Seattle, WA, TOD Projects

Transit oriented development (TOD) projects are often associated with light rail stations. The Northgate and Convention Place projects on this page are primarily bus based. The public and private elements of both proposed projects are vertically integrated -- public below and private above. Note: Henry S. Markus, AICP, the webmaster of this site, was the project manager for the Northgate and Convention Place projects from 1998 to 2003 for King County, Washington.

Southeast Seattle

• Earth Day synergy, editorial, Seattle Times, April 22, 2008
• New light rail clears way for an MLK makeover, Eric Pryne, Seattle Times, April 20, 2008
  • Projects ride the rails -- Mount Baker, Columbia City and Othello station areas (graphic PDF)
  • Light rail spurs development along Martin Luther King Way (graphic)
  • Video collection of various light rail points (video)

Northgate TOD Project

In 2003, the King County Executive and the Mayor of Seattle announced at a joint press conference a series of projects and proposals to transform the vision for this designated urban center into reality. Implementation includes a new City library, recreation center and mini-park; 5th Avenue pedestrian improvements, amending or repealing the city's urban center development code (GDP); City storm water detention and water quality improvements; and the King County TOD project. The eight acre TOD site is located just south of a regional mall and just east of the I-5 freeway. The transit elements of the TOD project may include a new bus transit center, light rail and monorail stations, off street bus layover, and 1,400 stall park & ride garage. Private elements of the project may include a cinema, housing, daycare, retail, office or hotel, and structured parking. Up to 800 of the parking stalls may be shared by transit patrons and cinema customers.

• Thornton Creek breathes again at Northgate, Michelle Ma, Seattle Times, June 19, 2009
• Seattle's vision of Northgate as urban center takes shape, Eric Pryne, Seattle Times, December 26, 2008
• Thornton Place at Northgate, Lorig Associates -- 6 acres of retail, 14 screen cinema, 109 condos, 278 market rate apartments, 850 parking spaces plus ERA Living will provide 127 senior apartments on one acre at the southeast corner of the site. Three acres of green space with a water channel will be located between the two projects.
• Thornton Place Case Study, Stellar Holdings
• Northgate Urban Center Park Development, Seattle Parks & Recreation, April 2008
• Putting the park in park-and-ride near Northgate Mall, Keith Ervin, Seattle Times, May 23, 2006
• Northgate mall to get open-air addition, Monica Soto Ouchi, Seattle Times, September 22, 2005
• Parking lot to become park for Northgate, Tom Boyer, Seattle Times, September 21, 2005
• Northgate compromise plan wins approval, Kathy Mulady, Seattle PI, December 9, 2003
• Northgate support letter from Ron Sims, King County Executive, to Mayor Nickels and the Seattle City Council, dated May 16, 2003
• Northgate Station Area Planning
• Northgate Coordinated Transportation Investment Plan
• King County Metro Northgate TOD project description

Qwest Field TOD Project

• Big development on  lot near Qwest Field could start in next year, Seattle Times, July 26, 2009
• Council OKs selling lot near Qwest Field, Bob Young, Seattle Times, June 5, 2007

Convention Place Station TOD Project

• Clise pulls 13 prime acres in Seattle's Denny Triangle land off market, Eric Pryne, Seattle Times, April 25, 2008
• One big chunk of downtown Seattle up for sale, Amy Martinez, Seattle Times,  June 16, 2007
• King County Metro CPS TOD project description (mostly out of date)