Little Saigon is a thriving business district that has emerged around the intersection of 12th Avenue S. and S. Jackson Street over the past 20 years. It is an area undergoing change where commercial activity and residential density will likely increase in the future. As part of the Livable South Downtown planning project, Atelier Dreiseitl, a landscape architecture firm from Germany, has assisted in the development of an urban design vision to help the community guide the physical landscape of Little Saigon.

The proposed urban design vision is an integrated concept for public spaces that includes open space, pedestrian connections, street improvements, stormwater recycling and green infrastructure that could be implemented over the long term. The vision also strives to enhance the visual character of Little Saigon consistent with the cultural values of the community. The urban design vision, with a prominent sustainable infrastructure element, complements DPD’s proposed zoning amendments for Little Saigon and suggests ways to maximize private development potential while providing public benefits for the neighborhood.

Atelier Dreiseitl has based its conceptual design work on facilitated discussion that occurred at a community workshop in Little Saigon in October, 2007. On June 11, 2008 DPD and the Washington Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsoring a community meeting where Dieter Grau from Atelier Dreiseitl will report back to the Little Saigon community on the proposed urban design vision. The presentation will be followed by discussion of the vision.

We hope to see you there!

For more information, please visit: www.seattle.gov/DPD/Planning/South_Downtown/UrbanDesign.

For questions or concerns about the Little Saigon urban design project, please contact:
Robert Scully, project coordinator
(206) 233-3854, robert.scully@seattle.gov