HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2011-12-15 Revised Book 1 of Draft Southcenter PlanSouthcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
1.1. ORIENTATION
This Plan is both an implementation and a policy document, in that it is intended as a strategy for
change and as a regulatory policy to guide and govern future development within Tukwila's urban
center, Southcenter. This Subarea Plan establishes a planning and design framework to further the
vitality, functionality, and sustainability of the Southcenter area in accordance with market forces
and the community's vision for its primary commercial district. Book 1 of the Plan describes the
community's aspirations for Southcenter, and the physical outcomes that the Plan is intended to
orchestrate as new investment creates change. This first section of the Plan also outlines the means
by which the community intends to support and promote the realization of the vision of the future
Southcenter. Finally, Book 1 is intended to provide guidance for actions not specifically covered by
the development regulations or city actions that are contained in Books II and III of this Plan.
Planning Principles for Great Cities; Building Blocks for Redeveloping Southcenter
This plan recognizes a set of integrated principles that have produced the best places and cities
throughout the world. In Book I, these principles are translated into objectives and short term
strategies directing reinvestment and new development that successfully transitions Southcenter
from a suburban to a more urban center. The planning principles for great cities are as follows:
• Make great streets. Street design dictates the form of individual blocks and buildings that
enclose each streetscape. "Complete streets" provide for pedestrian comfort, bicycle safety and
automobile movement according to their location and necessary function in the overall area.
Streets of various types are designed to further improve pedestrian crossing safety and balance
automotive speed with the needs of non - motorized transportation. Where appropriate, streets
have on- street parking in order to provide a buffer between the moving traffic and the
pedestrian, thus diminishing perceived and actual danger. Further, in key commercial
environments, on- street parking plays a critical role in the daily and long -term viability of
businesses.
• Break up the super blocks. The most effective redevelopments will be those that retrofit the
streets, blocks and lots to provide a compact, connected, walkable mix of uses and housing
types. Retrofitting the underlying layout of the streets and blocks transitions auto oriented
suburban patterns and behaviors into more sustainable ones. A fine network of interconnected
streets, rather than super blocks and limited number of roadways, encourages pedestrian
movement. Such a network also provides multiple routes that diffuse traffic, increasing the
options for travel to various destinations, improving safety response time and creating
alternatives for emergency access.
1 Adapted from the Santa Ana Renaissance Specific Plan, 2007
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
• Create a memorable built environment. The buildings, blocks and streets of an area are
interdependent and contribute to an overall pattern of unique and related places. Each one
contains in part the ingredients of all the others. Buildings of a particular quality can define the
block that contains them and the street that surrounds them. Design is the matrix that helps
either to create or destroy the quality and character of a place. Buildings are the smallest
increment of growth. A variety of architectural types, and their relationship to each other,
largely determines the character of a place as they define the streets and open spaces they
face.
• Make great public spaces. Urban areas can be much more than a place to eat, work and spend.
Part of what makes a place more valuable and beloved are the public spaces. Well designed
public spaces enhance community identity and foster civic pride. Public spaces are the visual
punctuations along the greater public realm of streets that give identity to the various districts
in the area. This will contribute to a unique character, and distinguish it from other regional
centers and commercial areas.
• Live near transit and where you work, shop & play. Adding more residential density in an
urban center is a way to support goods and services and a means to enhance a sense of
community. The opportunity to live above stores and businesses and in close proximity to
transit access points encourages residents, shoppers and employees to drive their cars less and
increases their ability to take advantage of the proximity of uses, services, transportation
options, parks and public places provided in such an environment. This increases an area's
appeal while providing for a 24/7 rhythm of uses.
• Get the mix of uses right. A compact mix of transit - supportive land uses such as offices and
housing within walking distance of transit will help generate ridership, reduce the need for
parking, and help reduce the number of automobile trips.
• Get the retail right. Retailers are encouraged to facilitate pedestrian storefront shopping. A
successful pedestrian oriented retail core is typically located around a more urban pattern of
streets accommodating cars and on- street parking. Off - street parking is ideally located in a
combination of shared and park -once lots and structures with buildings to the back of
sidewalks.
• Get the parking right. The compactness, mixed use nature and walkability of an urban area
entices customers to park just once and complete tasks on foot. This reduces the average trips
and parking in a traditional setting by half over strip retail. The transformation of drivers into
walkers is the immediate generator of pedestrian life: crowds of people that animate public life
in the streets and generate the patrons of street - friendly retail businesses. It is this scene that
provides energy and attraction to sustain a thriving environment.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
1.2. COMMUNITY INTENT
The Southcenter area serves many functions for the citizens of Tukwila. It is the city's primary
commercial hub, drawing customers from within the community and all over the Puget Sound
region. It is a workplace center, providing jobs to residents and nearby communities. It is a major
contributor, through property and sales tax, to local government and the services it provides to all
citizens.
It is the intention of the Tukwila community and the purpose of this Plan to bolster, extend and
build upon these valuable functions and to realign the Plan Area as needed with new forces of
change and market demand. More specifically, it is the community's intention to:
1. Bolster the Southcenter area's market position as the primary regional shopping and
entertainment center for South King County.
2. Establish a planning framework that insures that each increment of new investment adds to the
long term sustainability of Southcenter as a part of the city and region.
3. Encourage the eventual redevelopment of underutilized properties and oversized parking lots
into a pattern that connects the project areas' key anchors (such as Westfield Mall) and
overlooked amenities (such as Tukwila Pond and the Green River) to each other and to new
infill commercial, residential and public spaces.
4. Substantially enhance the walkability of the northern portion of the Southcenter area,
augmenting the exclusively auto - oriented environment with pedestrian amenities, transit, and
bicycle facilities.
5. Stimulate pioneering residential and office development in walking distance of the Southcenter
(bus) Transit Center and the Tukwila Longacres Sounder commuter rail /Amtrak station, and
ensure it is configured to provide safe and comfortable pedestrian routes to and from the
stations and other Southcenter destinations.
6. Enhance the convenience, visibility, accessibility, and visual character of the transit
infrastructure in Southcenter, and integrate it with the pattern of development in the urban
center.
7. Realign policies conditioning development in Southcenter with contemporary consumer and
investor preferences, resulting in buildings and spaces that contribute to an identifiable sense
of place and attract new types and forms of development envisioned by the community.
8. "Unearth" Tukwila Pond and the portion of the Green River that passes through Southcenter,
restoring their natural health and beauty, and featuring them prominently as amenities that
enhance the identity and drawing power of Southcenter.
