San Diego Center City Urban Sustainability Program
Client: City of San Diego
In early 2008, The San Diego Center City Development Corporation (CCDC) sought to develop a comprehensive program for promoting sustainable urban center development and guide public investment in green infrastructure. The sustainability program was designed to identify and optimize the opportunities for economic revitalization and recognized the valuable role sustainability can play in preparing for growth and prosperity. Steinbrueck Urban Strategies co-led the preliminary visioning process for the program, along with an inter-disciplined consultant team comprised of national and local experts in sustainable public policy, planning, urban design, green building, transportation, land use, building codes and development regulations.
Seattle Sustainable Neighborhoods Assessment Project (SSNAP) Client: City of Seattle
The Seattle Sustainable Neighborhoods Assessment Project (SSNAP) is a data driven study conducted in the summer of 2014 by Steinbrueck Urban Strategies to evaluate the results of Seattle’s 1994 – 2014 Comprehensive Plan: Toward a Sustainable Seattle. Ten representative urban villages experiencing growth and change were assessed through the lens of 22 sustainability indicators. The SSNAP study’s report findings and conclusions are intended to inform the city’s next 20 year comprehensive plan, Seattle 2035.
SELECTED PROJECTS
MarketFront
Client: Pike Place Market Public Development Authority
Seattle's Pike Place Market is the city "genius loci" and treasured heirloom. Completion of the MarketFront project fulfilled the 40-year vision of the 1971 Urban Renewal Plan for reuniting a centrally located yet underutilized three-quarter acre site with the central waterfront. The Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA) hired Steinbrueck Urban Strategies to assist the PDA Council in the formulation of a shared vision for the historic market and its future connections to the central waterfront. Steinbrueck provided pre-design and site analysis, development potential, strategic planning, building program components, preservation guidelines and design review support, and community facilitation. The MarketFront project was designed by Miller Hull Architects and completed a crucial component of the city's emerging waterfront plan and linkages to future pedestrian friendly waterfront promenade below the market. Steinbrueck's early groundwork, through design development was critical to the successful completion of the highly complex urban infill project.
“Steinbrueck Urban Strategies was a critical partner in launching our design effort for the Pike Place Market Waterfront Entrance. Peter’s in-depth knowledge of community process, attention to design detail and understanding of complex project dynamics helped clearly identify issues and challenges and establish a broad consensus early in the project. Peter also brought a wealth of public policy expertise and studied urban design acumen that accelerated our project trajectory.” Ben Franz-Knight, Executive Director, Pike Place Market Development Authority
“We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.” - Einstein
Report to the Port: Proposed SODO Arena
Client: Port of Seattle
In early 2012, the City of Seattle and King County considered entering into a Memorandum of Agreement with private investors for a new publically financed sports facility proposed for the South Downtown (SoDo) area of Greater Duwamish Manufacturing/Industrial Center. The Port was not a party to the complex financial agreement with the city and county, but had serious concerns about the potential impacts on its freight mobility and shipping operations in the industrial center. Steinbrueck Urban Strategies provided the Port of Seattle with critical analysis, research, and strategic advice to support and protect the Port’s seaport mission and container cargo shipping operations. Steinbrueck reported directly to the Port CEO, senior executive staff, and the Board of Port Commissioners on use, design and planning issues related to the proposed SODO arena, and facilitated communications and coordination with other M&I partners and stakeholders in the Duwamish Manufacturing/Industrial Center and the Port’s seaport operations. Steinbrueck’s analyses and final report on the proposed SODO Arena land use and planning issues were instrumental in communicating the Port’s strategic interests in the Duwamish MIC to decision-makers and the public.
Alaskan Way Viaduct Tunnel Replacement Project
Historic Architect
Client: WSDOT
Steinbrueck Urban Strategies provided Historic Architect services for the WSDOT AWV Tunnel Replacement Project in coordination with State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP). Steinbrueck was responsible for critical review and analysis of settlement management plans for 58 designated historic buildings through downtown in path of the 2 billion dollar deep bore tunnel construction project. Steinbrueck was charged with identifying potential construction-related risks, reviewing and developing emergency protocols for the protection of the historic buildings. The work resulted in important changes to protocols and mitigation plans for the historic structures.
Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC) Master Plan Update
Client: Virginia Mason
Steinbrueck was co-lead planner, designer, and strategic advisor to Virginia Mason in development of its First Hill Campus Vision and Major Institution Master Plan (MIMP) 20 year update. Steinbrueck assembled and coordinated an inter-disciplinary consultant team, facilitated visioning workshops, assisted in development of campus plan alternatives development, helped prepare EIS documents under SEPA, prepared an historic resources assessment, delivered Seattle historic landmark nominations, and assisted in City Council MIMP approval process.
Philadelphia Central Delaware Casino Review
Client: City of Philadelphia, PennPraxis,
Steinbrueck joined a team of national experts in transportation, traffic, ecology, urban design and sustainability to evaluate and make recommendations to the city in response to controversial plans proposed for two Las Vegas -style casino developments comprising 38.5 acres of land and 5.8 million square feet of development along the riverfront. Steinbrueck assisted in the preparation of the final report and recommendations to the city for the sustainable design strategies for redevelopment of the riverfront lands and casinos.
“Peter’s commitment to the public, his insights on urban development, planning, and sustainability, and his collaborative approach brings the right combination of skills and experience to be an effective liaison to our community.”
Suzanne Petersen Tanneberg , Vice President for External Affairs, Children’s Hospital
Seattle Children's Hospital Facilities Master Plan
Client: Seattle Chilrdren's Hospital
Steinbrueck was hired as strategic advisor and planner to Seattle Children’s Hospital in the development of its new 20 year Major Institution Master Plan (MIMP). The project was to develop and obtain city approval for a 20 year, four-phase campus facilities master plan to guide 1.4 million SF hospital expansion on a 21 acre urban campus.
Developing Children’s new master plan involved challenging community outreach, facilitation, and stakeholder review, environmental and site related issues, multiple agencies, Washington State’s Department of Health approval, research and extensive studies, SEPA and EIS preparation, and complex discretionary approval process under the city of Seattle’s Master Institution Master Plan Code. After extensive community review, the final master plan received strong support from the Citizen Advisory Committee, and was approved by the City of Seattle.
“I have had the opportunity to work with Peter on several projects over the years, most recently the Virginia Mason Medical Center Master Plan. After the project ran into trouble with public acceptance, Peter assembled and led a team of urban designers to engage the community in order to understand their concerns, respond with proposed actions and build support among the many stakeholders toward consensus. This resulted in an on-going process of break-through planning and problem solving and successful acceptance by the community of a revised master plan.”
Dennis Haskill, FAIA, Principal, SRG
Civic Vision for Central Delaware Riverfront
Client: City of Philadelphia, with PennPraxis
Steinbrueck joined an interdisciplinary planning and design consultant team to assist the University of Pennsylvania's PennPraxis in development a new Civic Vision for Central Delaware River in central Philadelphia. The team examined environmental, urban design issues, programming, transportation, and infrastructure in developing a sustainable community inspired vision for Philadelphia’s central riverfront. The Central Delaware Riverfront in Philadelphia comprises more than 1000 acres of land stretched over a miles, offering a prime opportunity to capitalize on its close proximity to Philadelphia’s center city and core historic neighborhoods along its shores to re-knit the city with one of its greatest public assets. Steinbrueck assisted in the preparation of the final report and recommendations to the city for the sustainable design strategies for redevelopment of the riverfront lands.
Photo Credit: PennPraxis, WRT
“Peter assisted our agency by ensuring that WSDOT had the right monitors and structural emergency measures in place to protect historic buildings during the SR99 replacement project. He was incredibly conscientious and diligent in his independent analysis and examination of WSDOT proposals and mitigation plans. Peter will tell you what you need to hear..not necessarily what you want to hear and that is the sign of a true professional at work.”
Allyson Brooks, Washington State Department of Archaelogy and Historic Preservation (DAHP)
University District Small Business Vulnerability Study
Client: U-District Small Business Alliance
This community survey and commercial displacement study was to better inform the city, small businesses and local community on issues affecting small businesses and social services in Seattle’s University District. To accomplish this, a series of meetings were convened and small independently owned businesses within the University District Urban Center to identify and assess small business owners’ perceptions of the city’s proposed upzoning of the Ave, concerns, and possible vulnerabilities related future development and changing economic conditions. Survey questions were developed through a community process, informed by local businesses and non-profits, with input from the city’s Office of Economic Development and City Council staff. The survey was conducted anonymously by community volunteers, with training and supervision by Steinbrueck Urban Strategies, consultant to the U-District Small Business Alliance. The study’s findings and recommendations improved community understanding of small business vulnerabilities, including economic factors and demographics, assisted in small business advocacy, and resulted in a reconsideration of how the city responds to sub-area planning and upzoning. The survey was conducted in-person over a two-week period, between August 1 – 10, 2017.
