Capitol Hill

Neighborhood Design Guidelines

Adopted June 2005

Reformatted December 2010
City of Seattle
Department of Planning and Development
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................i

Guidelines at a Glance .............................................................................................................ii

Context and Priority Issues: Capitol Hill ............................................................................vi

Design Guidelines .......................................................................................................................

Context and Site ........................................................................................................................x

CS2. Urban Pattern and Form ...............................................................................................x
CS3. Architectural Context and Character ........................................................................xii

Public Life ...............................................................................................................................xiv

PL2. Walkability ...................................................................................................................xiv
PL3. Street-Level Interaction .............................................................................................xvi

Design Concept .....................................................................................................................xvii

DC1. Project Uses and Activities ......................................................................................xvii
DC3. Open Space Concept ..............................................................................................xviii
DC4. Materials ......................................................................................................................xx
Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

Introduction
What are Neighborhood-Specific Design Guidelines?

Design guidelines are the primary tool used by Design Review Boards in the review of proposed projects. Guide-
lines define the qualities of architecture, urban design, and public space that make for successful projects and
communities. There are two types of guidelines used in the Design Review Program:
■ Seattle Design Guidelines—applying citywide except for downtown; and
■ Neighborhood-specific design guidelines—applying to a specific geographically-defined area, usually within a
neighborhood urban village or center.

Once a set of neighborhood-specific design guidelines is adopted by City Council, they are used in tandem with
citywide guidelines for the review of all projects within that neighborhood. Not all neighborhoods within the city
have neighborhood-specific guidelines, but for those that do, both sets of guidelines—citywide and neighborhood-
specific—are consulted by the Boards, with the neighborhood guidelines taking precedence over the citywide
ones in the event of a conflict between the two. Neighborhood-specific design guidelines are very helpful to all
involved in the design review process for the guidance they offer that is specific to the features and character of a
specific neighborhood.

As of August 2010, there were nineteen sets of neighborhood-specific design guidelines, each following the same
organization and numbering system of the City’s original design guidelines entitled Design Review: Guidelines for
Multi-family and Commercial Development (also referred to as citywide design guidelines) that were adopted in
1993. The Capitol Hill Neighborhood Design Guidelines reveal the character of the Capitol Hill district as known to
its residents and business owners. The guidelines help to reinforce existing character and protect the qualities that
the neighborhood values most in the face of change. Thus, a neighborhood’s guidelines, in conjunction with the
citywide guidelines, can increase overall awareness of good design and involvement in the design review process.

Reformatted and Reorganized Neighborhood-Specific Design Guidelines

The Capitol Hill Neighborhood Design Guidelines were developed by community members and design consul-
tants, and adopted in 2001. In 2011 the City adopted new, updated guidelines entitled Seattle Design Guidelines
to replace those that had been in effect since the inception of the Design Review Program in 1993.

Because the Seattle Design Guidelines uses a different organizational and numbering system than the original
guidelines, DPD has reorganized and reformatted each set of neighborhood-specific guidelines to match the Seat-
tle Design Guidelines in format, organization, and numbering system. None of the text of the original neighbor-
hood design guidelines has been changed. The reorganized and reformatted neighborhood design guidelines will
help Board members, applicants, staff, and the public better correlate neighborhood guidelines with the updated
Seattle Design Guidelines.

Introduction i
Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

Guidelines at a Glance
The Capitol Hill neighborhood-specific design guidelines apply within the area shown on the map on page XX and
augment the Seattle Design Guidelines adopted in 2010. Note that the numbering system of the Seattle Design
Guidelines is different from the original numbering applied to the Capitol Hill guidelines in 2005. The list below cor-
relates the guidelines by subject matter and shows which Seattle Design Guidelines are augmented by Capitol Hill
Neighborhood Design Guidelines.

