Quick: Where is downtown Lynnwood?
Somewhere along 196th Street SW? Around the Civic Center complex north of Fred Meyer? At the Alderwood Mall?
Lynnwood doesn’t really have a defined downtown, and that’s the point. The city has its commercial strengths, particularly the mall and nearby office buildings. But the area surrounding 196th between I-5 and Highway 99, what many people think of as downtown Lynnwood, is a mostly non-descript chain of strip malls and parking lots — nothing that inspires much civic pride.
That may be about to change, dramatically. The City Center Project, which first sprouted as an idea in 1995 and was set in motion in the summer of 2001, is a creative and visionary plan that takes advantage of Lynnwood’s desirable location near the intersection of I-5 and I-405 by drawing high-paying jobs to the city while creating a well-defined and people-friendly downtown.
The City Center would take 20 to 30 years to develop and encompass 345 acres west of I-5. A central core would include high-rise buildings with offices and living space, hotels, the new convention center and ground-floor retail shops. The northern area would feature smaller office buildings and some retail use, and the western area would combine relatively dense multi-story housing, along with lots of retail and service activity.
The plan includes a link to and expansion of the existing Interurban Trail, and other walkways and public spaces to make the City Center pedestrian-friendly. Transit service would be conveniently located throughout, and a new street grid system within the core area would improve traffic flow.
The edges of the development would allow for a transition to established residential areas, making the City Center a good neighbor.
The state’s Growth Management Act requires cities like Lynnwood to plan for higher population densities. This plan does so intelligently, creating an attractive, livable downtown that will allow people to live and work in the same area while drawing businesses that will enhance the city’s tax base.
The city council can ensure a bright future for Lynnwood by giving this project the green light.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
