The 25-acre site will be vacant after the National Guard relocates, and a new report says a public development authority should manage the property.

Ray Dubicki writes about the future of the Interbay Armory in Seattle and the possibilities to transform the military facility site. A new report from the Washington Department of Commerce proposes good ideas, he says, but it does not go far enough.
"It sees the potential at this crux of infrastructure, development, and a booming population. It recognizes what could be there. Then it stops short of making bold proposals," says Dubicki.
He points out that the report does not adequately consider all the stakeholders involved and coordination around various infrastructure projects. He is also critical of how public comments were incorporated into the analysis and the report’s focus on current conditions instead of future challenges.
Dubicki discusses what he thinks are a slew of better ideas being developed for the Interbay Armory site. He does, however, support the report’s proposal to establish a public development authority. "It gets us closer to having a functional relationship between the city and the land it owns. It gets us closer to recognizing the City can be an investor in its own future," he says.
FULL STORY: Armory Development Authority Could Unlock Visionary Interbay Plans

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)