Context and Site

CS1. Natural Systems and Site Features .............................................. no
Respond To Site Characteristics (A-1 former numbering system)
CS2.Urban Pattern and Form ................................................................ yes
Streetscape Compatibility (former A-2)
Height, Bulk and Scale Compatibility (former B-1)
Mid-Block Connections, Street Pattern, Structure Orientation, Mass and Scale (former Town Center
guidelines)
CS3. Architectural Context and Character ........................................... yes
Respond To Site Characteristics (former A-1)

Public Life
PL1. Public Space..................................................................................... no
Pedestrian Open Spaces and Entrances (old D-1)
Open Space (former TC guideline)
PL2. Walkability ...................................................................................... yes
Pedestrian Open Spaces and Entrances (old D-1)
Pedestrian Lighting, Street Elements (former TC guidelines)
PL3. Street-level Interaction .................................................................. yes
Human Scale (former C-3)
PL4. Active Transportation ...................................................................... no

Design Concept
DC1. Project Uses and Activities .......................................................... yes
Parking and Vehicular Circulation (former TC guideline)
DC2. Architectural Concept ..................................................................... no
Architectural Context (former C-1)
Human Scale (former C-3)
Blank Walls (former D-2)
Mass and Scale (former TC guideline)
DC3. Open Space Concept .................................................................... yes
Pedestrian Open Spaces and Entrances (former D-1)
DC4. Materials ......................................................................................... yes
Architectural Context (former C-1)
Exterior Finish Materials (former C-4)
Landscaping, (former TC guideline)

Guidelines at a Glance ii
Note: Design Review does not apply to all zones. See Citywide Guidelines for details. Additionally,
zoning areas on this map are for general reference only. For confirmation of a specific property’s
zoning, contact the Department of Planning and Development.
Guidelines at a Glance iii
Guidelines at a Glance iv
Guidelines at a Glance v
Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

Context and Priority Issues: Capitol Hill Core

The Capitol Hill Neighborhood Plan provides the context into which new development and redevelopment will be
accomplished. Increases in land use intensity and residential density are planned for the neighborhood, and are wel-
comed so long as such development is compatible with the existing or intended land use pattern in the several neigh-
borhoods on Capitol Hill. This section focuses on Capitol Hill’s primary commercial and residential neighborhoods.

Within the Capitol Hill Urban Center Village are two anchor areas (North Anchor District and South Anchor District),
three commercial corridors (Broadway Avenue, 15th Avenue, and East Olive Way), and two residential areas (West
Slope and East Core). Please refer to the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Plan for more description of these areas (online
at www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/npi).

North Anchor District

The North Anchor District refers to the area around the junction of north Broadway and
East Roy Street, which embodies Capitol Hill’s hallmark historic character, smallscale
charm, and lively cultural scene. Attractive and safe pedestrian connections link the
area’s theaters, library, schools, arts, and community facilities. Lowell Elementary School
is located a few blocks to the east.

South Anchor District

The South Anchor District encompasses the area south of
Olive Way/East John Street and west of 13th Avenue East.
The South Anchor District includes Capitol Hill’s largest insti-
tution—Seattle Central Community College—and it’s larg-
est open space—Cal Anderson Park and the Bobby Morris
Playfield. Pedestrian routes, bus service, and a future light
rail station connect the area’s public amenities and facilities
with downtown, the University of Washington, the Pike/Pine
corridor, the Central Area nearby residential areas.

Commercial Corridors
Capitol Hill’s commercial corridors—Broadway, 15th Avenue East, East John
Street/East Olive Way, and 12th Avenue East—comprise the neighborhood’s
economic base and the pulse of its social scene. The business districts each
have their own unique culture and needs, yet they also share many common
characteristics and issues. Capitol Hill’s commercial districts are small-scale,
pedestrian-oriented streets predominated by storefront buildings that provide
an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants and services for residents and visitors.
Because the commercial areas are sandwiched between residential neighbor-
hoods, they are extremely important to neighborhood livability. However, the
potential adverse impacts of commercial activities and architecture on nearby
residents must be addressed as development occurs. Conversely, potential
benefits should be explored and implemented through new development and redevelopment. Businesses require
affordable parking, attractive streetscapes, and access to good local and regional
transportation to thrive. Public spaces such as sidewalk cafes and street perfor-
mance areas, provide respite and stimulate pedestrian activity but also require
increased measures to ensure public safety and comfort. The community supports
the concept of mixed-use structures, with housing on the upper stories above retail
uses. Plans for the neighborhood’s commercial corridors reinforce their pedestrian
scale, unique character and economic vitality by:
■ upgrading the urban design character of commercial streets and improving key
intersections to create more attractive, safe pedestrian environments;

Context and Priority Issues vi

Greenwood/Phinney Design Guidelines

■ providing better management of parking resources to support businesses;

■ instituting design guidelines that reinforce human-scaled building characteristics and architectural quality;
■ filling in gaps in the urban fabric with appropriate development and redevelopment of vacant and undeveloped
sites; and
■ improving public safety for business patrons and improving upkeep of public places.

