Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development
Industrial and Maritime Strategy and Analysis
CAI is a part of an ongoing and comprehensive effort by the City of Seattle to identify and codify strategies to protect and support industrial, maritime, and port operations. This effort has included a report on the industrial and maritime conditions in four areas of the City: Ballard, Interbay, Georgetown/South Park, and SODO. This report, extensive industrial and local outreach, and additional analysis will inform updates to the Industrial Land Comprehensive Plan, zoning code, and other industrial and maritime land use recommendations with the ultimate goal of creating an Industrial and Maritime Strategy that is future-oriented and centers opportunities for BIPOC, youth, and women workers and residents.
Specifically, CAI conducted a feasibility analysis for development prototypes to support ongoing implementation of the Seattle Industrial and Maritime Strategy. CAI prepared pro forma models of 6-8 development prototypes within Seattle’s industrial areas based on OPCD assumptions on the architectural characteristics of each development prototype. Pro forma models were developed to address three concepts: traditional industrial development, industry & innovation concept, and urban industrial concept. The analysis evaluated the economic viability of the development prototypes. The economic modeling provided information that the City can consider to determine the extent to which development for these three concepts would be economically viable using real estate industry standard metrics and tools, such as residual land value. The two following maps show the result of CAI’s analysis under two scenarios: a Limited Alternative, which strengthens industrial and maritime sector land use protections while also accommodating emerging industrial trends and other dense employment uses (above, left) and a Targeted Alternative, which applies similar tools and approaches as the Limited alternative to a larger geographic area (above, right).
The Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development relies on these findings to craft a sustainable and equitable set of policies for industrial and maritime sectors.
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