Tomorrow: WWU's Urban Transitions Studio to present urban planning proposals at City Hall

Western Washington University’s Urban Transitions Studio will present sustainable urban planning concepts from 7-10 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10, in the Council Chambers in City Hall at 210 Lottie St. in Bellingham.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will include a concept proposal for revitalizing downtown Bellingham’s retail core and a proposal for transitioning single-use retail zones into New Urbanism neighborhoods.

Urban Transitions Studio is a collaborative partnership between WWU, the City of Bellingham’s Office of Planning and Community Development and Sustainable Connections, a Bellingham-based nonprofit organization. The partnership aims to promote New Urbanism and Smart Growth planning concepts and to stimulate ideas for transitioning Bellingham into a more urban and sustainable community.

This is the first study in a series of coordinated university studies that examine sustainable planning concepts for downtown revitalization and retail mall transition. Upcoming classes this spring and fall will examine financing and plan implementation, marketing, sustainable design and an assessment of environmental impact of these urban planning concepts.

For more information about Urban Transitions Studio, contact Nicholas Zaferatos, WWU associate professor of Environmental Studies, (360) 650-7660 or nicholas.zaferatos@wwu.edu.