15th Avenue East

The 15th Avenue East commercial corridor has developed as a popular Capi-
tol Hill shopping area. Located on Capitol Hill’s quieter side, the 15th Avenue
East district is known for its diverse neighborhood- oriented retail services,
pedestrian-scale storefront buildings, and lively mix of locally owned and oper-
ated businesses. Pedestrians crowd the street’s narrow sidewalks. In all types
of weather, but especially on sunny days, cafés and coffee shops with outside
seating add to the vitality of the street. The 15th Avenue East commercial cor-
ridor extends from East Denny Way to East Roy Street, a few blocks south of
Volunteer Park. A popular trolley bus route on 15th Avenue East connects the
neighborhood with downtown Seattle.

East John Street/ East Olive Way

The East John Street/East Olive Way corridor is the principal east/west arterial
that provides a vital link between Capitol Hill and downtown Seattle for transit
riders, bicyclists, pedestrians and commuters in private vehicles. West of Broad-
way to I-5, Olive Way is primarily commercial in nature, while east of Broadway
on East John Street to East 15th Street, residential uses predominate. Eclectic,
small scale retail and commercial businesses serve the surrounding neighbor-
hoods from low-rise buildings that allow sunshine onto the sidewalks and offer
glimpses of city and mountain views.

12th Avenue East

The 12th Avenue East corridor is less intensively developed than the main commercial corridors described above.
Currently 12th Avenue is primarily residential north of Thomas Street, and has fairly continuous commercial uses
south of Thomas. Retail and service business found here primarily serve the local neighborhood. At the corner of
East Pine Street and 12th Avenue East is the East Precinct Police Station.

Residential Neighborhoods
Capitol Hill’s large residential area is divided into two districts. The West Slope District lies between I-5 and Broad-
way. The East Core District consists of the area between Broadway and 15th Avenue East. Three cornerstones of
the community’s goals are (1) increasing housing affordability for a broad spectrum of community members; (2)
strengthening and enhancing the character of existing residential neighborhoods; and (3) providing a greater range
of housing types under the existing zoning.

Achieving these goals will require an integrated program of housing strategies to reduce unnecessary obstacles to
housing development while still preserving the historic, small-scale character of the existing housing stock. Revising
zoning and making development regulations more flexible will affect these changes. At the same time, neighborhood
residential design guidelines will help support the community’s historic, small-scale character yet also allow develop-
ment flexibility.

West Slope District

The large West Slope District Midrise (MR) zone is densely developed and has not been recently subjected to
extensive redevelopment. Small infill projects add to the housing supply as single family structures are replaced with
higher density housing. The West Slope district is typified by the predominant three-story multifamily buildings, many
of which feature brick exteriors. Two small parks with a third in the very early acquisition stage, along with several

Context and Priority Issues vii

Greenwood/Phinney Design Guidelines

blocks with ground floor commercial units, are scattered along Summit Avenue East and Bellevue Avenue East.
Developers must pay special attention to the neighborhood context to ensure that new development enhances the
neighborhood character.

East Core District

The East Core District is characterized by small, tightly knit lots that support finely
scaled houses, duplexes, and small apartment buildings that are valued by Capi-
tol Hill residents. Most of the East Core District is zoned L3; lots tend to be small
(4,600 square feet on average), and the street grid generally lacks alleys. On many
blocks, parcels line all four sides of the block, with structures facing east-west
streets as well as north-south avenues. The majority of Capitol Hill’s single-family
houses are found in the East Core District. The community’s primary objective for
the East Core District is to find creative ways to preserve and increase detached,
small-scale, multiple-family housing. Development under the current Lowrise 3 (L3)
zoning typically is done by assembling numerous parcels and demolishing exist-
ing housing in order to build larger structures and townhouses. The resulting structures may be out of scale with the
desired neighborhood character. Furthermore, speculative assembly of lots often leads to “bleeding” of properties,
or allowing structures to deteriorate until their value is negligable while the owner’s costs are amortized. Bleeding
tends to result in a lack of building maintenance which, in turn, leads to disinvestment in the neighborhood. Develop-
ers should pay proper attention to height, bulk and scale, and buildingmaterials, to ensure that new structures are
compatible with the intended scale and character of the neighborhood.

