Historic Urban Landscape

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‘Historic Urban Landscape’ The Redevelopment Plan for Downtown Auburn Washington

The Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of the City University of New York Master of Architecture I: Thesis // Bradley Horn, Director // Michael Sorkin, Advisor

by

GREGORY NAKATA

Gregory M Nakata

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Auburn, Washington is a suburb in the Seattle Metropolitan Area of King County 47°18’8”N 122°12’53”W Gregory M Nakata

The historic urban landscape is the urban area understood as the result of a historic layering of cultural and natural values and attributes, extending beyond the notion of “historic centre” or “ensemble” to include the broader urban context and its geographical setting.

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excerpt from The UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape

THE PROJECT

The Redevelopment Plan for in the Downtown as a vital component of a greater system of Downtown Auburn Washington is neighborhoods and it’s geographical setting. Can Downtown a study of the existing conditions Auburn become the model for living through a complex layering in the historic downtown and of hybrid spaces, diverse groups of people, and values based on the drivers for its redevelopment through the synthesis and urban heritage? characterization of its urban heritage as it relates to the broader urban context.

Auburn’s History Briefly: Prior to 1953 the Auburn Valley was made up primarily of Auburn Washington is my hometown where I grew up between marshes and wetlands. The Auburn Valley was inhabited by 1992 to 2005. Over the past decade I have seen abrupt change Native Americans of Salish decent called the Muckelshoot in the downtown and visions for its development which located between the Green and White Rivers. In 1891 the town appeared incongruent with its historic urban fabric - whole of Slaughter was established but was soon changed to Auburn. blocks were cleared but were replaced with large incursions Auburn soon became an agricultural hub producing hops and extending the erasure of the sense of place. My thesis addresses other cash crops - farmed extensively by Japanese immigrants. the downtown as a neighborhood rather than a district for commercial development. My proposal sees this area as a At the turn of the 20th Century the Northern Pacific Rail dormant neighborhood lacking social value. It is through this established a rail yard south of the downtown. Auburn was soon study that I offer solutions to design, ecology, and programming served by 4 transcontinental rail lines. Auburn was home to one to which catalyze new systems, spaces, and relationships for the of Boeing’s aircraft manufacturing plans thereby establishing foundation of this new community hub. industrial manufacturing in the valley. Annual floods became and issue for development until the construction of the Hanson The Redevelopment Plan for Downtown Auburn Washington Dam in the 1960s which then allowed for further development takes into account the historic layering of cultural and natural in the valley now that flooding was mitigated. An Interstate values and attributes and makes connections with contemporary freeway and highway bisected the valley north-south and eastspaces and systems as opportunities for expansion and growth west.

Gregory M Nakata

4 // earthquake 13 april 1949

// northern pacific diesel locomotives

// auburn policemen c. 1960

// muckleshoot/salish salmon weir

// neely mansion

// greenriver community college - salish hall

// main street bike shop

// white river bridge

// children playing train at the switch

// auburn good o’l days 14 august 1909

// auburn sounder station

// mount rainier

Gregory M Nakata

images courtesy of the white river museum archives

Design

Architecture

Program

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Landscape

Urban Design

The Historic Urban THE Landscape approach by the United Nation APPROACH outlined Educational, Scientific, and

Ecology

historic setting and take into account regional contexts.

The Historic Urban Landscape approach supports communities in their quest for development and adaptation, while retaining the characteristics and values linked to their history and collective memory, and to the environment.

Cultural Organization provides the basis for a comprehensive and integrated approach for the identification, assessment, conservation and management of historic urban landscapes within an overall sustainable development framework, involving Concern for the environment, in particular for water and energy a variety of stakeholders. consumption, calls for approaches and new models for urban living, based on ecologically sensitive policies and practices The historic urban landscape approach considers cultural aimed at strengthening stainability and the quality of urban life. diversity and creativity as key assets for human, social and Many of these initiatives, however, should integrate natural and economic development, and provides tools to manage physical cultural heritage as resources for sustainable development. and social transformations and to ensure that contemporary interventions are harmoniously integrated with heritage in a

excerpt from The UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape

Gregory M Nakata

Kent

Kent

Federal Way

6

Federal Way North Auburn

North Auburn

West Hill

Lea Hill

18

West Hill

Downtown

Auburn/ Black Diamond

South Auburn Muckelshoot

167

Auburn/ Black Diamond

Forest Villa

Algona

South Auburn Muckelshoot

167

Pacic

Pacic

Hidden Valley Lakeland Hills

Hidden Valley Lakeland Hills

Lake Tapps

Lake Tapps

Lakeland Hills/Lake Tapps

Sumner

// Auburn’s greenspaces + the interurban trail adjacent to the Auburn Environmental Park

