Former Vancouver city councillor (and Sightline board member) Gordon Price welcomed Seattle to the tall, skinny club with an op-ed in the P-Iabout what Vancouver’s learned in its pursuit of a compact and livable downtown. (See news about Seattle’s zoning changes here.)
– High-rises, for example, should be not just tall but thin, since thin towers offer more privacy and light to residents. And stagger building heights for variety and preservation of views.
– Pedestrian-friendly ground floors—ie, storefronts instead of parking garages—are key. As foot traffic increases, vehicle congestion may even drop (!).
– Increased housing supply may help free up affordable rentals for low-income residents.
– If high-rise living is done right, people of all ages will choose it. That’s one reason Vancouver recently opened its first new downtown elementary school in decades.