Neighborhood Priority Design Issues

The Capitol Hill Neighborhood Design Guidelines provide direction to the neighborhood Design Review Board to
help ensure that community goals for streetscape quality, building character, open space design and use, residential
privacy, building context and scale, and landscaping are met. Through the neighborhood planning process and in
public forums held in association with the preparation of these guidelines, the following are identified as important
design issues:
■ Preserving, enhancing and connecting Capitol Hill’s existing attributes is one of the fundamental goals of the
Neighborhood Plan. Residents want to protect and augment the neighborhood’s architectural qualities, historic
character, pedestrian scale and natural features.
■ Integrating transit and open space with new commercial and residential development is essential for making the
most of these public and private assets.
■ Maintaining the special character and pedestrian-orientation of the neighborhood’s commercial corridors is
important to their economic vitality.
■ In residential areas, preserving existing housing structures and providing varied types of new housing is impor-
tant to encouraging long-term residency in the neighborhood.
■ Mature street trees have a high value to the neighborhood and every effort should be made to preserve them
and to prevent departures that would negatively impact or shorten their lifespan.

The Capitol Hill Neighborhood Design Guidelines provide direction to the neighborhood Design Review Board to
help ensure that community goals for streetscape quality, pedestrian orientation, building character, open space
design and use, residential privacy, building context and scale, and landscaping are met. These guidelines recom-
mend achieving the neighborhood’s urban design goals using the following general recommendation for commercial
areas and residential areas.

Commercial Areas
Design guidelines customized for Capitol Hill’s commercial corridors reinforce pedestrian-oriented character, help ensure
that new construction complements existing surroundings. Capitol Hill’s commercial design guidelines encourage:
■ creating distinctive entrances, windows and facade detailing (such as decorative materials or trellises) typical to
the area;

Context and Priority Issues viii

Greenwood/Phinney Design Guidelines

■ using signage that is in scale and is architecturally compatible with the storefront buildings;
■ providing landscaping and pedestrian-oriented open space, including sidewalks and courtyards;
■ street-level commercial uses that provide streetfront windows with clear glazing;
■ designing upper story setbacks for institutional and mixed-use buildings to reduce bulk and keep in scale with
the neighborhood;
■ improving height, bulk and scale compatibility between commercial and residential areas; and
■ screening parking lots and discouraging driveways and curb cuts on commercial streets, particularly Broadway
and 15th Avenue East.

Residential Areas
Design guidelines customized for Capitol Hill’s residential neighborhoods will reinforce human scale, architectural
quality, and compatibility with surroundings. Capitol Hill’s residential design guidelines encourage:
■ respecting the character traits of single family structures in the design of new higher-density in-fill structures
where there is a prevalence of smaller scale, single family structures;
■ using decorative façade elements to break down the scale and provide pedestrian interest;
■ structure setbacks, especially on corner sites that create private/public landscaped open space; and
■ consolidating access points and strongly discourage multiple curb cuts for multifamily and townhouse projects.

Context and Priority Issues ix

Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

CS2 Citywide Guideline:

Strengthen the most desirable

Urban characteristics and patterns of the
Pattern and streets, block faces, and open spaces
Form in the surrounding area.

Capitol Hill Supplemental Guidance

Streetscape Compatibility
Neighborhood Priority: Maintain and enhance the character and func-
tion of a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented urban village. The character of
a neighborhood is often defined by the experience of walking along its
streets. How buildings meet the sidewalk helps determine the charac-
ter, scale and function of the streetscape. The siting of a new building
should reinforce the existing desirable spatial characteristics of the
Retail shops can be configured so that they spill out Capitol Hill streetscapes.
on to the sidewalk and provide seating—both of
which enliven the streetscape ■ Retain or increase the width of sidewalks.
■ Provide street trees with tree grates or in planter strips, using
appropriate species to provide summer shade, winter light, and
year-round visual interest.
■ Vehicle entrances to buildings should not dominate the
streetscape.
■ Orient townhouse structures to provide pedestrian entrances to
the sidewalk.
■ For buildings that span a block and “front” on two streets, each
Compatibility is attained through similar build- street frontage should receive individual and detailed site planning
ing setbacks of a new multifamily development (at
right) and the adjacent single family homes. and architectural design treatments to complement the estab-
lished streetscape character.
■ New development in commercial zones should be sensitive to
neighboring residential zones. Examples include lots on Broadway
that extend to streets with residential character, such as Nagle
Place or 10th or Harvard Avenues East. While a design with a com-
mercial character is appropriate along Broadway, compatibility with
residential character should be emphasized along the other streets.

