Piloting Neighborhood Conservation Districts in Seattle: A Case Study in Wallingford

Abstract

This thesis considers Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCDs) as a viable tool to address the lack of framework to preserve the character of Seattle neighborhoods. NCDs are widely used across the United States as a method of managing bulk, scale, and form in historic neighborhoods. A review of Neighborhood Conservation Districts as a preservation tool and the various types and implementations of these districts across the United States directed a proposal for a new conservation district in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle. Wallingford is well known for its concentration of craftsman bungalows and early twentieth-century vernacular houses. Demolitions have been rising over the last decade in Wallingford and following an upzone, certain areas of the neighborhood are facing rapid redevelopment. This proposal seeks to create a moderate approach to preservation in Wallingford that would preserve historic character while allowing for growth and increased density in the neighborhood. The proposal discusses the replicability of the process throughout Seattle and the adaptability and potential benefits of a NCD to different neighborhoods and contexts.