9. Enhance the visual character of Southcenter to reflect the special landscape and architectural
heritage of the Pacific Northwest region.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
10. Manage expected growth in a sustainable way, ensuring that the regional benefits of growth
management do not come at the expense of livability, by focusing growth and density in
environmentally suitable areas and adequately servicing it with improved infrastructure,
including non - motorized facilities, transit and enhanced access to parks and natural features.
1.3. STARTING POINT: EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY
The condition of the Plan Area at the time of the Subarea Plan's drafting is detailed in Appendix A,
documenting and describing the physical and structural conditions of the area that have informed
the recommendations of the Plan. As change occurs, the community intends to measure those
changes to monitor the Plan's success and the degree to which it remains sufficiently current. A
summary of conditions, challenges and opportunities is provided below:
Land Use
• An economically successful regional
commercial, shopping and employment
center
• Major contributor to City revenues & local
services through sales & property taxes
• Suburban pattern of development
• Very little vacant developable land
• Low density development surrounded by
parking points towards redevelopment
opportunities
• No residential or mixed use development —
need more amenities to attract
• Predominantly single -story buildings
• New investment will increasingly entail
redevelopment of buildings and site
North
• Auto - oriented commercial, with retail, office,
and lodging
• Large regional shopping Mall surrounded by
parking and rings of associated smaller scale,
low -rise, surface - parked commercial
buildings.
Regional shopping & employment center
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Low density development surrounded by parking
provides opportunities for redevelopment
South & West
• Primarily warehouse and distribution center
serving the mall & region
• Some outlets (especially furniture), along with
some low -rise office.
• Some "big box" retail & super centers along
Southcenter Parkway.
Primarily warehouse, industrial & big box retail
uses in the southern part of urban center
Supercenter retail along Southcenter Pkwy
Zoning
• Current zoning is the same for the entire
planning area — TUC.
• Nearly every kind of retail, entertainment and
restaurant use permitted
• Commercial services, warehouse & light
industrial uses permitted.
• Residential uses permitted within 500' of a
water body.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Transportation & Circulation
• Located at the intersection of 2 major
freeways (1 -5 & 1 -405)
• Few access points into Southcenter area
• Limited street network, especially east /west
routes
IP
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10,1.7. L.ti -ii i KTREET NETWORK
Non - motorized Circulation
• Street network designed solely for
automobile traffic
• Oversized blocks limit internal circulation
• Inadequate facilities for large ridership at bus
transit station on Andover Park West
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• The regional Interurban & Green River Trails
serve as a pedestrian /bicycle spine through
Southcenter
• Block size too large to walk
• Lacking bicycle infrastructure /routes on
streets
• Long distances between destinations
• Narrow, unprotected sidewalks along highly
trafficked & higher speed corridors
• Inconvenient pedestrian access to Sounder
commuter rail station from Southcenter area
Inadequate transit facilities
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
• Difficult to find and access parks, trails & open
spaces
• Little effort made to create site layouts
oriented to pedestrians
• Access (driveways) management needed in
key pedestrian oriented areas
Lacking sidewalks & pedestrian amenities
Streetscape
• Site layouts and streetscapes primarily
oriented to needs of motorists
• Overall impression is of large, simple buildings
fronted by asphalt
• Lacking individual street identity — easy to get
lost
All streets look the same & are oriented to needs
of motorists
Architectural & Landscape Character
• Buildings separated from street by large
parking lots, with entrances difficult to find
• Buildings generally reflective of auto - oriented
development
• Construction before design review
implemented (1982):
o Unarticulated buildings with little
ornamentation or design
o Simply massed buildings with a box-
like appearance
o Buildings don't reflect any design
character indigenous to City or region
• Since 1982:
o Well designed buildings are lost in the
overall mix
o Too few well designed buildings to
create a visible theme or provide
district identity
• No landmarks
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Examples of Desired Urban Form
New parking structure — Mall
Westfield Mall Redevelopment
Claim Jumper — new construction built to the
Corner of Southcenter Pkwy and 180th Street
Acme Bowl — redevelopment of warehouse
405 Baker Blvd. — redevelopment of warehouse Fatigue Technology — redevelopment of warehouse
with public frontage improvements
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Warehouse redevelopment
NOW %Fidelity
all' 1 1)
Pad building on Westfield Site built to the back of
sidewalk on Strander
Southcenter Square Shopping Center — built to the back of sidewalk with
plaza spaces and clearly delineated pedestrian paths, constructed two new
half streets
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
1.4. THE VISION FOR SOUTHCENTER
The Southcenter area comprises of approximately 250 individual privately held properties, and over
8 miles of public rights -of -way that are under the ownership and control of the City. The
overarching purpose of the Subarea Plan is to orchestrate individual public and private investments
to produce greater value than any separate project could practically achieve by providing a
common vision that all investors can rely upon, contribute to, and derive value from. This section
describes the common purpose to which all actions and investments shall be directed: the
realization of a vision of the future that is sufficiently specific to provide a common purpose, yet
loose enough to respond to opportunities and changes in the marketplace that will inevitably arise.
1) District Structure — From Suburban Commercial Area to Urban Center
The forces of market demand and land availability that produced the current characteristics of
Southcenter's built environment have evolved significantly in new directions. The primary driving
forces conditioning the form of new investment in the Plan Area will be:
1) The shopping industry's shift away from internally focused shopping centers in favor of
more open air and amenity- driven formats;
2) Rising gas prices and increasing regional commitment to transit;
3) A rapidly growing demand for walkable urban environments for living, working and
shopping; and
4) The rising economic importance and value of property in the Southcenter area as a result of
the expansion of the regional mall and the disappearance of easily developed property in
the area.
The implementation of this Plan is intended to enable Southcenter to benefit from these primary
conditioning forces. Responding to these forces of change, the community envisions guiding
development and change to create differentiated areas where the character, forms, types of uses
and activities benefit, complement and support each other (See Figure 1.1. Evolution of Envisioned
District Structure and Figure 1.2. Envisioned District Structure - DRAFT).
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
To SeaTac
Airport
To Seattle
To Seattle
doc
To Renton
Sounder
Transit
Station
8. 180th St
To Tacoma
To Tacoma
Figure 1.1.
Evolution of
Envisioned District
Structure
Southcenter encompasses
a relatively large area
containing a wide variety
of uses. To create a more
coherent urban form and
enhance the Center's
long -term competitive
edge within the region,
the City intends to guide
development and change
to create distinct areas
where the character,
forms, types of uses and
activities benefit,
complement, and support
each other. (City of
Tukwila Comprehensive
Plan)
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Regional Center
The area in the vicinity of Westfield Southcenter Mall, with easy access to the new bus Transit Center, will continue to
infill and intensify to a more walkable and compact form of development extending southward toward Strander
Boulevard, ultimately extending to the edge of Tukwila Pond and eastward across Andover Park West.
