Aerial video of the U District Streetfair 2024
UPDATES
From the U District
Cedars of Lebanon leaving?
What makes the University District so unique is its abundance of legacy small businesses which attract folks to our main street. One of which is Cedars of Lebanon, the oldest restaurant on The Ave, who after five decades may be displaced to make room for a McDonalds.
Calling all Change-Makers
If you have an idea for an event, program, or other neighborhood-enhancing project, pitch it to the 70,000 people visiting the streetfair and collect their votes. We are opening 4-6 time slots for volunteers to participate, apply for a spot.
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Last Year's Projects
Our booth at last year's U District Streetfair featured six of our progressive initiatives below:
Public Toilet
There remains an urgent need for public toilet access closer to The Ave and the light rail station. Just last year, 792 human waste incidents were cleaned up from within the U District boundaries.
A top priority for our local U District Community Council, we seek the central placement of staffed bathrooms.
Car-Free Ave
The Ave is a place for people - yet it isn't designed as one. Currently, it prioritizes the flow of traffic over the flow of people.
The 2017 upzone and the opening of the light rail station brought increased density in the U District, so the need and support for open space has only increased. Now is a critical time to reimagine our public right-of-way to fit our future needs.
The 2017 upzone and the opening of the light rail station brought increased density in the U District, so the need and support for open space has only increased. Now is a critical time to reimagine our public right-of-way to fit our future needs.
The Ave Historic District
80% of the buildings on The Ave between NE 41st and 50th streets were built before 1930.
This year we applied for landmark recognition of The Ave Historic District from the National Register of Historic Places and the Washington State Heritage Register, which would unlock tax incentives to property owners to retrofit their buildings, for preservation and earthquake resilience.
Summer Green Street
With your 1,686 votes last year, we developed a design plan to transform NE 42nd Street into a 'Green Street', providing a vision for a future, permanent change to this vital connection between The Ave and campus.
As a form of 'tactical urbanism' (quick, cheap, and temporary modifications), all of this activity will culminate with the U District Food Walk, when The Ave is again prioritized for people on Saturday, September 28.
Union Bay Nature Trail
An abundance of nature lies just beside the U District along the shores of Union Bay, ideal for bird watching, forest hiking, and waterfront activities. But just one small section of this five-mile trail is missing.
Once completed, the recreational pedestrian trail would stretch from Laurelhurst in North Seattle, all the way to Madison Park to the South as one continuous nature walk, free from vehicular traffic.
Outdoor Concerts
During the pandemic, when the safest place to be was outdoors, our neighborhood hosted musical concerts in the middle of the street. Each year since, we booked dozens of bands to perform for free on The Ave when it becomes an open space for people.
Join us for this year's line-up on Saturday, May 18 at 7pm (on The Ave at 42nd)
• Reposado
• Reposado
• Midpak
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info@udistrict.org
Seattle, Washington USA