With Bellevue’s growth, the city’s Light Industrial (LI) zoning category is a district in search of a purpose. There are startups out there that need a laboratory for physical tinkering, a playroom to make things from applied technology—but can’t afford BelRed lease rates. 3D printing firms are an example. They need to have a messy place, something not offered with the city’s current menu of shared work concepts. This project would flesh out a tinkerer’s lab space for venture startup groups that need to get messy, that need open work space in the LI previously known for indoor manufacturing. It would organize startups that can’t be in neat BelRed, identify a purpose for template LI buildings, and bring together these groups into a unique workplace niche. The project would organize these anarchic firms and individuals into a shared collective space, and the city could leverage their work and community towards its own growing needs (3D printing, for example).
Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.
Livable City Year Contact Info
Teri Thomson Randall
Program Manager
terir@uw.edu
206.221.9240
University Faculty Contact
Andrew Dannenberg
Affiliate Professor
Local Government / Community Contact
Emil King
Community Development