Gregory M Nakata

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Downtown

Forest Villa

Algona

Lea Hill

Lakeland Hills/Lake Tapps

Sumner

// transportation infrastructure (bus lines in pink junction in the downtown with commuter rail connections to Seattle

Kent

Kent

Federal Way

Federal Way

West Hill

Lea Hill

18

West Hill

Lea Hill

Downtown

Downtown

Auburn/ Black Diamond

Forest Villa

Algona

7

North Auburn

North Auburn

South Auburn Muckelshoot

Auburn/ Black Diamond

Forest Villa

Algona

South Auburn Muckelshoot

167

Pacic

Pacic

Hidden Valley

Hidden Valley Lakeland Hills

Lakeland Hills

Lake Tapps

Lake Tapps Lakeland Hills/Lake Tapps

Lakeland Hills/Lake Tapps

Sumner

// relative suburban growth 1990-2000 (dark), 1970-1990 (medium-dark), 1940-1970 (medium), 1910-1940 (medium-light), 1890-1910 (light)

Sumner

// Auburn neighborhoods

Gregory M Nakata

?

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1890s 1900s 1910s 1930s

Gregory M Nakata

1950s

1970s

2000s

Proposal

RIVERPOINT RIVERPOINT PARK PARK RK RK BRANNAN PARK BRANNAN PARK Parks and Recreation Parks and is still Recreation the mostisused still the service mostwhere used almost service6where in 10 almost said they 6 in 10 said they had used the Parks, had used Arts,the and Parks, Recreation Arts, and Department Recreation in Department the past 12 months. in the past 12 months.

Most visit downtown Most visit regularly, downtown where regularly, nearly 6where in 10 respondents nearly 6 in 10(57%) respondents said they(57%) said they had visited downtown had visited Auburn downtown 12 times Auburn or more 12 in times the past or more 12 months in the past 12 months

23% 16%

16%13%

13%

E PARK ARK K E PARK ARK K ABURNDALE ABURNDALE FU F UL LM LME MER P PARK PA AF FU RUL LM LME MER P PARK PA AR FULMER FULMER VET ETE E TE ER ERANS RA R A S VETERANS VET ETE E TE ER ERANS RA R A S VETERANS MEMO MORIAL MO M OR O RIAL R LMEMORIAL MEMO PA P PAR AM MORIAL MO RKO RK OR RIAL R L PARK PA P PAR ARK RK MEMORIAL PARK AUB AU AUBU AUB AU AUBU NMENVIRONMENTAL NTAL N AL P PA NAM RK R KN NTAL AL P PA AR RK K AUBURN ENVIRONMENTAL AUBURN PARK PARK

As examples ofAs the examples city government of the city being government focused being on thefocused “right things” on the “right things” respondents volunteered: respondents volunteered:

23%

The natural environment The naturalstill environment rated as highest still rated aspect as highest of quality aspect of life: of where qualityhalf of life: where half rated the environment rated the“high” environment (8 in 10)“high” (8 in 10)

LE L E ES SG VE L LE E ES SG VE LES GOVE LES GOVE CO C OM O MM M MUNITC CO YO OM C MM M AMUPU NIT SY C A PUS COMMUNITY COMMUNITY CAMPUS CAMPUS

RK GSA PARK RK GSA PARK

TER T ERM NA AL LT TER P PA ER ARM K NA AL L PA P ARK TERMINAL TERMINAL PARK PARK

“Job and Economic “Job and Opportunities” Economic Opportunities” still lowest in “quality still lowest of life” in “quality ratings.ofThis life” ratings. This rating has dropped rating inhas each dropped successive in each survey, successive with 13% survey, ratingwith it “high” 13% rating it “high”

SHAUGHNESSY SHAUGHNESSY PARK PARK DA D AR A R LANES LANCEDAR ESD DA PA AR ARR RK LKANES PARK PAR RK K CEDAR PARK LANES

Sounder commuter Sounder rail boardings commuter were rail boardings up 11% for were the up quarter, 11% for total the2012 quarter, Sounder total 2012 Sounder ridership reached ridership 2.8 million reached boardings 2.8 million boardings

As of fall 2012,As GRCC of fall hosted 2012,over GRCC 1,500 hosted international over 1,500students international from students 51 countries, from 51 countries, ranking it among ranking the top it among 10 community the top 10 colleges community in thecolleges US in international in the US in international enrollment enrollment

R TARY YP PA PAR AR R KTARY YP PA PAR ARK ROTARY PARK ROTARY PARK

AU A UBURN RN GAME GA AU M UB EUFARM FA RN RN RM GAME FARM FARM G ME AUBURN AUBURN GAME E FARM AR G ME E FARM AR GAME GAME W LD N W LD WILDERNESS WILDERNESS PARKN PARK

