was awarded the Infrastructure Contract for part of the Phase II construction at High Point and they are already making progress. Fences have been placed to cordon off the areas that will be worked on, including demolition of the old housing and infrastructure work. Click here to learn more.

Green Living EXPO comes to High Point

SEATTLE—August 15, 2006—In mid-September High Point will be the site of a Green Living EXPO which showcases the community's environmentally sustainable qualities. The EXPO will feature tours of Built Green™ and Energy Star® homes, free public seminars, exhibits, organic food and much more. Volunteers to help staff the exhibit are also being sought. To find out more about the EXPO and to sign up for volunteering, click here.

Othello Station, High Point receive awards

SEATTLE—July 12, 2006—Othello Station and High Point were honored with awards over the last month. Othello Station was recognized by the Pacific Coast Builders Conference at their annual trade show with a Gold Nugget Award for their Best Affordable Project (Under 30 units/acre) category. The American Institute of Architects awarded High Point with one of eight "Show You're Green" Awards at their national convention and design expo. For details, click here.

344 new rental units completed at High Point

SEATTLE—June 14, 2006—The High Point redevelopment is making noticeable progress on a daily basis. Within the past month, the 344 rental housing units in the first phase of the High Point redevelopment were completed and occupied. High Point’s five private homebuilders are in the process of building their homes for sale and Habitat for Humanity has also started on their eight houses. For more information, click here.

High Point redevelopment highlighted at City design space

SEATTLE—January 16, 2006—The High Point redevelopment project is being showcased by the City of Seattle in a small exhibit space just off the lobby on Level 3 of the Seattle Municipal Tower. Sponsored by the Department of Planning and Development, the exhibit highlights the history, community involvement, planning process, green elements, construction and development benchmarks at this West Seattle project. For more information, click here.

SEATTLE—January 17, 2006—Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) visited the new High Point on Tuesday, January 17 to see first hand how the various housing agencies work together to produce housing. For more information, click here.

New apartments dedicated at High Point to honor Sgt. Jose Calugas, Sr.

SEATTLE—April 12, 2006—Community members gathered with family and friends close to Sgt. Jose Calugas, Sr. this month to celebrate the dedication of a new 36-unit apartment building at High Point named in honor of this World War II hero of Filipino heritage. Sgt. Jose Calugas, Sr. was the only Filipino to receive the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor during the Bataan Campaign, and one of only two Filipino Medal recipients from World War II. For more information about Sgt. Calugas and the new apartment building, click here.

High Point receives Built Green Award

SEATTLE—May 5, 2005—The care and innovation being invested in the new High Point community received recognition recently from the City of Seattle. The High Point design team was awarded a $10,000 prize for its implementation of "Built Green" design principles. Mithun Architects, SvR Design, Nakano Associates, and the residents of High Point were also recognized at the ceremonies in March. For more information about this cutting-edge community and the award it received, click here.

Construction progress continues at SHA's HOPE VI redevelopment sites

SEATTLE—April 11, 2005—SHA’s HOPE VI redevelopment sites continue to show tangible progress every day. Residents will be moving into the first new homes at High Point in early summer, while the last phase of NewHolly is moving toward completion and infrastructure work at Rainier Vista is nearly done. To read more detailed updates and a photos of the latest progress at each site, click here.

High Point apprentices learn building trades

SEATTLE—February 2, 2005—Many of the construction workers at the High Pont redevelopment project are apprentices, and several are residents of SHA's housing. The apprenticeship program is sponsored jointly by the trade unions and the construction companies. It provides classroom instruction, on-the-job training and support for 19 apprentices at High Point. To meet some of the apprentices, click here.

High Point progress - construction underway

SEATTLE—August 26, 2004—Since the June 30 ground breaking, new construction at High Point has been proceeding quickly and area residents are looking ahead to the opportunity to move into the new rental housing within a year. So far, much of the infrastructure work has been completed, and the Absher construction crew is beginning to build housing. Also, a recent video shoot will highlight the environmentally sound practices that are part of this redevelopment. For details and pictures of progress at High Point, click here.

High Point site plan wins Gold Nugget Award

SEATTLE—July 6, 2004—The site plan for the High Point redevelopment was honored recently with a Gold Nugget Award from the Pacific Coast Builders Conference. The award judges chose the High Point plan from a group of over 600 entries. They said that the plan "offers a wonderful sustainable model for urban infill..." To learn more about High Point and this important award, click here.

City praises High Point Master Plan

SEATTLE—December 5, 2003—At ceremonies on December 4, Mayor Nickels commended the Housing Authority and its partners for the High Point Master Plan, citing its innovation and collaboration. The Master Plan was one of six projects honored by the City's Design Commission from those reviewed by the commission in the past year. For details on the plan and the ceremonies, click here.

"Deconstruction" proceeds at High Point

SEATTLE—September 15, 2003—In an innovative pilot project, SHA has contracted with Knights Construction and Development to deconstruct 20 of the units that are being demolished at High Point. Deconstruction involves taking the buildings apart piece by piece so that the building materials can be recycled or reused. Both SHA and Knights Construction have been the subjects of several articles and newscasts over the past month as this conservationist approach to demolition has been pursued. For details, click here.

City Council green lights High Point project

SEATTLE—May 27, 2003—Today the Seattle City Council unanimously approved a contract rezone and street vacation for the High Point redevelopment, clearing the way for work to begin on the site this summer. For details of this Council action, click here.

"Deconstruction" explored at High Point

SEATTLE—March 2003—A closely-watched pilot project is exploring the feasibility of using "deconstruction" techniques for all or part of the High Point revitalization project. Destruction is the careful dismantling of buildings in order to re-use and recycle the building materials they contain. During the week of March 17, a duplex at High Point was demolished using these techniques, and the results were carefully documented. For pictures of the project, and more information, click on a link below.

High Point residents form design committee

December 2002—On the first Saturday of every month, High Point residents gather to discuss design concepts that will be applied to their new community. Residents have spent hours poring over floor plans, consulting with the project architects, considering where new trails should go and educating themselves on design issues in the redevelopment. For more information and pictures of their ambitious work, click here.

Design Commission endorses High Point plans

SEATTLE—November 30, 2002—The Seattle Design Commission applauded the High Point Master Plan when they reviewed it in November. In a nearly unanimous vote, they approved the street vacations necessary for the street pattern to be redrawn to integrate with the surrounding neighborhoods. To read more about the Design Commission's recommendations and comments, click here.

West Seattle residents share ideas for High Point design guidelines

June 2001—What should the for-sale housing in the redeveloped High Point community look like? This was the question that SHA asked in a survey of residents of High Point and their neighbors in West Seattle. More than 450 people responded to the survey and the results are now available. To learn more about the design guidelines and compare your preferences for housing designs to the survey group, click here.

Phase I of High Point relocation efforts complete

May 2001—The Seattle Housing Authority has recently competed its initial efforts to relocate residents in the soon-to-be-redeveloped High Point community. Of the 700 households living in the community when the HOPE VI grant was announced in the summer of 2000, 514 have been relocated to other housing. The remaining 186 families will stay in their original High Point housing until construction on Phase I is completed. To learn the details of the relocation effort, click here.

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