College of Built Environments at the University of Washington.
Des Moines has ambitious plans for UW students for a virtual makeover of its marina and downtown
Tuesday July 2008
One of the design ideas from CAUP students in Jim Nicholl's "Storefront Studio" includes bleacher seats descending into Puget Sound.
With a $600,000 shortfall this year, a large effort to revitalize downtown Des Moines is underway, and the idea of modernizing the marina has become an integral part of the discussion. While not a new idea, the first plan for the updated marina emerged in 2001, this is the first time that a team of UW students has been challenged with the task of creating a virtual makeover of the downtown Des Moines area, and the local marina. While the UW CAUP's "Storefront Studio" has worked in struggling areas before, from White Center to Carnation, Jim Nicholl's said this was the firt time they had been asked to do this, though he could see why. On his first visit to the marina Nicholl's remarked," I was underwhelmed. It was a lot of car parking and boat parking."
The other day, Nicholl's students revealed their ideas for a different Des Moines. These included colorful storefront facades, a sea-serpent sculpture stretched along the breakwater and watercolor banner. Said Gary Hisel, who lived for years on a boat in the marina, " what their doing for this little city of ours is fantastic. All we got to do now is find the money."
Small boaters, however, are worried. What happens when the marina becomes more upscale? At $300 a month to rent a slip, small boaters like the price, and the peace of the place. Concerns are "that gentrification will do what gentrification always does: change the character of a place."
For the complete story, please visit The Seattle Times online.