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Monday, April 3, 2006 · Last updated 7:21 p.m. PT

City council approves measure to raise building heights

By JENNIFER LANGSTON
P-I REPORTER

The Seattle City Council voted unanimously to raise building heights in much of downtown Seattle Monday, ushering in a new wave of development that will dramatically reshape the city's skyline over the next few decades.

"It is a milestone today, and it is an important turning point," said city councilman Peter Steinbrueck, who crafted changes to a proposal advanced by Mayor Greg Nickels last year. "We will do more with this legislation than change the look of downtown. ... we're going to change the feel of downtown and some of the dynamics of downtown."

The package allowing skyscrapers in the Denny Triangle, parts of Belltown, the office core and areas around the Pike Place Market to rise between 30 and 40 percent includes requirements for affordable housing, green buildings and underground parking on large lots. The council approved an average $19-per-square-foot fee that residential developers wanting to build taller buildings would pay to create low-income housing.

The council also pledged to work on other issues to improve downtown livability: creating a major park in Belltown, exploring tax breaks for developers targeting moderate-income residents, studying how new development will affect demand for human services, preserving historic buildings and working with Seattle Public Schools to locate an elementary school in the center city.

RELATED STORIES

  • seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/264045_downtownvote23.html Includes a map of the new downtown building heights.
  • seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/260560_downtown23.html More on the affordable housing debate.
  • seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/251714_urbanlife12.html Downtown urban neighborhoods are already taking shape.
  • seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/235217_vancouver04.html Vancouver, B.C.'s legendary downtown livability offers lessons for Seattle.

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