A good word: “Density” can be a good word.
Police reform: Advocates of police reform are pushing dueling initiatives.
Reinvesting in preservation: Real estate firm Unico is buying an historic office tower in Tacoma to turn it into apartments; Unico is owner of Seattle’s Smith Tower, which recently got a major overhaul.
Better buses: Streetsblog explains how all-door boarding could save a lot of time for bus riders if transit agencies would adopt the system.
RFK legacy: A revitalized RFK stadium in Washington, D.C. could bring many community benefits.
Design reviewed: Two major projects (one microhousing, the other mixed-use) near Capitol Hill went to design review this week with Midtown Center getting sent back for another review.
Cozy urban winter: CityLab looks into how the Danish concept of coziness is reframing the urban winter.
Pleading guilty: A local Everett developer, Lobsang Dargey, known for major mixed-use projects in the region has plead guilty in federal court for fraud related to real estate and immigration business practices; Dargey could face 10 years in prison and $24 million in charges.
$15 Now: Seattle workers paid at the minimum wage got a boost this week with some now making at least $15 per hour.
High-speed rail: Morocco is laying down Africa’s first high-speed rail line from Tangiers to Casablanca, but some are concerned about whether or not it really should be a high priority.
Banning housing discrimination: While Seattle has banned source-of-income discrimination against renters, the state could greatly improve the housing search for many renters across the state by banning the practice altogether.
A part of the solution: Tiny houses have been a big help to homeless in Seattle.
“Boom-proofing” legacy biz: Seattle could end up creating a new program designed to maintain “legacy” businesses in local communities.
Cal Anderson plans: All-gender bathrooms have appeared in construction plans for Cal Anderson; construction work is slated for this summer.
Sometimes, but not always: Greater Greater Washington discusses public-private partnerships and says that they work for some infrastructure project but not all.
Converting offices: How abandoned office buildings could be turned into new housing.
Property swap: The City of Tacoma has sold one city-owned parking garage for mixed-use developed and picked up another to market it for future economic development.
Better bikeways: The data suggests that side-street bikeways work best if they come with nearby protected bike lanes on main streets.
Reducing deductions: Congressional Republicans may move ahead with policies to chip away at the mortgage interest deduction on homes.
Expanding permits: King County Metro Transit is expanding its parking permit program to six more park-and-rides.
First victim: On Monday, a woman named Nellie Yelli died in a Greenlake crosswalk after being hit; the person driving initially fled before returning and being arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter.