RK RK ROEGNER PARK ROEGNER PARK M LL P ONDM P ALR AR LKP OND P ARK AR MILL POND MILL PARK POND PARK

LAKELAND HILLS PARK KELA LAKELAND H KELAPARKHILLS H 35% of students 35% that ofleave students GRCC that receive leavean GRCC academic receiveAssociates an academic degree, Associates 7% earn degree, 7% earn a vocational Associate a vocational Degree, Associate while another Degree,44% whilegain another vocational 44% gain certication vocational certication

35%

35% 07%

07%44%

DOR HY BOTHELL B DORTHY DTOR HYPARK B T DORTHY BOTHELL PARK

44%

Vocational Certication

SUNSET PARK SUNSET PARK

Auburn’s growth was spurred by the growth of the agricultural industry and it’s connection to Seattle via the railway as its core. Further expansions and neighborhood growth came from the industrial manufacturing jobs provided by the Boeing Company which formed suburban developments north, south, and east of the downtown.

Suburban growth moved more families farther from the historic downtown but created new distinct neighborhoods with autonomous centers supported by parks and schools.

This outward growth relegated the downtown to primarily commercial and civic functions with a diminished residential character.

DO D WNTOWN WN DO D N WN WNTOWN N DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN TL LAND L DP ARTL LAND L DP AR WETLAND PARK WETLAND PARK

Parks/RecreationParks/Recreation Roads and StreetRoadsDowntown and StreetRevitalization Downtown Revitalization to 11% in(similar 2011) to 11% in 2011) Improvements Improvements (up from 12% in 2011) (up from (similar 12% in 2011)

Academic Associates AcademicVocational AssociatesAssociate Vocational Vocational Associate Degree Degree Degree DegreeCertication

AUBURN’S GROWTH

IISAAC S AC EVANS NS IISAAC S PARK AC EVANS NS PARK YK KS A P AYK RKS K AP ARK DYKSTRA PARK DYKSTRA PARK

During the 1970s a slow decline in business and tourism accelerated the migration out of the downtown; seedy taverns replaced businesses and became hotbeds for antisocial behavior and excessive drug use.

City initiatives in the early 2000s cleared whole city blocks removing taverns and other small businesses occupying plots destined for mass development.

Programming Briefly: The Green River Community College main campus is located in Auburn’s Lea Hill neighborhood but operates satellite campuses in Kent, Enumclaw, and a small campus in Downtown Auburn.

The expansion of the Downtown Auburn GRCC Campus would provide additional facilities for traditional instruction while serving as a professional extension to the community through tech, manufacturing, and business incubators.

Additionally, the establishment of GRCC’s Center for the Environment would serve the community as a management and educational entity overseeing the development of ecological systems and educational programs for the neighborhood and the college.

Gregory M Nakata

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497 TO DOWNTOWN

Lea Hill

Kent

181 TO DOWNTOWN

Lakeland Hills 34.27 ACRES

AUBURN RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL ILALKO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

TO LA

180 TO KENT

497

ROEGNER PARK - 21.25 ACRES DOROTHY BOTHELL PARK - 4.0 ACRES LAKELAND HILLS PARK - 5.05 ACRES MILL POND PARK - 3.97 ACRES

KE TA

38.51 ACRES

PPS

GREEN RIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW HIGH SCHOOL RAINIER MIDDLE SCHOOL HAZELWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEA HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARTHUR JACOBSEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ISAAC EVANS PARK - 19.87 ACRES LEA HILL PARK - 9.0 ACRES AUBURNDALE PARK - 9.64 ACRES 91

9

TO

DO

180 TO NORTH AUBURN

W

N

A

Lea Hill

3.83 ACRES

18

10

LE

North Auburn

HIL L

Muckelshoot

1T O

Federal Way

NT OW

CAMERON PARK - 3.83

32.18+ ACRES CASCADE MIDDLE SCHOOL

181 TO DOWNTOWN

BRANNAN PARK - 26.63 ACRES DYKSTRA PARK -1.75 ACRES RIVERPOINT PARK - 3.8 ACRES INTERURBAN TRAIL

TOWN 180 TO DOWN

15.62+ ACRES

GREENRIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE DOWNTOWN AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL WEST AUBURN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GREEN RIVER COMMUNITY AUBURN DANCE CENTER COLLEGE AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW HIGH SCHOOL RAINIER SCHOOL AUBURNMIDDLE WETLAND PARK - 1.5+ ACRES HAZELWOOD ELEMENTARY VETRANS MEMORIAL PARK SCHOOL - 7.65 LEA HILL ELEMENTARY FRANK FULMNER PARK SCHOOL - 5.13 ACRES ARTHUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCOOTIE JACOBSEN BROWN PARK - 1.34 ACRES INTERURBAN TRAIL ISAAC EVANS PARK - 19.87 ACRES LEA HILL PARK - 9.0 ACRES AUBURNDALE PARK - 9.64 ACRES