Regional
hopping
tertelinme
Dis . a'
TOD District
Pond
Preserwaircrn
Zone
if }r11 t!f
mmerci 1
Corridor
Workplace &
Specialty
Commercial
District
.�j■ -
Plan Ataa Rounds lus
Protect Study Aoki
Tukwila City L nit
Transit Oriented Development (TOD)
Neighborhood
In response to the region's enhanced
commitment to transit service, a new Transit
Oriented Development Neighborhood will
extend from the upgraded bus transit center on
Andover Park West, eastward towards the
Sounder commuter rail station. Public
investments that will serve as catalysts for the
redevelopment of this area include a new
pedestrian bridge over the Green River and
frontage improvements along Baker Boulevard.
Pond District
City improvements to public frontage, water
quality and pond amenities will help instigate
the "unearthing" of Tukwila Pond Park not only
as a public amenity, but as an "amenity anchor"
for the southern edge of the Regional Center
and as the center of a new mixed use Pond
District.
Workplace
The large southern portion of the Plan Area will
continue to provide a wide range of distribution,
warehousing, light industrial, "big box" retail,
and furniture outlets, with incremental infill by
office and other complementary commercial
uses.
Commercial Corridor
Southcenter Parkway will continue to feature
auto - oriented retail and services in a manner
similar to the existing patterns of development
in that area.
Figure 1.2. Envisioned District Structure (DRAFT)
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
The particular characteristics envisioned for each of these districts are provided below:
The Regional Center
The Regional Center portion of this Plan is the primary shopping and entertainment destination for
South King County, and the centerpiece of the Southcenter area. It occupies the highly visible and
accessible northwestern quadrant of Southcenter, which is nestled snugly up against the
intersection of Interstate 405 and Interstate 5. The Regional Center owes its success to and is
anchored by the recently expanded and refurbished Westfield Southcenter Mall. The drawing
power of this retail powerhouse will continue to bring investment in retail and services oriented to
an expanding regional trade. Just to the east, Acme Bowl, LA Fitness and I -Fly will serve as
complements to the Mall and strong attractors for new entertainment venues in the area. The new
Transit Center with service to the Sounder commuter rail and LINK light rail stations, local and
regional bus routes, and bus rapid transit (BRT) is prominently located between the Mall and
existing entertainment venues.
As new investment continues to flow into the Plan Area, the community envisions the emergence
of an increasingly urban district that uses its progressively more valuable land with greater
efficiency, which can be comfortably explored not only by automobile but also on foot or bicycle.
The area surrounding the Mall may begin changing from the exclusively parking -lot- surrounded,
auto - dominated development to an increasingly walkable and amenity driven pattern reflecting
contemporary consumer and investor preferences. However, ensuring excellent access for all
modes of transportation into the Regional Center will be key to its continued success.
Over time, public investments combined with market - driven infill may instigate new development
increasingly characterized by a pattern of walkable - scaled city blocks with key street frontages
lined with visible storefronts and active sidewalks (Photos 1, 2). Buildings may be oriented to
public spaces and sidewalk areas with higher levels of amenity (Photo 3). Abundant and
convenient parking will be provided, but will no longer dominate the view from the road or the
sidewalk.
1. Smaller retail with visible storefronts and active sidewalks
2. Anchor retail with visible storefronts and active
sidewalks
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
3. Example of buildings oriented to amenities
4. Envisioned mixed use retail /office development
As the Regional Center continues to grow in response to the growth of the region, the market,
public investment, and escalating property values, the district may continue to intensify with upper
stories containing offices (Photo 4), homes (Photos 5) or hotel rooms. Over the long term, infill
development on the high -value property of the Mall may continue the transition from surface
parking to structured parking, and may be increasingly characterized by mid -rise or high -rise
building components built over the retail base. This process of increasing land use efficiency,
development intensity, synergy and mix, will be combined with public and private investments
increasing walkability and accessibility befitting a true regional center. The increased intensity and
vitality can continue the process of broadening the Mall's draw, expanding its "captive audience,"
adding customers, residents, employees and safety to the dynamic center of the region.
5. Example of mixed use residential development
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
6. Mall's internal streets connecting towards
Tukwila Pond
7. Mall's internal streets connecting to Transit Center
In the long term, the Mall the entertainment area, and the Southcenter Transit Center will continue
to be the armature for the ongoing escalation of value, activity and investment. The access points
and internal streets of the regional shopping mall will likely be extended, developing into bustling,
high amenity spines that connect shopping anchors and shopfronts southward to the north shore
of Tukwila Pond (ultimately an "amenity anchor ", Photo 6) and eastward toward additional shops
in the direction of Southcenter Transit Center (Photo 7).
The Pond District
Southcenter's greatest amenity, Tukwila Pond, which prior development has rendered virtually
invisible, will become the prized center of an entirely new part of Southcenter. Rather than turning
its back on the Pond in the manner of development that has occurred in the past, new
development will ultimately orient toward the pond with active doors, windows, and public
walkways facing the water. Surrounding streets and development will provide not only views to the
water, but clear, legible and frequent connections to enhance public access to Tukwila Pond and its
surrounding park.
Degradation of water quality and natural environment that has occurred will be carefully reversed.
The natural setting and wildlife amenities will be protected, and proximity to and views of the Pond
will add substantial value and character to nearby real estate development.
The Urban Waterfront
Along the northern edge of Tukwila Pond, development will take cues from its location adjacent to
the Mall and to the retail corridor of Strander Boulevard, resulting in a more urban environment
focused toward a paved waterfront esplanade . Over the long -term, the Mall may grow toward the
Pond (Photo 8), making the northern shore function in part as an "amenity anchor ".
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
8. Envisioned Mall to Tukwila Pond Connection
9. Envisioned waterfront esplanade (Carillon Point, WA)
The waterfront esplanade will ultimately run along the northern Pond shore, featuring restaurants
and entertainment, with storefronts spilling out onto the active pedestrian promenade along the
waterfront (Photos 9, 10). The upper stories of the Pond's north shore development will likely
feature homes, offices and /or hotel rooms (Photo 11) that benefit from the activities below, as well
as from enviable views and access to a loop trail around the Pond, making it one of Southcenter's
most coveted places to live, work, or visit.
10. Esplanade character & elements
11. Envisioned mixed use on Pond's north edge
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
The Natural Waterfront
The eastern, western, and southern edges of the pond will be characterized by a more natural park
environment, preserving habitat for pond wildlife. A "necklace" of pedestrian paths, floating
boardwalks and sidewalks will connect the edges of the pond. Tukwila Pond Park will provide
benches, overlooks, shade trees and informal landscaping. Buildings will be separated from the
pond by streets along the eastern and southern edges. Building heights will be lower along the
southern edge to insure plenty of sunlight for the Pond itself; buildings will also step down toward
the water to preserve views as well as a park -like character. Ground floors will range from office to
support services, retail, and lunch options for workers, to newer housing types like live -work on the
ground floor, with more private uses like office and residential above (Photos 12, 13, 14).
