Higher

Yesterday our fearless City Council voted unanimously to make downtown taller. Under the new zoning developers will be able to build up to 30% higher which will increase the density the city. Density, of course, means that there will be more people creating more jobs, more art, more music, more everything and since people will be flocking to the city the areas surrounding us will become empty nature preserves as far as the eye can see. Financing for affordable housing that's built into the plan ensures that you'll actually be able to afford a place to live in this new metropolis. And the people were happy.

Except that David Sucher over at City Comforts wonders whether increasing the greatness of Seattle proper will take pressure off of undeveloped land surrounding the city:

In fact quite the opposite will happen. Larger buildings with more people & activity in them will (if the street-level is designed correctly -- that's the key) make downtown Seattle more interesting, comfortable etc and will enhance the entire region's overall attractiveness. A truly urban and urbane CBD will increase Seattle's global prominence. It will draw yet more business and people to our region, thus increasing demand for new space of all types in every part of the region.

Which isn't to say he's against the plan that the City Council passed yesterday: "It's good to have a vibrant downtown for many reasons but the major one is simply to have a vibrant downtown."