FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

MASTER PLAN

Is the UW’s current Major Institution Masterplan (MIMP) mentioned in your letter the same document as the UW 2019 Master Plan - February 2019 Compiled Document?

Yes, this project is under the 2019 Seattle Campus Master Plan, and the February 2019 Compiled Plan.

Can you provide a link to UW’s 2019 Seattle Campus Master Plan?  

The master plan is available here:

https://www.washington.edu/community/2019-uw-seattle-campus-master-plan/

DESIGN

What are your plans for Blakely Village and Laurel Village? Do you have a preliminary site plan for the Blakeley Village project?

We are just beginning the design process and will begin posting more information and renderings on our website over the coming months.

How tall will the Blakeley Village project be when completed?

Our planned project will comply with the 2019 UW Campus Master Plan zoning, which allows for 65’ building heights.

How close will the new buildings be to the Burke-Gilman Trail?

There is a required 20’ setback from the trail. We are just kicking off design, so the exact locations of the buildings are still being worked out. Regardless, we will comply with the setback requirements.

Why are the existing buildings being removed?

Because of Seattle’s ongoing housing shortage, re-imagining these sites for their highest and best use to offer exceptional rental housing to UW students and families is a priority. The dwellings are both at the end of their useful lives and we are increasing density to offer more much needed housing.

 Can you share more details about plans for site lighting?

We know that how we approach the lighting on site is important to the community. As such, we plan to complete a photometric analysis as we continue with project design to minimize any lighting impacts to our surrounding neighbors and the environment.

LANDSCAPING

What are you plans for protecting the trees and other vegetation on the two properties to be redeveloped? Does ‘exceptional groves of trees’ exclude large trees that are not in groves, and would therefore would be subject to removal?

We aim to retain and integrate exceptional groves of trees into the project design. We have also hired a landscape architect to design and integrate a local aesthetic into each project to enhance the experience for all users. The University is the responsible public agency for campus, and it maintains and implements an Urban Forestry Management Plan (UFMP). Through the UFMP, campus tree resources and revegetation are managed on a campus-wide basis. 

Is there a direct link to the UW’s tree master plan? 

Here is a link to the 2016 Urban Forest Management Plan - which we follow. Please note that it is currently being updated by the University of Washington.

https://facilities.uw.edu/files/media/2016-urban-forest-management-plan.pdf

What trees will be marked for removal before a permit is issued by the city? 

We are still early in the design process and do not yet know when trees will be removed and/or replaced. Our plan for tree removal will abide by the UW’s approved Urban Forestry Management Plan and can be seen in our building permit set, which is available through the City’s portal at:  https://facilities.uw.edu/files/media/2016-urban-forest-management-plan.pdf. We can share our tree retention plan when it’s complete, but that will not happen until late 2024 or early 2025.

PARKING AND TRAFFIC

What are your plans for traffic mitigation? The stretch of road from Montlake to Sandpoint Way is already almost impassable during a large part of the day. There are three proposed apartment buildings going into the Safeway site adjacent to University Village, and a new Aegis building at the nearby five corners intersection. 

In accordance with city zoning and our campus-wide transportation plan, Blakeley has no additional parking, and Laurel will have on-site parking to accommodate families and childcare. We will also ensure safe and efficient traffic flow within the site.

CONSTRUCTION

When are you starting construction on the project?

We are currently estimating construction to in late 2025 or early 2026.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Will you be posting a video of the presentation or any of the presentation materials? I was not able to attend the on-line community meetings.

Our recent community presentation has been posted to the project website and can be found here: https://www.greystarseattleoutreach.com/presentation

Additionally, copies of our recent presentation to the City University Community Advisory Committee (CUCAC) can be viewed by clicking here:

https://www.washington.edu/community/category/cucac-presentations/

How can I receive project updates in the future?

Please check back to our community website for future updates: www.greystarseattleoutreach.com.