12th Avenue Arts in Seattle, Washington was one of ten real estate developments selected as a winner of the 2015 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Awards for Excellence, one of the land use industry’s most prestigious award programs. This year’s winners—five in North America, three in Europe, and two in Asia—were honored at the ULI Fall Meeting in San Francisco October 6th.
The awards competition, now in its 37th year, recognizes real estate projects that achieve a high standard of excellence in design, construction, economics, planning, and management and to promote best practices in all types of real estate development. The Awards for Excellence program is based on ULI’s guiding principle that the achievement of excellence in land use practice should be recognized and rewarded. The criteria for the awards include leadership, contribution to the community, innovations, public/private partnerships, environmental protection and enhancement, response to societal needs, and financial viability.
Developer Capitol Hill Housing, along with project team members SMR Architects and WALSH Construction Co., transformed a 29,000 SF surface parking lot into a light-filled cultural center mixing arts, housing, and public-safety needs. 12th Avenue Arts features 88 new affordable apartments and addresses the loss of affordable studio and performance space in the Capitol Hill neighborhood by providing 20,000 SF of new cultural space and arts-related commercial space. The project also provides 115 stalls of secure below-grade parking exclusively for the use of the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct. Active day and night, the space has become a new anchor of the community.
About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (uli.org) is a global nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has more than 36,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.