Downtown

38.51 ACRES

N TIO RVA ESE R OT SHO L 180 TO NORTH AUBURN CKE MU TO 919

HIL

Hidden Valley

18

1T O

LE

A

West Hill

L

497 TO DOWNTOWN

497 TO SOUTH AUBURN

IFIC 917 TO ALGONA/PAC

72 ACRES

15.62+ ACRES WAY 181 TO FEDERAL

Downtown

NTOWN

181 TO DOW

IFIC

TO

DOW

NTO W

N

Forest Villa

AT ERV RES OOT LSH

497 TO DOWNTOWN

90.12+ ACRES

MOUNT BAKER MIDDLE SCHOOL TERMINAL PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PIONEER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GILDO REY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALGONA PACIFIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

497 TO LAKELAND HILLS

GAME FARM PARK - 53.0 ACRES LES GOVE PARK - 20.86 ACRES TERMINAL PARK - 1.2 ACRES GSA PARK - 6.13 ACRES CEDAR LANES PARK - 8.27 ACRES BALLARD PARK - 0.66 ACRES INTERURBAN TRAIL

Auburn/ Black Diamond

TO M EL

K UC

CHINOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

OT

O SH

SHAUGHNESSY PARK - 3.46 ACRES AUBURN ROTARY PARK - 4.14 ACRES

N

IO

AT RV SE

RE

90.12+ ACRES

MOUNT BAKER MIDDLE SCHOOL TERMINAL PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PIONEER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GILDO REY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALGONA PACIFIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

34.27 ACRES

DO

W

NT OW

N

Muckelshoot

PPS KE TA TO LA

497 TO LAKELAND HILLS

497

TO

W

NT OW

N

SUNSET PARK - 15.0 ACRES

GAME FARM PARK - 53.0 ACRES AUBURN RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL LES GOVEELEMENTARY PARK - 20.86SCHOOL ACRES ILALKO TERMINAL PARK - 1.2 ACRES

9

DO

LAKELAND HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Lakeland Hills

91

7T O

15 ACRES

497 TO DOWNTOWN

9

91

7.6 ACRES

49

Lakeland Hills/Lake Tapps

South Auburn

Gregory M Nakata

Lake Tapps

9

Algona

919

AUBURN WETLAND PARK - 1.5+ ACRES VETRANS MEMORIAL PARK - 7.65 FRANK FULMNER PARK - 5.13 ACRES SCOOTIE BROWN PARK - 1.34 ACRES INTERURBAN TRAIL

U OM 19 T

ENVIRONMENTAL PARK - 120 ACRES CENTENIAL VIEWPOINT PARK - 0.7 ACRES JORDANA PARK - 1.89 ACRES GAINES PARK - 1.34 ACRES INTERURBAN TRAIL

South Auburn

CKE

497 TO SOUTH AUBURN

EVERGREEN HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ION

917 TO ALGONA/PAC

123.93+ ACRES

GAME FARM WILDERNESS PARK - 72.0 ACRES

GREENRIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE DOWNTOWN AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL WEST AUBURN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AUBURN DANCE CENTER

GSA PARK - PARK 6.13 ACRES ROEGNER - 21.25 ACRES CEDAR LANES PARK - PARK 8.27 ACRES DOROTHY BOTHELL - 4.0 ACRES BALLARD PARK - 0.66 ACRES LAKELAND HILLS PARK - 5.05 ACRES INTERURBAN TRAIL- 3.97 ACRES MILL POND PARK

181 TO DOWNTOWN

38.51 ACRES

GREEN RIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW HIGH SCHOOL RAINIER MIDDLE SCHOOL HAZELWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEA HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARTHUR JACOBSEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

18

1T O

LE

A

HIL L

180 TO NORTH AUBURN

ISAAC EVANS PARK - 19.87 ACRES LEA HILL PARK - 9.0 ACRES AUBURNDALE PARK - 9.64 ACRES

15.62+ ACRES Downtown

AUBURN WETLAND PARK - 1.5+ ACRES VETRANS MEMORIAL PARK - 7.65 FRANK FULMNER PARK - 5.13 ACRES SCOOTIE BROWN PARK - 1.34 ACRES INTERURBAN TRAIL

IFIC

N TIO RVA ESE

917 TO ALGONA/PAC

LS H CKE

R OOT

11

497 TO DOWNTOWN

MU TO 919

497 TO SOUTH AUBURN

GREENRIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE DOWNTOWN AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL WEST AUBURN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AUBURN DANCE CENTER

NEIGHBORHOODS OF AUBURN

The Lea Hill neighborhood is made up of 38 Acres of greenspace recently annexed in 2007 made up of singlefamily residences and contains a high school and Green River Community College.