Broadway-specific supplemental guidance

■ Help maintain and enhance the character of Broadway by design-
A hypothetical full-block development scenario in ing new buildings to reflect the scale of existing buildings.
which the vehicle entrances are minimized along
the streetscape, and building frontage along the
commercialand residential streets complement
the established streetscape character. This includes
“townhouse-style” ground level treatment on the
residential street.

CS2
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Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

Corner Lots
Neighborhood Priority: Maintain and enhance the character and func-
tion of a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented urban village. The character of
a neighborhood is often defined by the experience of walking along its
streets. How buildings meet the sidewalk helps determine the character,
scale and function of the streetscape. The siting of a new building should
reinforce the existing desirable spatial characteristics of the Capitol Hill
streetscapes.
Buildings on corner lots should be oriented to ■ Incorporate residential entries and special landscaping into cor-
the corner and public street fronts. A prominent, ner lots by setting the structure back from the property lines.
landscaped corner entry can promote visibility at a
street intersection, and provides a comfortable place ■ Provide for a prominent retail corner entry.
for people.

Prominent retail corner entry: By setting back at

the corner, public space is extended from the
sidewalk. The scale of the recessed entry, combined
with building features at the corner, welcome
without interrupting retail continuity along the
streetscape. This idea places a strong visual emphasis
on the street while supporting active public space.

C S 2 . U r b a n Pa t t e r n a n d F o r m 2
Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

CS3 Citywide Guideline:

Contribute to the architectural character

Architectural of the neighborhood.
Context and
Character
Capitol Hill Supplemental Guidance

Height, Bulk, and Scale Compatibility

Neighborhood Priority: Preserve and augment the neighborhood’s
architectural qualities, historic character and pedestrian scale. Contem-
porary building practices can potentially create visual conflicts with older
buildings due to differences in scale, massing and degrees of articulation.
Capitol Hill emphasizes the notion of historical continuity—the relation-
An example of building massing and orientation ship of built structures over time. Compatible design should respect the
composed in a manner to take advantage of note- scale, massing and materials of adjacent buildings and landscape.
worthy views.
Broadway Priority: Maintain and enhance the character and function
of Broadway as a vibrant and interesting commercial street. Most of
Broadway’s architecture is an eclectic mix of one to three-story build-
ings that range in style, age and architectural quality. Small, commercial
storefronts are present at street-level in nearly all buildings. Many attrac-
tive masonry and terra-cotta buildings are interspersed with lesser quality
structures. The Broadway Market redevelopment between Harrison and
Republican Streets East is a popular mixed-use building that blends in
well with its surroundings.

■ Break up building mass by incorporating different façade treat-

ments to give the impression of multiple, small-scale buildings, in
keeping with the established development pattern.
■ Consider existing views to downtown Seattle, the Space Needle,
Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains, and incorporate site and
building design features that may help to preserve those views
from public rights-of-way.
■ Design new buildings to maximize the amount of sunshine on
adjacent sidewalks throughout the year.
Two examples of simple yet varied building masses
and window patterns that create shadow lines
and provide visual relief. It’s important not to
“over-modulate” the building, which can have
the uninteded consequence of creating building
features that appear “tacked-on.” Articulated sub-
volumes are also employed as a transition in size to
adjacent structures that are smaller in scale.

CS1
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Architectural Concept and Consistency

Neighborhood Priority: Preserve and augment the neighborhood’s
architectural qualities, historic character and pedestrian scale. There are
many elements in the Capitol Hill neighborhood that lend to its unique
and thriving character, especially its active street life. There are a variety
of ways—architectural concept, human scale and high-quality materials—
that can honor this architectural context.

