Central Waterfront Concept Plan
Since 2002, CityDesign has brought together dozens of community, business and environmental groups as well as governmental agencies to develop the plan. It led a visioning charrette with over 300 people to develop ideas -- and it now leads a 50-person Waterfront Partners Group to develop those ideas into a plan that will turn the waterfront into Seattle's next great place.

Visit the Central Waterfront Concept Plan website.

Blue Ring
Since 1999, CityDesign has been leading the development of the Blue Ring, Seattle’s open space strategy for the Center City. Conceived as a companion to Olmstead's green ring of parks and parkways that encircle Seattle outside of the Center City, the Blue Ring will connect the Center City's assets and amenities, such as the waterfront, the Seattle Center, and Occidental Park.

Read the two reports: Blue Ring, the Next Decade (6.1 MB) and Blue Ring, the Next 100 Years.

Westlake Avenue Street Design Concept
CityDesign is facilitating development of an open space and public realm plan along Westlake Avenue between the downtown retail core and South Lake Union.  It calls for pedestrian improvements and the novel use of storm water in the right-of-way to structure new open spaces.

See the Westlake Avenue Street Design Concept.

Green Streets
Began in 1997 by the Seattle Department of Transportation, CityDesign assumed responsibility for the planning of green streets in 2004. Green streets:

• incorporate a system of stormwater treatment within the right-of-way
• minimize the quantity of water that is piped to streams and rivers
• make visible a system of “green” infrastructure
• maximize street tree coverage to intercept stormwater, mitigate temperatures, and improve air quality
• require a broad-based alliance for planning, funding, maintenance and monitoring

Download the Green Streets presentation. Also, see CityDesign's application of green streets in the Denny Triangle Neighborhood Green Street Guidelines (2001).