Auburn’s neighborhoods are distinctive areas that incorporate greenspace, public transportation, and schools. Each is a unique South Auburn is made up of 90 Acres of greenspace with a mix collection of different types of space. Auburn’s greenspaces of commercial and residential; many schools and parks are account for over 2% of the total area of Auburn. located in this neighborhood located just south of downtown.

South Auburn

90.12+ ACRES

497 TO LAKELAND HILLS

he Downtown Neighborhood is made up of 15 Acres of greenspace with craftsman style houses and historic buildings with a high school to the east.

MOUNT BAKER MIDDLE SCHOOL TERMINAL PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PIONEER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GILDO REY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALGONA PACIFIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Lakeland Hills is a neighborhood made up of 34 Acres of greenspace in a master planned community located in the southern end of the city.

GAME FARM PARK - 53.0 ACRES LES GOVE PARK - 20.86 ACRES TERMINAL PARK - 1.2 ACRES GSA PARK - 6.13 ACRES CEDAR LANES PARK - 8.27 ACRES BALLARD PARK - 0.66 ACRES INTERURBAN TRAIL

North Auburn is made up of 32 Acres of greenspace and is a mix The Muckelshoot Reservation is a neighborhood made up of 3 of commercial and single-family housing. acres of greenspace.

The West Hill neighborhood is made up of 123 Acres of greenspace over looking the Auburn Valley boardered by Federal Way to the West.

The Hidden Valley neighborhood is made up of 72 Acres of greenspace; a planned neighborhood east of Lakeland Hills.

Lakeland Hills/Lake Tapps is made up of 15 Acres of Forest Villa is made up of 7.6 Acres of greenspace located near greenspace; a planned neighborhood located south of Lakeland Game Farm Park, mainly residential single-family residences. Hills over looking Lake Tapps located in King County and Pierce County.

Gregory M Nakata

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2012

1990 “Everything is in that project,” Pat Cavanaugh said last week.

“We could lose our whole block.” excerpt from The Seattle TImes, Cavanaugh Hardware to no longer be an Auburn fixture

Gregory M Nakata

Urban heritage, including its tangible and intangible components, constitutes a key resource in enhancing the liveability of urban areas, and fosters economic development and social cohesion in a changing global environment.

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“The unmanaged changes in urban density and growth can undermine the sense of place, the integrity of urban fabric, and the identity of communities.�

This recommendation addresses the need to better integrate and frame urban heritage conservation strategies within the larger goals of overall sustainable development, in order to support public and private actions aimed at preserving and enhancing the quality of the human environment.

This wider context includes notably the site’s topography, geomorphology, hydrology and natural features, its built environment, both historic and contemporary, its infrastructures above and below ground, its open spaces and gardens, its land use patterns and spatial organization, perceptions an visual relationships, as well as all other elements of the urban structure. it also includes social and cultural practices and values, economic processes and the intangible dimensions of heritage as related to diversity and identity.

excerpt from The UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, including a glossary of definitions

Gregory M Nakata

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1990

1990 1990

1990

// auburn’s urban scale was once clear and defined by modest parcels of use and space

Gregory M Nakata

2012

1990

2012 2012 2012

// today, auburn is made up of fewer buildings but larger ones that disregard the historic urban fabric

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Beginning in the late 1970s Auburn’s downtown began a slow decline in business and travel; this decline accelerated in the following decades.

Major businesses moved out and sports bars became ‘drug-ridden’ taverns. A 2001 citizens plan gathered ideals and realizations of the citizens of Auburn and what they wanted in the downtown which resulted in the clearance of whole city blocks.

auburn reporter newspaper, hospital breaks ground on parking garage

1

2

1

Auburn Sounder Station

2

Parking Garage / Mixed Use

3

Mixed Use Building Lot Clearance Existing Building Parking Lot

// existing map shows extensive lot clearance Gregory M Nakata

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A Reimagined Downtown Auburn

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ASSISTED LIVING

SKY GARDEN

PARKING

STUDENT HOUSING

TRAINING CENTER

TERRACE ROW HOUSE 2.5 Street SW Gregory M Nakata // downtown auburn isometric section diagram