■ Incorporate signage that is consistent with the existing or

intended character of the building and the neighborhood.
Buildings serve to define streets spatially. Proper
spatial definition of a pedestrian-friendly street ■ Solid canopies or fabric awnings over the sidewalk are preferred.
(such as Broadway) can be achieved with an appro-
priate ratio of building height to the width of the ■ Avoid using vinyl awnings that also serve as big, illuminated
street. Typically, auto-oriented areas have around signs.
1:10 height-to-width ratios, whereas neighborhood
commercial streets in urban places are closer to ■ Use materials and design that is compatible with the structures in
1:3 or 1:2 (as shown above). As a general rule, the the vicinity if those represent the desired neighborhood character.
tighter the ratio, the stronger the sense of place. New
developments that are 65 feet or taller in height
are encouraged to be compatible with surrounding
buildings, incorporating features such as stepping
back at or near 40 feet and providing human scale
materials and details on these levels to relate well to
the pedestrian.

New Multifamily
Existing Single Family

preferred
Sensitive Infill to be avoided
Development

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Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

PL2 Citywide Guideline:

Create a safe, comfortable, and interesting

Walkability environment that encourages walking for
pleasure and for transportation.

Capitol Hill Supplemental Guidance

Streetscape Compatibility
■ The pedestrian orientation of Broadway should be strengthened
by designing to accommodate the presence or appearance of
small store fronts that meet the sidewalk and where possible
provide for an ample sidewalk.

Human Scale
■ Incorporate building entry treatments that are arched or framed in
a manner that welcomes people and protects them from the ele-
ments and emphasizes the building’s architecture.
Capitol Hill Precedent: Outdoor spaces place a visual ■ Improve and support pedestrian-orientation by using compo-
emphasis on the street, supporting the functional and
visual integration of public and private realms. nents such as: non-reflective storefront windows and transoms;
pedestrian-scaled awnings; architectural detailing on the first
floor; and detailing at the roof line. (These details make buildings
more “pedestrian- friendly”—details that would be noticed and
enjoyed by a pedestrian walking by, but not necessarily noticed
by a person in a vehicle passing by at 30 miles per hour.)

Pedestrian Open Spaces and Entrances

Capitol Hill Precedent: Outdoor spaces place a visual emphasis on
the street, supporting the functional and visual integration of public
and private realms.

Neighborhood Priority: Maintain and enhance pedestrian scale,

activity and comfort. The pedestrian environment (sidewalks, path-
ways, crossings, entries and the like) should be safe and accessible.
The pedestrian environment should connect people to places they
want to go, and should provide good spaces to be used for many
An example of a single, identifiable residential entry things. New development should reflect these principles by enhanc-
that does not unduly interrupt the continuity of the ing commercial district streetscapes that make street-level pedestrian
commercial streetscape. activity a priority.

P L 2 . Wa l k a b i l i t y 5
Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

Streetscape Compatibility
■ Provide entryways that link the building to the surrounding
landscape.
■ Create open spaces at street level that link to the open space of
the sidewalk.
■ Building entrances should emphasize pedestrian ingress and
egress as opposed to accommodating vehicles.
■ Minimize the number of residential entrances on commercial
streets where non-residential uses are required. Where resi-
dential entries and lobbies on commercial streets are unavoid-
Establish clear pedestrian connections that direct
pedestrians between buildings, parking, streets and able, minimize their impact to the retail vitality commercial
open places. streetscape.

Personal Safety and Security

Consider:
■ pedestrian-scale lighting, but prevent light spillover onto adja-
cent properties
■ architectural lighting to complement the architecture of the
structure
■ transparent windows allowing views into and out of the
structure—thus incorporating the “eyes on the street” design
approach
Provide a clear distinction between pedestrian traffic areas and
commercial traffic areas through the use of different paving materi-
als or colors, landscaping, etc.
An example of drop lighting attached to a building.

P L 2 . Wa l k a b i l i t y 6
Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

PL3 Citywide Guideline:

Encourage human activity and

Street-Level interaction at street level.
Interaction

Capitol Hill Supplemental Guidance

Human Activity
Neighborhood Priority: Maintain and enhance the character and func-
tion of a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented urban village. Capitol Hill’s com-
mercial corridors are among the liveliest pedestrian environments in the
city. The mix of small-scale storefronts that house retail, restaurants, and
services attract residents and visitors on a daily basis. Proper site plan-
ning reinforces the existing pedestrian orientation of the neighborhood.