Envisioned mixed -use development facing south end of Tukwila Pond
12.
13.
14.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
The Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Neighborhood
Southcenter will continue to evolve as the region continues to embrace smart growth and liveable
communities strategies, and deepens its commitment to transit. The northeastern quadrant of
Southcenter will benefit from its enviable location between the Regional Center, Southcenter
Transit Center and the Tukwila Longacres Station, and from the potential amenity value of the
segment of the Green River that runs through the district.
The community will leverage the rail station and bus transit center to bring new investment to the
previously underutilized properties within walking distance of these facilities. The emerging new
TOD neighborhood district will eventually be increasingly characterized by a compact and vibrant
mix of housing, office, lodging and supportive retail and service uses. Local workers, commuters,
shoppers, and residents will benefit from the easy access and convenience and to an increasingly
wide variety of transit offerings accessible in the urban center.
Parking will be accommodated by a combination of off- and on- street parking spaces /lots. Compact
and coordinated mixed -use development will provide opportunities for shared parking facilities.
Such facilities can be shared between public and private uses — and between different private uses.
As the area redevelops and intensifies, and as the value of land increases, off - street parking may
begin to transition into well- designed parking structures, such as those constructed by the Mall.
A growing network of streets, public spaces and pedestrian connections will provide a fine - grained
scale to the district, and connect it more readily to adjacent areas. A new pedestrian bridge across
the Green River will provide a more direct connection between the Sounder station and the rest of
Southcenter, and a new east -west pedestrian- oriented corridor along the Baker Boulevard
alignment will complete the connection between the Regional Center and the Tukwila Longacres
Station.
The overall structure of the TOD Neighborhood will be characterized by higher development
intensities and building heights close to the Tukwila Longacres Station, lower -rise buildings along
the river, increasing again to higher development intensities and heights where the district overlaps
with the edges of the Regional Center.
Between the Mall and the River, changes will include a more urban mix of compatible uses
spanning retail, high density residential, live -work, office and lodging (Photos 15, 16, 17, 18, 19).
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Examples of TOD Neighborhood Development
15. Retail /residential uses
17. Residential
16. Live /work
18.0ffice
19. Mixed use retail /office
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Examples of active building frontages on pedestrian scaled blocks
20.
21.
22.
The neighborhood's small, pedestrian - scaled blocks will eventually be lined with a mix of uses along
active building frontages (Photos 20, 21, 22) to provide a pleasant pedestrian realm throughout the
district, particularly along primary streets leading to the Tukwila Longacres Station. New
development will also contribute to the construction of new public open spaces within the district.
(Photo 23).
23. New public spaces within the TOD Neighborhood
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
24. Envisioned townhomes oriented towards the Green River
Properties lining the segment of the Green River that cuts through the TOD Neighborhood will
want to take full advantage of their unique setting. New uses, including townhomes (Photo 24),
mid -rise housing, offices, and hotels may be oriented toward the river.
East of the river, between West Valley Highway and the railroad tracks, many redevelopment
obstacles are present at the time of Plan adoption. An existing rail spur from the Union Pacific
Railroad renders much of the land in this neighborhood un- developable. An overhead high tension
power line crosses the area. Several underground and above - ground utilities present severe
constraints to subterranean construction, which impacts the amount and intensity of possible
development. Finally, the BNSF and UP rail lines limit access to a significant portion of the land in
the developable area between the tracks. However, a commitment by Sound Transit to support
transit oriented development on the existing station site could kick off a renaissance in the
surrounding area with high- density lofts (Photo 25, 26), mid -rise residential (Photo 27), and offices
oriented towards the station (Photo 28).
25. Envisioned high- density lofts near Sounder /Amtrak Station
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
26. Envisioned high- density lofts
near Sounder /Amtrak Station
28. Envisioned TOD Office Development
27. Envisioned mid -rise residential near Sounder /Amtak Station
29. Commercial Corridor retail "power centers"
Commercial Corridor
To insure that Southcenter provides opportunities for the full range of shopping industry
development types, Southcenter Parkway will continue to serve as Southcenter's commercial strip,
providing sites for auto - oriented retail and services, including large -scale "power centers" and "big
box" retail, single tenant uses, and uses requiring drive -up and drive -in facilities (Photo 29). As new
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
development occurs, new improvements will provide modest pedestrian amenities, as well as
beautification with indigenous landscaping.
The Workplace
Much of the southern portion of the Plan Area has been and will continue to be devoted to light
industrial, warehousing and distribution uses (Photo 30), many having located there for proximity
to the state's largest super - regional shopping mall, easy access to highways, its central location in
Puget Sound, low rent, and available space . The Workplace District will also continue to grow its
retail niche of larger -scale goods and to deepen its wide range of furniture outlets (Photo 31).
Higher intensity workplaces like low -rise office will bring new workers to the area.
Underutilized properties along the Green River may take advantage of their unique location along
the water and Green River Trail, and redevelop with mid -rise housing adjacent to this amenity.
30. Existing light industrial /warehouse
31. Existing furniture outlet
2) Street Network — From Superblocks to A Fine - Grained Pattern of Streets and
Blocks
The evolution of the suburban commercial center into an urban center will be facilitated by the
maturation of its street and block structure. As development proceeds, policies for new
investment will insure the emergence of an increasingly fine - grained network of new
interconnected streets and smaller blocks to accommodate by the intensification of the
Southcenter area (See Figures 1.3). New development may need to provide new street connections
to add the capacity that will accommodate the increase in internal district trips, in lieu of widening
the larger through- district arterials. New streets will relieve the pressure on limited arterial
network now handling all the vehicular circulation, by increasing access to development while
distributing the traffic in Southcenter across a number of routes.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
In the northern Southcenter area — the Regional Center, TOD Neighborhood and Pond District -
smaller block sizes with compact, mixed use development will make walking and bicycling a much
more viable alternative. Primary corridors, such as Andover Park West, will emerge as the "front
door" areas of the districts. The northern stretches of Andover Park East and Baker Boulevard,
serving more mixed use types of development, including housing, will undergo a "road diet" to
provide on- street parking and bike lanes, as well as auto travel lanes. In the Workplace District,
new east /west streets perpendicular to the major arterials will accommodate truck bay access and
service functions.
PUG. 1 .7. EXISTING STREET NETWOR1i.