WETLAND PARK 2nd Street SW

Park

Boardwalk

Pond

1st Street S

SW

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PARK + RIDE DOWNTOWN HOTEL AUBURN SOUNDER STATION

AUBURN INTERNATIONAL FARMERS MARKET

GRCC BUSINESS INCUBATOR

SUNBREAK CAFE 1/2 Street SW

Main Street Gregory M Nakata

2nd Street NE

2nd Street NW Cafe Medical

Parking

Parking

Medical Medical Center

Parking

Parking

Parking Bank

GRCC Medical C Street NW

Parking 1st Street NE

Bank

Auburn Avenue Theatre

Jewelry Store

CAFE

TAVERN

CAFE

RESTAURANT

Parking

Terrace Housing

Drugstore

1st Street SE

GRCC Industrial Chamber Incubator of Commerce

Art Gallery

A STREET ALLEY Center for the Environment

2nd Street SW

*BURRITOS

Wetland Park

Division Street S

A Street SW

BISTRO

High Rise Housing

GRCC Training Center

BOARDWALK

*ITALIAN

Parking

B Street SW

C Street SW

Int’l Farmer’s Market

Department Store

Shoe Book Repair Store

Bank Parking

*CAFE

1st Street SE

Safeway Housing

Parking

SPECIALTY

A Street SE

1st Street SW

Parking

Book Store

Parking 1/2 Street SE

Parking Auburn Sounder Sta.

Pilates

Auburn Way South

1st Street SW

Auburn Association

B Street NE

Art Gallery Student Center

Parking

THAI

*BISTRO

Parking

Restaurant

1/2 Street SW

1/2 Street SW Parking

*BREWERY

DELI

*CAFE

PUB

*RESTAURANT

GRCC Incubator

Adult Learning

*CREPERIE

Children’s Hotel Dance Theatre

1/2 Street NE

Main Street

Main Street Hardware Store

Parking

SUSHI

Branch Library

B Street NE

1/2 Street NE

rn A ven u

Insurance

Aub u

Law Firm

City Hall

e

N Division Street

Main Street

A Street NW

B Street NW

Parking

Auburn Way North

Driving School

Dept. Public Health Auto Repair

18

1st Street NE

1st Street NW

*JUICE BAR

Gas Recreation Center

SAFEWAY GROCERY

2nd Street SE

2nd Street SE BAR + GRILL

Student Housing

CPA

Student Housing

Parking

Bank

Row Houses HERFEY’S BURGER

2.5 Street SW

Gas

2.5 Street SE

2.5 Street SE

Student Housing

2.5 Street SW

Parking

Auto Repair

Automotive Retail 3rd Street SW

3rd Street SE

Parking Apartments

Tower Housing

Cros

s St

MEXICAN

4th

Vegetation

Stre

Hardscape/Parking

et S

W

Hardscape Paving Permeable Paving

Highway 18

Parks GRCC Campus

Highw

ay 18

100ft

Grocery

New Construction Existing Facilities

// auburn downtown urban center master plan

SE

Medical

Cafe

Auburn Way South

Parking

A Street SE

W

Greenway

Gregory M Nakata

reet

Parking Division Street S

eet S C Str

A Street SW

Assisted Living

2nd Street NE

C Street NW

2nd Street NW

1st Street NE

TAVERN

CAFE

RESTAURANT

B Street NE 1st Street SE

Art Gallery

2nd Street SW

SPECIALTY

A Street SE

A STREET ALLEY Center for the Environment

*BURRITOS

*ITALIAN

GRCC Industrial Incubator

*CAFE

Auburn Way South

*BISTRO

1st Street SE

Division Street S

BOARDWALK

A Street SW

B Street SW

BISTRO

1st Street SW

C Street SW

1/2 Street SE

Art Gallery Student Center

CAFE

GRCC Training Center

THAI

1/2 Street SW

1/2 Street SW

1st Street SW

*BREWERY

*CAFE

DELI

*RESTAURANT

GRCC Incubator *CREPERIE

Adult Learning

B Street NE

Main Street

Main Street

PUB

1/2 Street NE

SUSHI

Branch Library

Aub u

rn A ven

ue

N Division Street

A Street NW

B Street NW

Main Street

1/2 Street NE

Auburn Way North

1st Street NE

1st Street NW

*JUICE BAR

Recreation Center

SAFEWAY GROCERY

BAR + GRILL

Student Housing

Student Housing

HERFEY’S BURGER

2.5 Street SW

2.5 Street SE

2.5 Street SE

Student Housing

2.5 Street SW

3rd Street SW

3rd Street SE

t SE

t SW

Highway 18

Highwa y 18

Auburn Way South

Stree

100ft

MEXICAN

A Street SE

SW

4th

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Downtown Auburn is a transportation hub with connections to commuter transit to Seattle. This in tandem with the professional development facilities curated by the GRCC the downtown community can become the residential hub for a growing professional community in Auburn.

To accommodate this growth the master plan designates areas of residential development - some of which integrate with existing structures or scales whilst other begin to define boundaries and rise to meet existing context to the north and south while maintaining the 25’ to 50’ historic parcels to aid in phasing and retaining the historic scale of plot aggregation of the city’s 250’ x 250’ street grid (avoiding the creation of new mega blocks and in some cases bisecting existing mega blocks for additional circulation). The scale of buildings and their blocks was vital in maintain the tartan pattern of overlapping vehicular streets and the cities reimagined alley system.

