Transforming Suburbia: Neighborhood Centers

Neighborhoods should be compact, pedestrian-friendly, and mixed-use. A town should be organized into a series of neighborhoods that contain a mix of commercial and residential uses, a variety of housing types and public places. Many activities of daily living should occur within walking distance and there should be an interconnected network of streets designed to encourage walking. The neighborhoods that comprise a community should have strong street and pedestrian connections to a walkable main street and commercial district. This main street should be the central shopping district and lined with shops, restaurants, residences and offices. Within neighborhoods there should be a broad range of housing types. Other features include narrow front yards, porches, gardens, and garages in the backyard. Neighborhoods should have distinct edges and a center. The center should offer small commercial opportunities and services as well as provide a broad range of housing. It is recommended that a range of open space, from small greens to larger community parks be distributed within and around the neighborhoods. Small greens and playgrounds should be within a 2 to 3 minute walk of each house. Neighborhood centers should offer a neighborhood square or park and should be within a 5 minute walk for the residents. The town center and shopping

district should have a central public space that is conveniently accessed within a 10 minute walk from the neighborhoods. Larger community parks and preservation areas should be at the neighborhood and town edges. New Urbanism embraces the principle that public spaces should be places of shared use and that the design of streets and buildings should reinforce safe environments. By utilizing a modified street grid with appropriately scaled roadways and providing sidewalks along all residential and commercial streets, a town plan ensures that pedestrians can safely share the streets with motorists. The grid system interconnects the blocks that make up the neighborhoods and ensures a strong connection to the communityfs center and open space system. Houses with front porches and short setbacks provide a window on the street to promote a feeling of living in a safe environment. Streets and squares should be comfortable and interesting to the pedestrian. Squares are strategically located at the intersections of major streets and form the nucleus of each neighborhood. These squares are designed to be people places where shaded seating areas, specialty pavements, planters, fountains, sculpture, period lighting and festive banners all come together to form a welcoming and comfortable environment. Civic buildings, meeting halls and public gathering places require important sites to reinforce community identity. Once neighborhoods and their centers are properly set, they can be linked with mass transit opportunities, when practical, since each center offers the walkability of the urban neighborhood. This would allow a true relationship between transportation and land use and allow for a comprehensive and strategic implementation of mass transit. If regional train or bus services are planned, then the centers may want to be planned at 2 to 3 mile increments along the transportation corridor. If local bus services are planned than the centers may want to be as close as to one mile apart. As the general landscape becomes more urban, then the centers would naturally be closer to one another and as one leaves the urban areas the center would accordingly be spaced at greater and greater distances. These neighborhood centers would provide opportunities for services, transportation hubs and provide a central location for civic functions that would allow for a true sense of place. These centers would be unique in design and function and give true character to their place. They would also, however, have elements that are true to the region and the historic precedents that surround them. They would build on the heritage of their place.

Sustainable Landscapes

Each site, each garden and every public space is influenced by the macro- and micro-scaled elements around it. Each landscape scheme is strategic and should not only provide beauty and functionality for the owner, but should also add to the sustainability of the place. Each incremental improvement adds a distributive contribution to water efficiencies, water quality, flood control and habitat. Our approach to landscape implementation takes a specific design with nature approach. We call it our green garden strategy and process. Our Approach to Sustainable Landscapes: 1. Start with regional issues that affect the design 2. Understand macro-climatic effects: wind, rainshed, solar aspect, drainage 3. Consider your place in the watershed 4. What is the geology 5. Break down the site into micro-climatic zones 6. Respond to the physiographic region 7. Group plants by hydrological association 8. Group plants by soil association 9. Use plant associations that mimic natural systems 10. Use native and adaptable species 11. Provide habitat 12. Work with and not against slopes 13. Understand solar movement, solar aspect, sun, shade and plant suitability 14. Introduce biological and natural transects 15. Design to the intrinsic suitability of the site 16. Understand the urban realities and modify accordingly 17. Introduce water efficiencies, water harvesting, water reuse and irrigation 18. Put it all together into a cohesive and expressive plan 19. Metrics for success 20. Plant lists 1. Native Plant 2. Plants that contribute to clean wate 3. Plants that contribute to clean soil 4. Ornamentals and non-native 5. Grasses, not Turf 6. Invasive Species