Figure 1.3 Southcenter Block Patterns
it:, ]. i. INC/POSE!) S i:i •r tiia r+nWI
Strander Boulevard will continue to be the most well - traveled east -west thoroughfare and the
gateway for many visitors to the Regional Center, Pond District and TOD Neighborhood.
Ultimately, Strander Boulevard will be extended eastward to provide a new through street to
Renton. This extension will pass underneath the railroad lines and provide direct access to the
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Tukwila Longacres /Amtrak station from both Tukwila and Renton. Of the several north -south
arterials, Andover Park West provides the most direct connection to and through the Regional
Center, the new Pond District, and the new Tukwila Transit Center.
3) Transit: Integrated with Urban Center Development
As the region continues to grow, gas prices increase, and the demand surges for increasingly
compact, walkable and mixed use formats, a wide range of mobility options, especially rail transit,
will become critical components for economic success, livability and sustainability. These trends
will favor the areas of Southcenter within walking distance of the Tukwila Longacres /Amtrak
station and Southcenter Transit Center, which can be expected to capture an increasing share of
regional demand for housing and office development.
In order to realize the full potential of these transit facilities, existing barriers to visibility, access
and convenience will be removed. Development within walking distance of transit stations will
provide much enhanced connectivity to and from transit facilities as they contribute to
improvements that incrementally add to the network of walkable, safe, and complete street
environments — and in turn, the new transit oriented development will promote system ridership.
Transit will serve as a backbone for new development throughout Southcenter, and make the most
of its potential to instigate surrounding redevelopment. The most visible, usable example of this
will be a new "pedestrian spine" connecting Southcenter's transit centers. The Southcenter Transit
Center located at the edge of the Mall property will be seamlessly connected to the Tukwila
Longacres commuter rail station along a street designed for walking and biking, making the stations
the focal points of the area's circulation network (Figure 1.4). These two transit anchors will also be
linked via bus routes and ultimately will decrease the need for a private vehicle in the District.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
WEI
(Tokwi air
`��• -ten_ t - °-
Sounder
Transit
Station
z
Figure 1.4 Strengthen pedestrian connections between activity centers and transit
The Tukwila Longacres /Amtrak Station will be designed to be attractive, accessible and
interconnected to the workings of the Southcenter as a whole. The station will ultimately include a
new plaza, with adjacent multi -modal facilities such as a bus terminal, "kiss- ride" drop off, and a
park- and -ride lot or garage. In addition, the overall network of transit in Southcenter will be
improved, including more frequent bus service and better links between bus, light rail and train
service.
Finally, the bus transit center will be improved to provide a transit interchange that is well- served
by and integrated with its surroundings. New pedestrian paths and public sidewalks will lead
pedestrians from surrounding areas to the Southcenter Transit Center. The most heavily used
route, from the Transit Center to the Mall, has already been improved with a covered walkway
leading directly to a Mall entrance (Photo 32).
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
32. Mall to bus transit center pedestrian connection
4) Natural and Recreational Amenities — Integrated with the Emerging Urban Center
The emerging "public realm" of Southcenter will be increasingly distinguished by not only new
active urban streets and sidewalks, but by open spaces, plazas, and parks that will be connected to
the Interurban and Green River trails, and Tukwila Pond and Christensen Parks. This system of
interconnected spaces will provide access to a range of recreational experiences, provide gathering
places, serve as amenities to attract the types of development envisioned by the community,
especially housing, provide locations for public art, and enhance Southcenter's liveability.
Rather than turning its back on the natural assets of the Plan Area, new public and private
investment will "unearth" Tukwila Pond, Minkler Pond and the Green River and feature them as
precious amenities to be integrated with the development of the emerging urban center (Photos
33, 34 and Figure 1.5). New development adjacent to the ponds and river will likely feature
buildings oriented toward the water, and contribute frontage improvements that add to the appeal
and public accessibility of the waterfronts. Key city investments in Tukwila Pond will focus on
improving water quality, preserving its natural habitat for wildlife and plants, and creating a "loop"
route around the Pond for people to stroll and jog.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Southcenter's hidden amenities
millr; TUKWIL A PO fl
I PARK 1"
'milli
1
33. Tukwila Pond Park
34. The Green River
Figure 1.5 Integrate Tukwila Pond into emerging urban center development
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
5) Building, Site and Infrastructure Design — Create a great space.
The design quality of buildings, sites, streets and utilities contributes greatly to a community's
identity and sense of place. These elements will be designed to support the overall vision for a
high - quality civic identity.
New and renovated buildings will be embody architectural characteristics that maintain the desired
human scale, rhythm and urban character appropriate for Southcenter, with the goal of building on
the best efforts of previous development and allowing for and encouraging creativity on the part of
developers and designers. No specific architectural or landscape style is mandated. However, a
characteristic style that features a mix of contemporary and Northwest - inspired elements will be
recognizable. This includes the use of exposed natural materials and building elements that
respond to the area's climate (Photo 35).
35. Northwest inspired architectural elements
36. Pedestrian facilities designed to provide a safe path
from street to front door through parking areas
There will be a good deal of flexibility regarding how individual property owners develop their
properties. The City's development regulations and design guidelines will ensure that a site's
layout, including buildings, parking, landscaping and other features, achieves the City's vision, while
allowing the freedom for innovative thinking and adaptation to emerging opportunities.
Redevelopment of the large "mega blocks" will result in internal streets that simulate an urban
street grid and add to the overall street grid network, useable pedestrian spaces, and appropriately
sized, located and designed parking areas. Additionally, within a mega block site where commercial
buildings may be separated from the public right -of -way, redevelopment will achieve an improved
pedestrian - friendly environment with links to the street and surrounding uses (Photo 36).
Streets will be designed to support the uses they serve. Along shopping streets, on- street parking,
widened sidewalks and pedestrian amenities like streetlights, benches and seating, and special
paving will support street - fronting retail (Photos 37, 38). In neighborhood areas, narrower streets
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
with pleasant, tree -lined sidewalks will provide the right environment for residences. In addition,
the private development that lines these streets will feature building frontages that match the
street type, with appropriate orientation, setbacks and entrances, and ensure that non - active
frontages, like parking lots, are located in the right places.
Examples of streets designed to support walking, shopping and autos
37. Baker Boulevard
38.
1.5. REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
To orchestrate growth and change in Southcenter that is in keeping with the community's vision
and redevelopment objectives, the City intends to promote and guide new investment by
intertwining regulatory control (contained in Book II) with the strategic investment of limited public
resources (contained in Book III) .