Places to sweat Places to flirt Places to hydrate Places to make love Places to meditate Places to get tipsy Places to learn Places to laugh Places to go broke Places to feel better Places to do nothing

Stree

// green river community college campus map Division Street S

reet

C St

// auburn downtown urban center building heights: 1-3 (light), 4-6 (medium), 6+ (dark)

A Street SW

Cross

The Redevelopment Master Plan is a complex layering social spaces designed to privilege heterogeneous human interaction. A diagram below shows that two types of urban space (alley and street) can relate programmatically while operating on a converse level where the street landscape is vehicular access dominate whilst the alleys become hybrid spaces designed for the pedestrian and the collision of services and impromptu spaces.

The anarchic space use diagram assigns uses based on social interaction rather than conventional land use functions. The mercurial flow of interactions interface directly with the youth of the GRCC Campus and the progressiveness of its relationship with the cities greenspace and economy.

2nd Street SE

2nd Street SE

LAYERED URBANISM

// anarchic space use diagram: alleys

// anarchic space use diagram: streets

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// downtown wetland park recovers the natural ecological landscape to the auburn valley and serves as a city park and a campus green.

Gregory M Nakata

Terraced Seating

Terraced Steps Boardwalk

Modular Room Unit

Egress Cores

Desiduous Trees

Loose Surface Path Boardwalk-side walk

Existing Former Hotel

Central Courtyard Modular Housing Units

Adjusted Structure New Entrance/Egress Cores

Pedestrian Bollards Water Retention

5 Floors of Function

Existing Safeway Grocery

Downtown Hotel

Twist for shading

Simple Massing

Branch Library Regrade Bioswale

Auburn Wetland Park

WETLAND PARK

Auburn Wetland Park is an open space, a city park, a modern campus green, and a stormwater filter that puts rainwater detention at the center of this new community, managing stormwater runoff locally; inspired by Tanner Springs Park in Portland Oregon. The Wetland Park serves to treat urban runoff and reduce storm drain dependency to aid in the wetland restoration of the InterUrban Trail and Auburn Environmental Park (to the west).

At the center of the plan is the Auburn Wetland Park which serves as the center of the neighborhood. The Wetland Park

Safeway Grocery Housing

is a non-tital system akin to that of the Auburn Environmental Wetland. As the first natural point where storm water is managed in the downtown the wetland also serves as city park for the neighborhood. While this park functions differently than recreational based parks the tranquil nature of the park offers neighbors the opportunity to rest in the middle of their city.

The Wetland Park also serves as a campus green for the Green River Community College Downtown Auburn Satellite Campus Extension as a place to congregate and relax or use as a living laboratory defining the ecosystems recovered within its boundaries.

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// downtown auburn’s topography slopes gradually towards the northwest 83

100ft

// auburn’s topographic landscape illustrates a dynamic convergence of systems offering hybrid systems of ecology and inhabitation in the valley Gregory M Nakata

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HERBACEOUS VEGETATION

TYPICAL PERMEABLE PAVER DETAIL

STORMWATER CISTERN SYSTEM

PERMEABLE PAVER

MENT

S

BEDDING COURSE 3/8” AGGREGATE

GREENROOF DRAINAGE DETAIL

ROOF STRUCTURE

AUBURN WATER MANAGEMENT CLOSED LOOP STRATEGIES RAINWATER GROWTH SUBSTRATE GEOTEXTILE DRAINAGE LAYER WATERPROOF MEMBRANE/ ROOT BARRIER

EDGE RESTRAINT

ROOF DRAINS

OPEN GRADED BASE CLEAR CRUSHED 1”

