After three years of research, studies, documentation and communications, the USGBC has confirmed the “South Lake Union Urban Center” is now a LEED certified plan for Neighborhood Development.
This is great news; the City of Seattle overcame a number of hurdles to achieve this certification. As the program isn’t structured well for municipalities and for multiple landowners, there are challenges inherent in applying the certification to an existing, evolving neighborhood, such as our beloved SLU. This certification represented, in effect, a snap shot of the neighborhood and does not take into account future plans, zoning changes or other policies that will greatly affect the neighborhood.
But, as those of us who have been following the EIS on the proposed rezoning and the Urban Design Framework (and those of us who have enjoyed one of those pretzels at Tom Douglas’s Brave Horse Tavern) know, this neighborhood is only going to get better as it evolves into a neighborhood with even higher levels of sustainability.
Weber Thompson was honored to work with the city pursuing this certification. We are thrilled certification was achieved and we look forward to the additional changes our beloved neighborhood has coming its way (especially if those involve a Thai Eatery, or maybe Teriyaki – Tom?).
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