The complexity of transforming a suburban pattern of development to a more urban one is such
that change cannot be expected or required to happen all at once. More likely, the majority of the
development within Southcenter over the next 20 years will be as a result of market - driven
renovations and expansions rather than entirely new construction. It is not the intent of the City to
discourage such redevelopment, as new investment should enhance the image and appeal of the
area. Instead, the City's strategy is to move forward in phases, leading with public investments and
implementing a set of regulations that condition redevelopment and result in incremental changes
to the urban form that are in alignment with the community's long term vision. Over time, these
changes will serve as a framework, catalyst, and attractor for the types of development envisioned
for the urban center.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
The redevelopment objectives that the City intends to pursue are identified below, followed by the
corresponding Phase 1 implementation measures for redevelopment and public investment. These
measures are important because they form the basis for the standards and guidelines contained in
the accompanying Book II. Keep in mind implementation must always remain sufficiently nimble to
respond to unexpected opportunities and to make best use of resources as they become available.
As the area evolves, the City will revisit Book I's plan, objectives and redevelopment strategies, and
may choose to expand the breadth and geographic application of Book II's regulations through
future updates in Phase 11.
Putting the Plan into Action:
FUTURE INVESTMENT
Objective 1: Promote investment in the full range of retail and entertainment uses in Southcenter:
create a framework that accommodates the widest possible range of investment while avoiding the
potential loss of value from inappropriate juxtapositions of different shopping development types.
Identify appropriate areas for pedestrian- oriented, destination types of development, and for auto -
oriented patterns of development.
Objective 2: Build on the presence of major retail anchor uses to encourage the augmentation of
existing shopping assets with the type of urban, amenity- driven, pedestrian- oriented shopping
increasingly favored by consumers and investors.
Objective 3: Provide incentives for higher intensity projects in the northern Southcenter area to
make the most of high development potential of the area.
Objective 4: Improve walkability and begin developing a framework for the longer term
transition to more urban forms of development by providing adequate public frontage space for
future pedestrians and street furniture, and separation of pedestrians from moving and parked
vehicles.
Phase I implementation measures:
o Restructure the SC area into five districts — the Regional Center, TOD Neighborhood,
Pond District, Commercial Corridor, and the Workplace District. Place the highest
priority on actions that support and promote the continued success and enhancement
of the northern half of the Southcenter area (Regional Center, Pond & TOD). As this area
evolves into a more urban pattern of development, the City may respond by further
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
refining these districts to differentiate between growing mixed use residential
neighborhoods and areas with more of a retail- entertainment focus.
Associated regulatory measures:
• Districts & use table
• Height maximums
o Remove warehouse, light industrial and auto - oriented commercial entitlements from
properties in the northern portion of Southcenter. These uses are not supportive of an
evolving walkable community.
Associated regulatory measures:
• Use tables
o Make funding projects that are economic development catalysts in the northern part of
Southcenter a high priority for city investments.
Associated measures or actions:
• Development incentives
• Book III: City actions and investments
o As redevelopment or new construction takes place on parcels without sidewalks in the
public frontage, require developer compliance with the new public frontage standards.
o As redevelopment or new construction occurs on parcels where existing sidewalks and
perimeter landscaping do not meet the new public frontage standards, use incentives to
encourage developer compliance with the new standards.
o Recognize that public investment in public frontage improvements may also be
necessary.
o Where a more walkable, urban neighborhood is desired, encourage the placement of
buildings at the back of sidewalks by maximizing easily accessible curbside parking with
on- street parking spaces along new streets and key existing streets.
Associated regulatory measures:
• Street master plan & cross - sections
• Public frontage requirements & design regulations
• Parking design /layout regulations
• Setback requirements
• Landscaping regulations
• Developer incentives for public frontage improvements
o Allow developers flexibility in meeting requirements for redevelopment or new
construction, particularly around Tukwila Pond, the Sounder commuter rail station, and
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
along Baker Boulevard and the Green River, provided that the resulting site plan and
building design supports the community's vision for these areas. Where appropriate,
provide incentives and look for opportunities for public /private partnerships.
Associated regulatory measures:
• Site design regulations
• Building orientation
• Setbacks
• Architectural regulations
• Qualitative criteria and /or performance standards and regulations
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT
Objective 4: Leverage the new bus transit center and refurbished Sounder commuter rail station
to stimulate investor interest in developing a transit - oriented, mixed -use housing, retail and office
neighborhood in Southcenter.
Phase I implementation measures:
o Expand land use policies to allow housing throughout the northern portion of
Southcenter within walking distance of the rail and bus stations, and in all districts along
the Green River. When appropriate, provide incentives and explore public /private
partnerships to encourage stand alone and mixed use residential development.
Associated regulatory measures:
• Use tables
• Site design regulations
• Building orientation
• Qualitative criteria and /or performance standards and regulations
• Developer incentives for housing and structured parking
MALL TO STATION
Objective 5: Continue to enhance connections between the Mall, the commuter rail station and
the refurbished Tukwila Pond in order to reap synergies of destination retail, recreation amenities,
increasingly compact housing and office development, convenience and mobility.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Phase I implementation measures:
o Redevelopment consistent with the vision will require market - driven infill development,
incentives, and City investment. Designate the Baker Boulevard corridor as the area that
will serve as the initial catalyst for future redevelopment of Southcenter, where future
City investments will be directed and which will also provide a highly visible
demonstration of the City's commitment to the vision. Require redevelopment and
reinvestment along this corridor to support the City's long -term vision for a well -
designed pedestrian connection between the Mall, the bus transit center, and the
Sounder commuter rail /Amtrak station.
o Recognize that the City may need to participate in construction and funding of public
frontage improvements.
o Identify developer incentives that encourage compliance with new public frontage
standards when existing conditions do not meet the new standards.
Associated regulatory measures:
• Street master plan — street cross - sections and on street parking
• Public frontage improvements
• Maximum height requirements
• Building orientation
• Setbacks
• Open space & landscaping regulations
• Parking regulations
• Architectural regulations
• Developer incentives for public frontage improvements
CIRCULATION
Objective 6: Coordinate private and public contributions to the block and street system
particularly for east -west streets, such that each new segment adds to the connectivity and
number of alternative routes through Southcenter. Transportation corridors should be planned
and reserved in coordination with land use.
Objective 7: Improve pedestrian movement throughout the Southcenter area by creating quality
spaces and pathways through and within development sites connecting to the street system and,
where appropriate, public open spaces and parks.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Phase I implementation measures:
o Ensure that new public and private streets are located to break up the "mega blocks"
and provide a more finely grained street network that simulates an urban street grid.
o Require compliance with new street and public frontage regulations where traffic
impacts generated by new development or a significant change in use triggers the need
for mitigation.
o While in some cases the need for new streets may be capacity driven, a finer grid
system may also be needed to support mobility for pedestrians, bicycles and transit.
