Urbanizing Magnolia
Magnolia is one of Seattle’s wealthiest, loudest and most exclusive neighborhoods in the city. With spectacular views of downtown and western waterfront, it’s no coincidence that this isolated neighborhood became the enclave of housing wealth in our city. When Magnolia makes the news it’s usually because a resident is suing the city for trying to build affordable housing, or they’re spying on people of color they do not trust, or their least utilized bridge is crumbling and residents want a new one for free. Yes, these are often the only times we think of Magnolia and hear from the citizens. But Magnolia can be so much more.
First, Magnolia is not densely populated. In fact, it features the lowest density of any area in our city. With only 22,000 residents on 4 square miles, this area holds the city’s overall density down like an anchor. This is 37% below Seattle’s people per square mile average. But this only tells part of the story. Nearly 90% of Magnolia’s land is zoned single family. This means the density it does have (which isn’t much) resides entirely in these small enclaves dedicated to the eastern side of the hill (with the least ideal of views, near the industrial terminal area), or on a small pocket here or there near a busy and unsafe arterial. This is because Magnolia does not have an urban village. Despite the city dedicating almost 20% of it’s land to 30 urban villages in the 1990s, Magnolia didn’t receive a single one. But we can change that, right?
Secondly, the most common thread we hear about Magnolia is the failing infrastructure of the aging Magnolia Bridge. The necessity for an island of 22,000 people with no goals or opportunities for housing growth receiving a 100% subsidized replacement bridge at a price tag of $400 million dollars seems rather dumb politically. But recent stirs from Washington State legislators and our own Seattle Department of Transportation would make you believe it’s possible. The Magnolia Bridge carries the lowest traffic volume of Magnolia’s three bridges. And at 1 mile long and a price tag of $400 million dollars, this project blows the budget of SDOT’s alleged bike lane costs per mile by about 3,000%.
The city should use a replacement bridge as a bargaining chip for urban housing growth and transit opportunities. If a 300 acre urban village were dedicated to the center of the neighborhood, with access to parks & schools, we could see a dense urban revitalization Magnolia has never experienced. With housing opportunities for 40,000+, this would more than double Magnolia’s population which would enhance local business opportunities and offer real ridership for transit. Right now, Magnolia is serviced by the #24 and #33 buses which carry low ridership figures and traverse through zig zaggy long routes. Both use the Magnolia Bridge. An urban village slotted right in the center of the neighborhood brings an opportunity to redesign these routes, streamline their connection through the densest parts, and speed up the process of getting in and out of town. An urban village would allow the creation of the RapidRide M Line that would capture ridership figures similar to the D Line through Ballard. The #24 would be streamlined for a more efficient route, and the #33 could be re-balanced to capture the new Fort Lawton housing project and some of Magnolia’s single family areas. Transit offers citizens the opportunity to see the full cross section of their city & neighborhood and what better way than having the affordable housing residents of the north riding with the wealthy home owners of the top of the hill? The only way to break barriers is to mix our communities. Well serviced transit would entice drivers to take an alternate mode, and allow communities to be introduced to one another.
Magnolia is the last enclave of Seattle unobtainable through a 10 minute walk shed to frequent transit. It’s the last sector of the city without an urban village. The proximity to downtown, the potential to share equity with great schools and the city’s largest and most utilized park are opportunities the city can and must capitalize on. You want a replacement bridge? Fine. Un-tap your neighborhood for growth. Allow frequent transit to flourish. Share your neighborhood. Then you can have your bridge.
