Develoment, Development, Developement!

Everyone living in Queen Anne knows that new buildings and development is pretty much a constant. Just driving down the street it's obvious that new buildings are being put up all the time. Here at the Queen Anne Neighborhood Blog, we're ahead of the cranes, bringing you news about new development before there are any signs of it going on. Currently, there are some big projects underway that we hope to give you a first glimpse of.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Currently on the corner of 5th and Mercer St. in Queen Anne sits a Seattle Center Parking lot, one which is probably worth more than most people make in several years. Since such a large parking lot can't occupy prime real estate for too long, the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation has decided to build a new, permanent campus on the site. Based on community input from the Design Review Board, the concept is "intended to reflect both the foundation’s Seattle roots and its focus on reducing inequities and improving lives around the world." according to the foundation's website.

In addition to the huge campus, the foundation will add nearly 2000 jobs to Queen Anne, and bring with it an increase in traffic, hotels, and foreign diplomats visiting the area. The ground is being broken for the building in July, and it will compleley change the face of Queen Anne as it is known today. Look out for this beautiful building to be completed in a couple of years.

Seattle Center

The Queen Anne staple Seattle center is also recieving a large rennovation in the coming years, something this park has not seen since it was built in the '60s. The Seattle Center has been working closely with various Queen Anne groups like the Land Use Review comitee to develop a plan for this campus that moves it in to the 21st century. According to the Seattle Center website, large changes will me made to the overall camus, including the removal of the "fun forest" amusement park area in favor of more open space, more transportation options, and additional programs for young and old people alike. They are also trying to emphasize sustainable design in all of the aspects of the Center's redevelopment.

There are some interesting things in store for this area, and the more jobs that are created here, the more people want to move here, fueling the need for even more development. It's a continuing process, and one that any Queen Anne resident should stay on top of.