Design new street cross - sections to support a full range of mobility needs and the
adjacent land uses.
o Recognize that the City may need to participate in construction and funding of new
streets.
Associated regulatory measures:
• New street regulations
• Developer incentives for constructing new streets
• Access management regulations
• Street master plan & cross - sections
o Existing structures should move towards a more walkable community by providing well
defined pedestrian connections between buildings and sidewalks.
Associated regulatory measures:
• Site design regulations
OPEN SPACE
Objective 8: Use a combination of development regulations and capital improvements to unearth
the natural features of Southcenter - Tukwila Pond, the Green River and Minkler Pond - as public
amenities.
Objective 9: Create a hierarchy of interconnected public and private open spaces, ranging from
active plazas to less formal gathering spaces, quiet residential courts, and natural open spaces, that
are distributed within the Southcenter area.
Phase I implementation measures:
o Through a combination of development requirements, incentives, and public
investment, facilitate the addition of high quality public amenities, open spaces, and
recreation areas to attract housing development, stimulate new levels and quality of
development, and complement the retail and other mix of uses in the northern part of
Southcenter.
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Southcenter Plan Book 1: Community Intent
Associated regulatory measures:
• Open space requirements, standards & design guidelines
• Design regulations for public and private open spaces
■ Housing incentives
• Site design regulations
• Public frontage regulations
DESIGN
OBJECTIVE 10: Continue to enhance Southcenter's "sense of place" reflected in building forms,
development patterns and the public realm.
Phase I implementation measures:
o Adopt new design standards and guidelines that promote high quality architecture, site
design and streetscapes, particularly for development in the northern part of the
Southcenter area, that is consistent with and supports the vision for the urban center.
Associated regulatory measures:
■ Development standards, design guidelines
• Design review process
• Roadway standards with streetscape elements
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Southcenter Plan Regulations - Planning Commission DRAFT Issues Matrix
- Comments received by close of hearing on June 11, 2009.
- Note that comments listed without an exhibit reference were delivered
verbally during the public hearing.
Responses have been revised where needed to reflect the 2011
changes in the Plan Document.
Page # in
Plan
Comment
(suggested language changes in bold strikout /underline)
Exhibit #/
Date /Source
Staff comment /analysis /options
Book 1
Excited about the vision of a walkable neighborhood and business districts
in an area currently dominated by automobiles. If implemented, the plan
will increase transportation, housing and employment choices for Tukwila
residents.
Ex. 11/
6.3.09 /Cascade
Land
Conservancy
Commenter supportive of vision
SCP is very well structured and Cascade Land Conservancy strongly
supports the incorporation of the vision, regulations and implementation
plan into one document. Like the tie -in between vision, implementation &
CIP list.
Ex. 11/ 4.23.09 &
6.3.09 /Cascade
Land
Conservancy
Commenter supportive of proposed regs
By enhancing walkability in the northern part of the SCA, along with
providing investments & planning to assist pioneering residential
development around the Sounder station, Tukwila can strengthen its
position as the premier retail center for S King Co.
Ex. 11/
6.3.09 /Cascade
Land
Conservancy
Commenter supportive of proposed regs
Likes vision to bolster SC as primary regional shopping center. Goal of
creating areas for a walkable urban community with housing and
employment opportunities in addition to destination retail is bold and
exciting. Implementation timing & strategy is critical.
Ex. 14/
Sears /5.28.09
Commenter supportive of vision
plan is admirable & ambitious
Ma11/3.26.09
Commenter supportive of vision
Westfield supports long term vision, but achieving a dense neighborhood
will take dozens of years, with incremental changes over many
development cycles.
Westfield /4.23.09
Commenter supportive of vision
If city wants to move away from current /historical development patterns, it
needs to do so more gradually and with public investment.
Ex. 17/ 6.11.09/
Walton CWAA
Bus.Park
Properties
comment noted.
Like the vision, have some concerns, kudos to staff for working with
Target.
Brandon Lee,
Target /5.28.09
Commenter supportive of vision
Does the vision for the TOD station district still make sense, given the
recent developments with UP RR, ST, etc?
Staff
It seems unlikely that an agreement will be reached to move the
tracks, therefore the plan should address the current configuration.
Office development may be more likely than residential to occur
near the station over the short to mid term, due to noise issues.
12/08/2011
Page 1 of 58
DEC 11 Draft TUC PC Issues Matrix.xls
Page # in
Plan
Comment
(suggested language changes in bold strikout /underline)
Exhibit #I
Date /Source
Staff comment /analysis /options
The maps used in this plan reflect the tax parcel configuration of the
Westfield Southcenter Mall prior to the recent Binding Site Plan approval.
Please revise all maps to show correct lines, or remove all parcel lines on
Mall property from all maps.
Brent Carson
Will be addressed in the final revision of the Plan.
SCP is inconsistent with City's adopted comprehensive plan. Vision calls
for 30 -50 yrs, process to get there should be gradual; implementation calls
for providing opportunities for residential (SCP it is mandatory); maintain
strength of retail core (SCP weakens it); vision should be achieved based
on market demand (SCP requires it).
Ex. 8/ Brent
Carson /5.28.09
The SCP is consistent with the Comp Plan. Housing is a permitted
use, not mandatory, and opportunities for locating housing within
the UC are expanded. The CP states that the vision "should be
achieved by reinforcing the TUC's strenghts and increasing its
overall attractiveness. This would support both existing businesses
and the continuation of market - sensitive transitions."
2
Introductio
n
1. Change this title: 1) District Structure — From Sprawling Auto - Oriented
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
Recommendation: Substituting "suburban" for sprawling
Commercial Area to Urban Center
2
2. Change this sentence: The entirely -
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
This description refers to the central and southern portions of the
urban center, and are appropriate descriptions. Recommendation:
no change. Moved sentence to Existing Conditions Summary.
sprawling, auto oriented
commercial zone is almost entirely built out, new investment will
increasingly entail redevelopment.
2
3. Change this sentence: The primary driving forces conditioning the
form new investment in the Plan Area will be 1) thc industry's
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
1) describes a current trend in the shopping industry and should be
noted as such. Recommendation: Change "accelerating
abandonment" to "shift away from."
Recommendation: replacing 'escalating' with 'rising economic
of shopping
accelerating abandonment of exclusively auto oricntcd shopping centers
in favor driven formats, 2} 1Zincreasing
of more open air and amenity
regional commitment to transit, 3} 2Z rapidly growing demand for walkable
urban environments for living, working and shopping, and 4} athe
escalating value economic importance of property in the Southcenter
importance and ...'
area as a result of the expansion of the regional mall and the
disappearance of easily developed property in the area.
