Western Students to Present Urban Transition Studio Proposals Nov. 30

Contact: Troy Abel, Western Washington University associate professor of Environmental Studies, at troy.abel@wwu.edu.

BELLINGHAM – Four teams of student researchers from Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment will do a series of presentations from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30 in Bellingham City Council Chambers as part of their Urban Transitions Studio III Environmental Assessment project, showing the potential impacts of three simulated retail and mixed-use redevelopment projects in Bellingham.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

First, a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) team will present their evaluation of a proposed and alternative redevelopment for the Fairhaven Terminal area.  Next, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) team will discuss their assessment of the same area. 

The third student team will present a LEED-ND assessment of the redevelopment and infill proposals for a portion of downtown north and east of the Whatcom Transit Authority station.   Finally, the fourth student team will focus on the area where State Street intersects with Meador Avenue and Kansas Street, utilizing the SEPA framework.  These projects were developed by students in Western’s Huxley College of the Environment capstone course ESTU 436.  

Urban Transitions Studio is a collaborative partnership between WWU, the City of Bellingham’s Office of Planning and Community Development, and Bellingham-based nonprofit Sustainable Connections.  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.

For more information, contact Troy Abel, Western Washington University associate professor of Environmental Studies, at troy.abel@wwu.edu.