NEXUS neighborhood could experience increased value proposition with “Central Park” over highway.
On the evening of June 27th, the Seattle Parks Foundation invited the community to an open house to discuss the Lid I-5 initiative, a campaign that if approved, would create “new public land for parks, affordable housing, complete streets, and other uses within the city’s most populous neighborhoods” (1) right over top of the existing interstate in Seattle.
The presentation given at the event revealed that “we’re stuck with I-5 as it is” thanks to buildings and businesses along the west side and the 120-foot-deep cement columns securing the eastside’s hills, so the only chance the city has is to improve upon our existing infrastructures. Capitalizing on the expansion of the Washington State Convention Center, the Parks Foundation is currently working to secure funding to conduct a feasibility study.
“If realized, the Lid I-5 Campaign will bring substantial value to the immediate neighborhood in the form of public parks, transportation connections, business opportunities and more” says Dean Jones, President & CEO of Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty. “This would transform the densely packed view of I-5 into a ‘Central Park’ in the Emerald City and increase our already highly valued downtown real estate.”
NERO Commons, a proposed lidding at NE 130th Street and Jackson Park, includes expanded bus areas, a farmers’ market, access to the LINK light rail, a bike center, grocer, paved crosswalks and wetlands, and has the potential for 2035 completion according to the Parks Foundation timeline.
The committee expects to conduct a few more events in the Fall in advance of the 2018 city council election. For more information, visit LidI5.org.
(1) http://www.lidi5.org