Seattle Parks and Recreation Department: New Parks The property at 12th and James Ct. is scheduled to become a new park — the 12th Avenue Neighborhood Gathering Place, part of the Pro Parks Levy Opportunity Fund. The site is owned by the Parks Department. Several conceptual designs were presented to the community. Earlier discussions had the park, and the street right-of-way James Ct., being developed in concert with the new mixed-use building to be built by Seattle University immediately north of the site. That project has been delayed. We’ll discuss the current situation and how to get to the next steps. Also, the recently-passed parks and open space levy includes funding to purchase another new park for the 12th Avenue Urban Village. No location has been identified for that new park. Donald Harris of the Parks Dept. will attend to help lead a discussion about these two park projects.
Seattle Department of Transportation: Sound Transit is paying for a new Capitol Hill/First Hill streetcar line to be built by the City. This streetcar line will travel between the International District light rail station on Jackson Street to 12th Avenue and then north on an undetermined route to the light rail station at Broadway and John. In some ways this is seen as a substitute for the eliminated light rail station at Broadway and Madison that would have served much of the 12th Avenue neighborhood and the Central Area. Sound Transit will pay for building and operating this streetcar line (without significant contribution from property owners on the route, as was the case with the South Lake Union Streetcar.) The streetcar line will be the engine of future property development along its route. Ethan Melone of SDOT will attend for this discussion.
Capitol Hill Housing will present the 12th Avenue Initiative, a community development project recently funded by the City Office of Economic Development and Impact Capital. Working with community members, the Initiative has four broad goal areas: increasing community engagement, improving the pedestrian environment, supporting local businesses and developing affordable commercial and residential projects.
Community input is needed on these important issues! Please join us.