U-District Small Business Vulnerability Study, November 2017
"Can the Ave Survive?' Panel presentation October 2018
Photo Credit: Pike Place Market PDA, The Miller Hall Partnership
Olympia Enhanced Arts, Cultures and Heritage Profile
Client: City of Olympia
Renowned for its historic downtown, colorful arts, festivals, and lively cultures, Olympia aspires to enhance its established creative environment and couple it with the community’s vision for growth and a sustainable future. The foundation for enhancing Olympia’s creative environment is embedded in the city comprehensive plan; the Downtown Strategy (Steinbrueck with Makers, 2016); the Parks, Arts, and Recreation Plan. In 2017 the city consulted with the Athena Group and Steinbrueck Urban Strategies to lead a broad-based community engagement process working with city to reach increasingly mobile and diverse communities, identify gaps, economic impacts, opportunities and resources for building a broader reputation for arts, culture and heritage. Steinbrueck, working with Athena Group team provided analysis, researched best practices, and explored options for strengthening the City’s commitment to the creative urban environment. The recommendations were well-received by the Olympia City Council and implementation actions are underway.
Olympia ArCH Summary January 2018
Historic Preservation Incentives Study
Client: City of Seattle, Department of Neighborhoods
The financial benefits and incentives for preserving and rehabilitating landmark structures can be substantial, but commonly not well understood by the public, property owners and developers. Urban Strategies was tasked, working collaboratively with a preservation economist, to identify and evaluate all currently available preservation incentives available to Seattle property owners, including local, county, state, and federal incentives and their application and effectiveness in incentivizing owners of eligible properties to obtain landmark designation status under the city’s landmark preservation ordinance. Steinbrueck interviewed representative landmark property owners, developers and other preservation stakeholders, collected data and conducted field surveys to determine through a set of case studies representing different building typologies the effectiveness of existing preservation incentives, zoning tools, and perceived disincentives. The findings showed the direct economic value of landmark designation and some weaknesses of various incentive programs.
Preservation Incentives Study February 2015.
Steinbrueck Urban Strategies' approach is to work collaboratively with the project leadership team to understand the desired outcomes, identify barriers, conduct the necessary research, apply critical thinking, then develop a clear strategy for moving forward and getting results with the resources and time available.Historic Shelburne, Route 7 Community Visioning and Redesign Client: City of Shelburne, VT
Steinbrueck co-led a six member Sustainable Design Assistance Team (SDAT, a community service program with American Institute of Architects), that traveled to historic Shelburne, VT on a four day mission to study, conduct community visioning exercises, plan, and prepare recommendations for the Route 7 business corridor (a 2.4 mile stretch of roadway north of the historic Shelburne town center) that connects the Village of Shelburne with South Burlington. The team reviewed and analyzed existing planning documents and worked with the local planning and zoning staff on background data and information. The team’s findings and recommendations were presented at a final public meeting that drew more than 100 residents. The long-term revitalization plan and design recommendations were enthusiastically received by members of the community, city council members and town planners, and supported by the local press.
Lake Union Seaplane and Safety Zone
Client: Kenmore Air Harbor
Lake Union airport for seaplanes is increasingly challenged by the growing popularity of summertome recreational boating, and increasing demand for seaplane air transportation. Steinbrueck advised and assisted Kenmore Air Harbor in the establishment of a seaplane – marine vessel safety zone for the Lake Union marine airport, worked to resolve land use issues and obtain state agency and city of Seattle support and approvals.
Photo Credit: The Center for Wooden Boats
Olympia Downtown Strategy
Client: City of Olympia
Olympia is a city rich in heritage, and regional hub for economic activity and cultural life in South Puget Sound. Its ”good bones” include a spectacular natural setting, rich historic district, and lively downtown replete with eclectic shops, cafes, art, parks, and numerous cultural activities. Recent public and private investments totally nearly $200 million, coupled with anticipated growth of 5000 more residents over the next 20 years have set the stage for an urban renaissance. However, Downtown faces some important issues— development uncertainties related to sea level rise and site contamination, a continuing need for inclusive residential opportunities, a strong interest in maintaining and growing a vibrant business and retail environment, and the increasingly critical need to address homelessness and street dependency. The Olympia Downtown Strategy, drawn from its 20 year comprehensive plan, is the city’s effort to grow its urban core more sustainably.
Olympia Downtown Strategy January 2017