MULCH HARDY, DROUGHT- TOLERANT HERBACEOUS VEGETATION

STORMWATER CISTERN SYSTEM

SOIL SUBGRADE NON-WOVEN GEOTEXTILE

// typical permeable paver detail

TYPICAL POROUS ASPHALT WITH SUBSURFACE INFILTRATION PRESSURE RIVERROCK RECHARGE BED VALVE

TYPICAL PERMEABLE MANAGEMENT PAVER DETAIL RAINWATER/RUNOFF BIOTOPE PERMEABLE PAVER

POROUS ASPHALT PAVEMENT

BEDDING COURSE 3/8” AGGREGATE

PUMP UNIFORMLY GRADED STONE AGGREGATE WITH 40% VOID SPACE FOR STORMWATER STORAGE AND RECHARGE

UNCOMPACTED SUBGRADE

RUNOFF

OPEN GRADED BASE CLEAR CRUSHED 1” SOIL SUBGRADE NON-WOVEN GEOTEXTILE

POND GEOTEXTILE

// typical porous asphalt with subsurface infiltration

// closed loop rainwater management biotope

CLOSED LOOP RAINWATER MANAGEMENT ROOF DRAINS BIOTOPE

PUMP

BIOTOPE CISTERN

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STORMWATER CISTERN SYSTEM

RAINWATER/RUNOFF

PUMP T INTERU CREEK

RUNOFF

PUMP TO INTERURBAN CREEK

EDGE RESTRAINT

GROWTH SUBSTRATE GEOTEXTILE DRAINAGE LAYER WATERPROOF MEMBRANE/ ROOT BARRIER

// greenroof drainage detail

PRESSURE VALVE (3) 1,000 GALLON CISTERNS

G D D

ROOF STRUCTURE

BIOTOPE

POND

UV EXPOSURE

CISTERN

PRESSURE VALVE (3) 1,000 GALLON CISTERNS

CL RA MA BI

UV EXPOSURE

PUMP

// stormwater cistern system

An important aspect to any new development should be way in which it responds to its inevitable impact on natural systems. In the spirit of The Clean Water Act, regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Ecology, the requirement of any development impacting more than 1/2 acre of wetland must mitigate the impact.

Here in Auburn, the city requires that for every acre of wetland impacted at least 2 acres must be enhanced or created and thus prompting the formation of a synthetical response to this regulation by incorporating a wetland system into the center of a new development as a performative aspect supplementing other passive systems across the entire site outlined above. The importance of water management is vital to Auburn’s ongoing work to repair areas directly affected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (within the Water Resource Inventory Area 9 of King County) which includes the Auburn Environmental Park.

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// wetland park board walk perimeter walkway

// downtown wetland park recovers the natural ecological landscape to the auburn valley

Gregory M Nakata

// the branch library activates the corner of auburn avenue and main street with new materiality

// downtown branch library serves grcc students and is part of the auburn library network

A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD

The Wetland Park serves as the center of the neighborhood integrating the bucolic with modern materials creating a hybrid space of natural and performative ecology.

A new addition to the King County Library System in Auburn is a downtown branch library. The library is located at the principal intersection of Main Street and Auburn Avenue. Its sculptural form synthesizes the retro details in the existing signage. The library also introduces a new materiality to the urban fabric.

The Downtown Hotel which once served train passengers will reinvent itself as a boutique hotel to serve hospital visitors, visitors to the campus, and tourists. The addition of 3 more levels of rooms juxtaposed with its historic base suggests a hybrid relationship between the historic and designed use of the building with its new character and readaptation of it’s original program.

// the downtown boutique hotel add community functions in the original hotel with rooms on the top

// the downtown hotel is returned to its intended function - a hotel

Mixed use housing types aggregated throughout the site creates a more heterogeneous collection of groups - making the downtown more diverse than anywhere else in Auburn.

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‘Historic Urban Landscape’ The Redevelopment Plan for Downtown Auburn Washington

The Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of the City University of New York Master of Architecture I: Thesis // Bradley Horn, Director // Michael Sorkin, Advisor

Resources: http://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/638 http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=48857&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html http://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/706 http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/education/pdfs/WorldBackyard1.pdf http://www.auburnwa.gov/ http://www.auburnwa.gov/about/history.htm http://www.auburnwa.gov/doing_business/economic_development/urban_center.htm http://www.auburnwa.gov/Assets/Administration/AuburnWA/Docs/2012_citizen_survey.pdf http://www.auburnwa.gov/Assets/PCD/AuburnWA/Images/aep_history.pdf http://www.auburnwa.gov/about/scorecard.htm# http://www.auburnwa.gov/doing_business/planning_development.htm http://www.auburnwa.gov/doing_business/planning_development/environmental_park_district.htm http://www.auburnwa.gov/about/facts.htm http://www.auburnwa.gov/Assets/Parks/AuburnWA/Docs/Facility+Rentals/facility_rental_guide.pdf http://maps.auburnwa.gov/public/ http://www.wetrc.org/ http://www.greenriver.edu/ http://www.greenriver.edu/businesscenter/Default.htm http://www.greenriver.edu/businesscenter/documents/AuburnBragSheet2007.pdf http://www.soundtransit.org/Documents/pdf/rider_news/ridership/2012Q4_QuarterlyServiceDeliveryPerformanceReport.pdf http://www.city-data.com/city/Auburn-Washington.html http://web.archive.org/web/20071014123659/http://wwaw.greenriver.edu/ResearchPlanning/Quickfacts.htm http://www.auburn-reporter.com/news/27105499.html http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2004197836_cavanaughs24s.html http://seattletimes.com/html/southeastkingcountynews/2004200345_auburn24s.html http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=1273&action=ViewPark http://www.djc.com/news/re/11203007.html

GREGORY NAKATA