Today's U District walk started along 11th Avenue near NE 52nd Street. 11th avenue feels almost like a canyon with many new tall buildings being the sides.

However, there are a few holdout older homes still standing.


After passing Fire Station No. 17 and this interesting sculpture, ...
... I walked south to Campus Parkway where I turned and walked to the Ave and Gould Hall, home of the UW College of Built Environments. I have never been impressed by the outside of Gould Hall but I was impressed with the work that is going on inside this building. Informational posters along the walls of most levels contained results of studies conducted by the department. These ranged from investigating pollinator hubs and wetland and pond expansion to reimagining a Fremont Pedestrian Core to determining the best locations for affordable housing, behavioral health clinics, data centers, gyms, luxury housing, mixed use apartments or pharmacies.

Continuing south, I walked through a parking garage, passing a playground before coming to Boat Street. Here I noted quite a few boats moored, a line at Saint Bread cafe, the old Jensen Marina building, Boat Street Marina and Kayak Rental, ...

... the Quetzalcoatl mural at Aqua Verde Restaurant,  Sakuma Viewpoint, ...

... the new Fritz Hedges Waterway Park, RecycleCycles (very helpful staff), Sea-Fab Cafe, ...

... the not very impressive "Shore View" under the University Bridge, and the Fisheries Sciences building.

Heading north, I admired the windows at the College of the Environment Marine and Environmental Affairs building and spotted the Washington Sea Grant Program offices.

I passed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Institute of Religion, the new UW Police building, the Ethnic Cultural Center (also in a new building), ...

... and lots of UW housing including Mercer Court (pictured here). I noted that there are plazas between some of the newer UW housing buildings.

Heading north and over to Roosevelt, I noted Portage Bay Cafe was busy, Hardwick's Swap Shop is gone, there is a tiny house village at 45th, car dealerships take up lots of space, there is a new food bank, this "W CoMotion" (Your Innovation Partner) building is very close to Trader Joe's, the Seven Gables is gone but ...

... Scarecrow Video and the University Child Development Center are still there.

Along the 5.5 mile walk, I also observed that the University Methodist Temple has been demolished and there are lots of bike lanes in the U District (it's probably safer to bike than to walk). Take-away restaurants and picnic tables line 43rd Avenue near the new light rail station. I wonder how much housing has been built in the U District and how much of it belongs to the UW.


 

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