High Point - A "Typical" Urban Neighborhood That's Anything But

Ironically, while walking through the neighborhood of High Point in West Seattle, what you won't notice is what actually sets this community apart from others in the country.

You may not notice that the beautiful landscaping was designed to naturally filter toxins from water run-off before it hits nearby Longfellow Creek. You won't see the Built Green™ elements that make the homes more efficient. You may not even notice the ENERGY STAR®, energy-saving features or the large mature trees saved from removal and dotting the green open spaces, giving the impression that the neighborhood grew up over time.

And that was precisely the intention of the developer.

"We wanted High Point to be very 'green,' earth-friendly and healthy for the residents, the environment and the city, but we didn't want the sustainability to overshadow the character of the neighborhood. We knew we could build a completely livable and functioning urban neighborhood that is also gentler on the environment and economically practical. High Point has all the character and charm of a typical Seattle neighborhood, but with long-range benefits," says Tom Phillips, project manager for Seattle Housing Authority, the developer of High Point. "In short, we are creating a typical, urban neighborhood."

Typical, perhaps, but far from ordinary. High Point is the largest, sustainable, mixed-use, mixed-income urban neighborhood in the United States.

The neighborhood has garnered national attention for its progressive approach to redevelopment. In 2004, High Point was awarded the Pacific Coast Builders Conference's prestigious Gold Nugget Award for "Best Plans on the Boards". More recently, the American Institute of Architects honored the project with a coveted "Show You're Green" award - one of only eight in the nation to be honored for sustainable innovations and affordability. High Point is also featured in two PBS documentaries, Eden's Lost and Found and Hidden Epidemics. The former profiles redevelopment activities in Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia while the latter examines socio-economic and racial disparities in health. In both documentaries, High Point is held up as an exemplary model for how to "do things right".

It's All About the Green

From the very beginning, "green" colored the plans for High Point.

"We started out looking at the big picture," says Gregory. "We wanted to create a quality, well-designed, appealing community that would engage residents and benefit their personal health and the health of the environment."

New streets were re-aligned and reconnected with the West Seattle grid, and a denser, more Seattle-like and environmentally friendly site plan of 15 homes per acre was designed. By clustering the homes like a typical city neighborhood, the plan set aside more than 20 acres of land for parks, open spaces, and playgrounds. A natural drainage system was developed in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities to manage storm water on site, improve water quality, and protect salmon habitat.

In keeping with the vision to create a mixed-use, mixed income environment, well-known Seattle area homebuilders were invited to participate in the for-sale portion of the community. Accepting the invitation and winning a spot in the neighborhood with innovative design proposals were Devland, Inc., Dwelling Company, Lyle Homes, Polygon Homes and Saltaire Homes. Just like the rental homes owned and managed by Seattle Housing, the for-sale homes would also meet a minimum of 3-star Built Green level certification.

In March of 2005, the first residents of High Point returned to their newly completed, Energy Star certified rental homes, while the first market-rate "for sale" homes were released on the market by the end of that same year. As new homeowners begin moving in, the streets, sidewalks, and parks of the single, largest redevelopment in Seattle since World War II were once again vibrant, bustling, and alive.

Fast Forward to 2010

Phase II of High Point will begin construction in 2007. When the new community is completed in 2010, High Point will have a healthy mix of 1,600 new homes, townhomes and apartments across its 130 acres. A vibrant mix of neighbors of all backgrounds, interests and origins will come together to form an all-inclusive, all-inspiring community spirit -- just like a "typical" urban neighborhood should. It's a true, "Cinderella" success story that is not lost on those involved in the project.

"High Point is a most amazing community. It has lifted all of our souls, here at Mithun, to be part of the team," says Gregory.

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