The Progression of Planning through Time
The area that is now Seattle has been inhabited by native americans since the last ice age. White settlers arrived in 1851 with the intent to found a new city in the northwest. The first land claims were chosen at two locations: Alki Point and Elliott Bay. Several figures contributed to the growth of the city, each with their own visions, so there was a lack of cohesive planning early on. Seattle was first incorporated on January 14th, 1865, and again on December 2nd, 1869. Land transportation was just beginning to develop by the end of this period, starting with railways and streetcars. The last major event of this period was the Great Fire of 1889, which razed all of downtown Seattle. Rather than set the growth of the city back, rebuilding began immediately and greatly fueled the economy of the city. By 1890, the population of Seattle reached 43,000.
Seattle from 1890 to 1940 was a time of booms and busts. The very first bust came during the first half of the 1890’s. The economy had entered a depression, and the growth of Seattle stagnated. Houses built along the rail lines were not selling; forcing investors to lose the houses they believed would flourish. Rail Line companies were going bankrupt and the economy did not recover until the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. Seattle flourished with new businesses, population growth, and money circulating in the economy again. With this growth also came people like John Olmstead and his company, the Olmstead Brothers, during the City Beautiful Movement. The Olmstead Brothers designed over 37 parks for Seattle making the city more enjoyable and attractive for its citizens. Following tremendous growth came World War I, which aided Seattle’s growth even more. Although not much developing happened during the war, Seattle’s population grew rapidly due to Seattle’s vital role for shipbuilding and lumber creating a surplus of jobs. With all of this tremendous Growth came the first Zoning ordinance in 1923, which laid out a plan for how Seattle will grow in the future. Following all this amazing Growth was another bust, the Great Depression. When the depression hit many were forced to live in the streets, which sparks the beginning of the “Hooverville’s” in Seattle for the remainder of the decade.
The 1940’s to the 1970’s in Seattle were a time of balance between planning commissions bolstering plans to rejuvenate the economic dominance of the urban area and groups of citizens pushing for open, aesthetic spaces and preservation of historical sites in this area. With the ebb and flow of success of one of Seattle’s most famous aerospace corporations, Boeing, through war and peace times, jobs came and went. However, the population continually grew and suburban areas exploded and moved further and further from the urban core. This process of decentralization led to an urban decline that had to be remedied. Freeway plans and improvements to the central business district were created within the 1956 Seattle Comprehensive Plan. The growing issue of pollution in Seattle’s lakes was remedied by James Ellis’ brainchild METRO and the federal Model Cities Program improved areas of deterioration. This period of time witnessed a growth of parks and recreation through the Public Works Program and the Forward Thrust Movement. Finally, anti-Japanese American sentiments in the wake of the Second World War bore a notable impact within the market and housing sector.
Seattle from 1890 to 1940 was a time of booms and busts. The very first bust came during the first half of the 1890’s. The economy had entered a depression, and the growth of Seattle stagnated. Houses built along the rail lines were not selling; forcing investors to lose the houses they believed would flourish. Rail Line companies were going bankrupt and the economy did not recover until the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. Seattle flourished with new businesses, population growth, and money circulating in the economy again. With this growth also came people like John Olmstead and his company, the Olmstead Brothers, during the City Beautiful Movement. The Olmstead Brothers designed over 37 parks for Seattle making the city more enjoyable and attractive for its citizens. Following tremendous growth came World War I, which aided Seattle’s growth even more. Although not much developing happened during the war, Seattle’s population grew rapidly due to Seattle’s vital role for shipbuilding and lumber creating a surplus of jobs. With all of this tremendous Growth came the first Zoning ordinance in 1923, which laid out a plan for how Seattle will grow in the future. Following all this amazing Growth was another bust, the Great Depression. When the depression hit many were forced to live in the streets, which sparks the beginning of the “Hooverville’s” in Seattle for the remainder of the decade.
The 1940’s to the 1970’s in Seattle were a time of balance between planning commissions bolstering plans to rejuvenate the economic dominance of the urban area and groups of citizens pushing for open, aesthetic spaces and preservation of historical sites in this area. With the ebb and flow of success of one of Seattle’s most famous aerospace corporations, Boeing, through war and peace times, jobs came and went. However, the population continually grew and suburban areas exploded and moved further and further from the urban core. This process of decentralization led to an urban decline that had to be remedied. Freeway plans and improvements to the central business district were created within the 1956 Seattle Comprehensive Plan. The growing issue of pollution in Seattle’s lakes was remedied by James Ellis’ brainchild METRO and the federal Model Cities Program improved areas of deterioration. This period of time witnessed a growth of parks and recreation through the Public Works Program and the Forward Thrust Movement. Finally, anti-Japanese American sentiments in the wake of the Second World War bore a notable impact within the market and housing sector.
Planning in Seattle before the 1970s focused on auto-centered
infrastructure, single family housing and redevelopments projects. Poor planning
policies and environmental concerns led to community activism and legislative
changes taking place. These legislative changes would be the focus of all future
planning and Seattle would begin to take a stewardship approach to planning. The
1980s brought back economic stability, but at a price. Poor urban planning led
to out of scale developments and sprawl. The 1990s would find a balance between
economic creation and sustainability, while rethinking the out of place
infrastructure of the 1980s. Moving into the new millennium, Seattle would
become a model city for environmental ingenuity.
infrastructure, single family housing and redevelopments projects. Poor planning
policies and environmental concerns led to community activism and legislative
changes taking place. These legislative changes would be the focus of all future
planning and Seattle would begin to take a stewardship approach to planning. The
1980s brought back economic stability, but at a price. Poor urban planning led
to out of scale developments and sprawl. The 1990s would find a balance between
economic creation and sustainability, while rethinking the out of place
infrastructure of the 1980s. Moving into the new millennium, Seattle would
become a model city for environmental ingenuity.
In the present millennium it can be seen that planning in Seattle has come to embody a very wholesome and well-rounded approach towards prospective future developments of the city. In the past, the primary focus of planning developments gave preference to auto-centered infrastructure that, while economically beneficial, came at the cost of facilitating urban sprawl. But, as this pattern has become widely acknowledged as wasteful and destructive of both urban and rural areas, Seattle’s current planning efforts are being significantly directed towards the course of sustainability. In fact, it is this guiding principle that is inter-laced throughout the city’s most recent 2004 Comprehensive Plan which, in itself, guides the current plans and projects towards the goal of achieving a balance between economic, social, and environmental needs. As Seattle is predicted to incur a significant increase in population and jobs during the next few decades, accomplishing this endeavor will be of vital importance.
Specifically, the Plan stipulates that the core values of community, environmental stewardship, economic opportunity and social equity are the pillars that support the standard of sustainability and that they, too, serve to influence current policies and initiatives detailed in the different elements. Primarily, emphasis is placed on the Urban Village Strategy as it takes into account not just the connections and characteristics of neighborhoods, but also their relationship to natural and open spaces and how they can be equally accessed by the public. With this, there is a definite aim for future planning in Seattle to progress towards building a vibrant, interconnected, and stronger city that can be sustained for years to come.
Specifically, the Plan stipulates that the core values of community, environmental stewardship, economic opportunity and social equity are the pillars that support the standard of sustainability and that they, too, serve to influence current policies and initiatives detailed in the different elements. Primarily, emphasis is placed on the Urban Village Strategy as it takes into account not just the connections and characteristics of neighborhoods, but also their relationship to natural and open spaces and how they can be equally accessed by the public. With this, there is a definite aim for future planning in Seattle to progress towards building a vibrant, interconnected, and stronger city that can be sustained for years to come.