Northgate Station Area Planning

We partnered with King County, Sound Transit, Puget Sound Regional Council, and the Northgate community to create a complete, connected transit community surrounding the Northgate light rail station.

The Urban Design Framework (UDF) we are creating will help the public, future developers, and City leaders to understand how growth could occur and how future development can help meet community needs by:

• Refining the ideas presented in Northgate Transit-Oriented Development Urban Design Study
• Illustrating future building development and public spaces for the area closest to the transit station
• Identifying key design concepts for Northgate’s Urban Center to create a healthier, more livable and welcoming community

Project Benefits

The purpose of our Northgate Urban Design Framework is to visualize how the Northgate transit community can grow, and to guide future investments by:

• Improving pedestrian and bicycle connections to and from the transit center
• Making transit transfers more convenient
• Encouraging attractive and engaging public spaces and streetscapes
• Increasing access to affordable housing
• Strengthening the community’s sense of place
• Creating a healthy and sustainable community

The End Result

Northgate will become a healthier and and more livable community.

Project Documents

• Final Northgate Urban Design Framework
• Draft Northgate Urban Design Framework
• 2013 Outreach Report and Graph
• Northgate Outreach Summary
• Northgate Outreach Process Summary & Lessons Learned  

Documents from July 2013 Open House

We hosted an open house on July 30 at Aljoya apartments in Northgate to give you an initial look at our draft UDF findings. About 50 people attended. Also, on July 31, we presented materials at the Maple Leaf neighborhood social event.

• Transit Oriented Development Boards
• West Boards
• North Boards
• Big Picture Boards
• Open House Presentation

Our draft UDF is the latest in a series of plans and studies about Northgate, including our 2011 / 2012 Urban Design Study. Its ideas relate to that study and are also based on input, gathered in 2011-2013, from presentations to local community councils in surrounding neighborhoods and meetings with resident groups, including many groups we had not heard from in the past.

Previous Urban Design Study (2011-2012)

This study provided initial ideas for the station area. You can see the results of your input below.

Northgate Light Rail Station Area Open House #2 Meeting Material (December 2011)

• Presentation Boards
• Design Presentation
• King County Comment Summary

Northgate Light Rail Station Area Open House #1 Meeting Material (July 2011)

• Presentation Boards
• Design Presentation
• Comment Summary
• Online Survey Summary

Background

Northgate Guidelines and Plans and Studies:

• Advice Memorandum #11
• Northgate Urban Center Rezone Final EIS
• Northgate Transit-Oriented Development Urban Design Study
  This study explored three different strategies for open space and development: Creek Street Concept, Station Place Concept, and Park Place Concept.
• Tip 243, Transportation Mitigation Payments: South Lake Union and Northgate
• Coordinated Transportation Investment Plan (CTIP) (2006)
  Identified current and future transportation needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, freight and auto.
• Northgate Urban Center and Overlay District Design Guidelines (2003, updated 2010)
  Illustrated how good urban design in new development can enhance the neighborhood.
• Northgate Area Comprehensive Plan (1999, updated 2001)
  Lays out a long term vision and the City action needed to achieve it.
• Northgate Open Space & Pedestrian Connections Draft Plan (2004)
  Identified ways to increase open spaces and improve the pedestrian and bicycling connections in the Northgate urban center.
• Northgate Public Art Plan (2005)
  Identified opportunities for public art in the Northgate area.
• Northgate Technical Urban Design Guidelines (2006)
  Identified and illustrated right-of-way improvements for the Northgate urban center.
• Green Street Design Concepts (2009)
  Developed streetscape concepts for 3rd Avenue NE and 8th Ave NE.

Citywide or Plans and Studies

• Comprehensive Plan (2004)
  A long range plan that shapes how Seattle will grow over the next 20 years.
• Citywide Design Guidelines
  These guidelines are the primary tool used by the Design Review Boards to evaluate proposed new development.

Sound Transit Plans and Studies for North Link and Northgate Station

• Northgate Station
• North Link Documents Library

Topics of Interest

Other projects you might be interested in:

PSRC Growing Transit Communities is a local planning project focused on equitable transit oriented development led by the Puget Sound regional Council.

Seattle Transit Communities is a blueprint by the Seattle Planning Commission for creating compact, connected communities near transit in the City of Seattle.

Reconnecting America / Center for Transit Oriented Development is a national nonprofit that focuses on improving practice through technical assistance, research and policy reform, and disseminating best practices in regions across the country.

Project Timeline

July 2011
Public Open House

November 2011
Briefing for City Council

December 2011
Public Open House

March 2012
Transit-Oriented Development Urban Design Study Released

2013
Citizen Focus Groups
Public Open House
City Council Briefing
Urban Design Framework Released
City Council Adopts Urban Design Framework

2014
Northgate Station Construction Starts