Complete Town Planning Methodology

o o o o o o

Fundamental Place-making Principles Place Types and their Organization Neighborhoods, Districts and Corridors Elements of a Neighborhood Support Systems and Networks Placement and Arrangement Strategic Site, Smart Locations Avoidance of natural, sensitive, ecological and agricultural resources Preferred Location Mobility and Linkages

Transit and the Automobile Bicycles Pedestrians Other forms

Land Efficiencies Building Reuse and Rehabilitation Water Efficiencies Energy Efficiencies

Highlands Neighborhood Center 800 Edmonds Avenue Northeast, Renton, WA 98056 The Highlands Neighborhood Center is 11,906 square-feet and includes spectator seating in the gymnasium, a dividable multi-purpose room, classrooms, and a front entry counter. Children's artwork from the Renton River Days festival, courtesy of the Renton Municipal Arts Commission, hangs behind the entry counter. Rental rates are available. The 10-acre neighborhood park has excellent facilities for children and adults alike. Outside amenities at the Highlands Neighborhood Center include a baseball field, basketball and tennis courts, multi-use field, picnic areas, play equipment, and parking.

Amenities Activity building with gymnasium Ball fields: Fields are available for use. For reservations, a permit must be obtained from the Renton Community Center, 425.430.6700. Bleachers Tennis courts Basketball courts Roller Hockey court Multi-use field Picnic areas Play equipment Parking Rental space

Directions From I-405 South Take Exit #5 (Park Ave. N./Sunset Blvd. NE). Turn left on to Sunset Boulevard. Turn right on Edmonds Avenue NE. Go straight through the stop sign. The park is located on the left. From I-405 North Take Exit #5 (Issaquah/Sunset Blvd. NE). Turn right on to Sunset Boulevard. Turn right onto Edmonds Avenue NE. Go straight through the stop sign. The park is located on the left.

The Mason Street North mixed-use project will create a lively and visually appealing focal point at the edge of Lee Martinez Park on the fringe of the historic downtown core of Fort Collins. The site's location at the end of the Mason Street Transit Corridor and its proximity to the recreational opportunities offered by the Park make it an ideal location for a mixed-use neighborhood center. Building A The eastern building (A) is two buildings connected by an overhead bridge. Traditional brick detailing and large storefronts face out onto Mason Court. Office, personal service, or light retail uses are proposed for the main level with four individually designed residences above.

Current Site Plan

Building B The middle building (B) is composed of two long wings connected by the second level living space of one of the eight residential lofts. This overhead bridge creates a well-defined entry to the landscaped courtyard beyond. Office uses are directly accessed off the courtyard as are the entry stairs to the upper level residences. Building C The largest building (C) is placed at the western edge of the site, adjacent to the recently completed Martinez Park Community. Office uses are located on the main floor above an underground parking garage. There are eight, two-story residences accessed by an elevator. Vaulted living areas, open plans, upper level master suites, and covered terraces are provided for a variety of home sizes. The unique design of each residence allows prospective homeowners to choose from a variety of different plan configurations and orientations. A diverse range of sizes and prices are available for you to choose from. The overall site design creates a memorable sense of place because each building does its part to shape a series of well-defined outdoor rooms. The generous open space provided between and

around the buildings will be designed with a variety of hard and soft surfaces to encourage casual gathering and neighborly interaction. The mix of uses will create a 24-hour presence and vitality. Convenient parking is provided underneath Building C and adjacent to each building. A number of single car garages are also provided for those homeowners who desire them. Martinez Park provides convenient access to a variety of recreational opportunities. The restaurants and services of Old Town and the Downtown Civic Center district are just a few minutes' walk to the south. Mason Street North's design creates the potential for a vibrant sense of community adjacent to Martinez Park. Traditional brick architecture combined with a variety contemporary design elements create a fresh but timeless character.