2
4. Change this sentence (the Mall may not be planning further
southward or westward expansion): The area won surrounding
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
The section referred to describes the vision for the regional center
district, which includes other businesses in addition to the mall.
Recommendation: Revise as "The area in the vicinity of Westfield
Westfield Southcenter Mall will continue its transformation to transform
into a more walkable and compact Regional Center_ extending southward
toward Strandcr Boulevard ultimately extending to thc edge of Tukwila
Southcenter Mall, with easy access to the new bus Transit Center,
Pond, and eastward acro "'c Andover Park West.
will continue to infill and intensify to a more walkable and compact
form of development extending southward toward Strander Blvd,
ultimately extending to the edge of Tukwila Pond and eastward
across Andover Park West."
12/08/2011
Page 2 of 58
DEC 11 Draft TUC PC Issues Matrix.xls
Page # in
Plan
Comment
(suggested language changes in bold strikout /underline)
Exhibit #/
Date /Source
Staff comment /analysis /options
3 The
Envisioned
Future
Tukwila
Urban
Center:
"Regional
Center"
1. Change this paragraph: ...The Regional Center owes its success to
and is anchored by the newly expanded and refurbished Westfield
Southcenter Mall. Mall customers arrive predominantly by car. The
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
The paragraph referred to describes the vision for the regional
center district, which includes other businesses in addition to the
mall. The text, as currently written, adequately describes the role
of the mall.
Many of the Mall's customers and employees also arrive by public
transportation.
Recommendation: make no changes to the Plan
drawing power of this retail powerhouse will continue to bring investment
in retail, services and entertainment venues oriented to an expanding
regional trade. For this reason, this plan gives special emphasis to
maintaining the economic viability of the Regional Center's hub, the
Westfield Southcenter Mall. In recent years the Mall has shown
leadership in enhancing the look and feel of the Mall through
investments in architecture and customer amenities.
3
2. Change this sentence: The area surrounding the newly refurbished
super - regional mall with public incentives initiated by the City will
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
The phrase "...in favor of an increasingly walkable and amenity
driven pattern reflecting contemporary consumer and investor
preferences" is true and should not be deleted. In addition, the
paragraph following this one in the text adequately emphasizes the
need for public investments.
Recommendation: Revise sentence to read "The area surrounding
begin changing from the exclusively parking lot- surrounded, auto-
dominated development that has begun to fall favor with market
out of
trends, in favor increasingly walkable driven
of an and amenity pattern
reflecting investor
contemporary consumer and preferences.
the Mall may begin changing from the exclusively parking-lot-
surrounded, auto - dominated development to an increasingly
walkable and amenity driven pattern reflecting contemporary
consumer and investor preferences.
3
3. Change this sentence: With public investment, -dnew development
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
Recommendation: Revise sentence to read "Over time, public
surrounding the Mall will be increasingly characterized by a pattern of
investments combined with market driven infill may instigate new
walkable - scaled city blocks with key street frontages lined with visible
storefronts...
development increasingly characterized by a pattern of walkable -
scaled city blocks with key street frontages...."
3
4. Remove this sentence: • 0-, _ . •• - • • - • •• - . _ e_-
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
Recommendation: Instead of deleting this sentence, add "Over the
the Mall will the transition from to
long term, infill development on the high value property of the mall
continue surface parking structured
will likely be increasingly by mid risc high
will..."
parking, and characterized or
rise building built the retail base.
components over
3
Remove Ultimately, the Mall's inward focused
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
Recommendation: make the suggested revision.
sentence: current
development will be reversed; its lots replaced with
pattern parking entirely
the fine intensely developed that the
grained and patterns, characterize
most districts.
sought after urban
9
1. Change text as follows:
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
12/08/2011
W
Page 3 of 58
DEC_11_ Draft TUC PC Issues Matrix.xls
Page # in
Plan
Comment
(suggested language changes in bold strikout /underline)
Exhibit #/
Date /Source
Staff comment /analysis /options
9 The
Envisioned
Future
Tukwila
Urban
Center
TUC Boulevards
...First, Strander Boulevard will continue to be the most well - traveled east-
west thoroughfare and the gateway for many visitors to the Regional
Center, Pond District and TOD Neighborhood. With the exception of the
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
It is unclear how this revision would further the vision for the area.
Recommendation: make no changes to the Plan.
northern half of the street between Southcenter Parkway and
Andover Park West, the entire segment of Strander Boulevard within
the Plan Area is designated as a TUC Boulevard. Of the several north -
south arterials, Andover Park West provides the most direct connection to
and through the Regional Center and the new Pond District. With the
exception of the western half of the street between Strander
Boulevard and Tukwila Parkway, from Tukwila Parkway to south of
the Pond. Andover Park West is designated as a TUC Boulevard. New
development along these two "TUC Boulevards" will be ...
9
Commercial Corridors In order to insure that Southcenter provides
opportunities for the full range of shopping industry development types,
Southcenter Parkway and the TUC Regional Hub site (Westfield
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
It is unclear how this revision would further the vision for the area.
The Mall is not located in the Commercial Corridors District.
Recommendation: make no changes to the Plan.
Southcenter Mall) will I+kely continue to service as Southcenter's
commercial strip, providing sites for auto - oriented retail and services....
11
1. Change this sentence: New pedestrian paths and public sidewalks
will lead pedestrians from surrounding areas to the center, such as the
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
Recommendation: Revise to read "New pedestrian paths and
public sidewalks will lead pedestrians from surrounding areas to
recently completed covered walkway leading from the transit center
the Tukwila Transit Center. The most heavily used route, from the
at Andover Park West and Baker Boulevard toward the Mall entrance.
Transit Center to the Mall, has already been improved with a
and thc most h avily used route, from thc center to the Mall, will be
covered walkway leading directly to a Mall entrance (Photo 32).
improved, with walkway leading directly to thc Mall
a covered entrance.
2. Change this sentence: 2) Build on the presence of major retail and
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
Don't understand the suggested revisions and the reason behind
them.
Recommendation: make no changes to the Plan
Major Retail Centers anchor uses to encourage the augmentation of
with the type driven,
existing shopping assets of urban amcnity pedestrian
- - - - e •*** • e ' • - • - . compatible amenity- driven shopping
favored by consumers and investors.
3. Add this sentence to the end of "Reinvestment Strategy ": 11) City
investment in public incentives or public parking to reach market feasibility
of multi- storied mixed use development with structured parking.
Ex. 16B/
B.Carson &S.Ham
ilton /6.11.09
The Reinvestment Strategy section is now called Redevelopment
Strategy, and discusses the need for public investment as a
catalyst for private investments. Therefore the proposed #11 is not
needed. See the revised Book I.
12/08/2011
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