University District Rezoned, At Last

Following years of squabbles, the University District in Seattle has been rezoned, the first to be so under Mayor Ed Murray’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) legislation. HALA permits developers to build larger structures, as long as they build, or fund, affordable housing. The law means that tall buildings will go north in the submarket containing University of Washington, the city’s largest employer.

The new rules will take effect April 1, 2017. After that time, developers will be able to build residential towers up to 320 feet, and office buildings up to 160 feet around the light rail station scheduled to open in 2021. Current heights are 65 feet to 85 feet.

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