Volume 11 — November 06, 2014
COMMUNITY CASE STUDY
Using the Community Readiness Model to Examine the Built and Social Environment: A Case Study of the High Point Neighborhood, Seattle, Washington, 2000–2010
The High Point community redevelopment project received the following national awards: Washington Society of Landscape Architects: 2003 Landscape Planning Award; Seattle Design Commission: 2003 Master Plan Design Award; Pacific Coast Builders: 2003 Gold Nugget Award; Seattle Built Green Design Competition: 2005 Communities Award; AIA: 2006 Show You’re Green Award; Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters: 2006 Apprenticeship Opportunity Award; BuiltGreen: 2006 Certificate of Merit; Energy Star: 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award; International Society of Arboriculturists: 2006 Green Leaf Award; 2007 WA Excellence in Concrete Construction: Sustainable Merit Award; NAHB National Green Building Award: 2007 Multifamily Project of the Year; AIA/HUD Secretary’s Award: 2006 Community Informed Design Award; AIA: 2007 Housing Committee Award (Multifamily); 2007 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence: Silver Medalist; 2007 Built Green Hammer Award (highest scoring community to date); Puget Sound Regional Council: 2007 Vision 2020 Award; PCBC: 2007 Gold Nugget Award: Master-planned community of the year; PCBC: 2007 Gold Nugget Award: Best Infill, Redevelopment, or Rehab site plan; 2007 Governor’s Smart Communities – Jury’s Merit Award; EPA 2007 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement; Urban Land Institute: 2007 Award of Excellence — Americas; Urban Land Institute: 2007 Global Award of Excellence — World.
Figure 1. Illustration of the awards received by the High Point community. Abbreviations: AIA, American Institute of Architects; NAHB, National Association of Home Builders; HUD, US Department of Housing and Urban Development; PCBC, Pacific Coast Builders Conference; EPA, US Environmental Protection Agency.
Figure 2 consists of a photograph of a typical street in the High Point development that illustrates the community’s improved environment for walking. The photograph shows houses with front “sitting” porches located close to the street, wide planting strips to separate sidewalks from streets, narrow streets, and short blocks.
Figure 2. High Point’s narrow streets, short blocks, and wide planting strips promote walking. Front yards, porches located close to sidewalks, and the overall design of the community encourage social interaction.
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