■ Provide for sidewalk retail opportunities and connections by

allowing for the opening of the storefront to the street and dis-
Provide adequate space for pedestrian movement. playing goods to the pedestrian.
■ Provide for outdoor eating and drinking opportunities on the side-
walk by allowing for the opening the restaurant or café windows
to the sidewalk and installing outdoor seating while maintaining
pedestrian flow.
■ Install clear glass windows along the sidewalk to provide visual
access into the retail or dining activities that occur inside. Do not
block views into the interior spaces with the backs of shelving
units or with posters.

Outdoor gathering space along the sidewalk is

allowed by setting back the corner of the building.

A good example of a storefront that animates

the street edge and sustains a pedestrian’s interest
with a high degree of transparency along the
street, through which uses are readily discern-
able to the passer-by. Overhead cover along the
sidewalk and seating adds pedestrian comfort.

P L 3 . S t r e e t- L e v e l I n t e ra c t i o n 7
Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

DC1 Citywide Guideline:

Optimize the arrangement of uses and

Project activities on site.
Uses and
Activities
Capitol Hill Supplemental Guidance

Streetscape Compatibility
For new development along Broadway that extends to streets with
residential character—such as Nagle Place or 10th or Harvard Ave-
nues East—any vehicle access, loading or service activities should be
screened and designed with features appropriate for a residential context.

Parking and Vehicle Access

Neighborhood Priority: Maintain and enhance the character and function
In this example, the sidewalk is indistinguishable of a mixeduse, pedestrian-oriented urban village. A wall of garage doors
from the driveway. This reduces the potential for and multiple curb cuts greatly diminish the quality of the pedestrian envi-
front yards, landscaping and porches, and ronment. Where alley access is not possible, garage entries and drive-
reduces the supply of on-street parking.
ways should be consolidated to enhance the streetscape for pedestrians.

■ Preserve and enhance the pedestrian environment in residential

and commercial areas by providing for continuous sidewalks that
are unencumbered by parked vehicles and are minimally broken
within a block by vehicular access.

Screening of Dumpsters, Utilities, and Service Areas

Consolidate and screen dumpsters to preserve and enhance the pedes-
trian environment.

A single-garage entry for multiple residences pre-

serves the streetscape for pedestrians and adequately
accommodates vehicles.

DC1. Project Uses and Activities 8

Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

DC3 Citywide Guideline:

Develop an architectural concept

Open Space that will result in a functional and
Concept harmonious design.

Capitol Hill Supplemental Guidance

Residential Open Space

Neighborhood Priority: Maintain and enhance the character and func-
tion of a mixeduse, pedestrian-oriented urban village. With one of the
highest residential densities in the city, Capitol Hill’s neighborhoods are
remarkably green. Street trees and private landscaping contribute to this
pleasant environment. Redevelopment should retain and enhance open
space and landscaping.

■ Incorporate quasi-public open space with new residential devel-

opment or redevelopment, with special focus on corner land-
Maintain Landscape Traditions—Classic garden
scape treatments and courtyard entries.
court-style apartment Capitol Hill has a tradition of ■ Create substantial courtyard-style open space that is visually
landscape design in its residential open spaces.
Forecourts, intimate courtyards, terraces and out- accessible to the public view.
door gardens contribute to an exceptional outdoor ■ Set back development where appropriate to preserve a view corridor.
setting. New development should continue to build
upon these traditions and qualities found within the ■ Set back upper floors to provide solar access to the sidewalk
local landscape.
and/or neighboring properties.
■ Mature street trees have a high value to the neighborhood and
departures from development standards that an arborist deter-
mines would impair the health of a mature tree are discouraged.
■ Use landscape materials that are sustainable, requiring minimal
irrigation or fertilizer.
■ Use pourous paving materials to minimize stormwater run-off.

Street trees of appropriate species planted on a linear

roadway in combination with naturalistic landscape
planitings enhance the variety of visual and spatial
experience in Capitol Hill’s residential areas.

DC3. Open Space Concept 9

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Landscape Design to Address Special Site Conditions

Neighborhood Priority: Maintain and enhance existing landscape patterns
in commercial and residential areas.
■ Maintain or enhance the character and aesthetic qualities of
neighborhood development to provide for consistent streetscape
character along a corridor.
■ Supplement and complement existing mature street trees where feasible.
■ Incorporate street trees in both commercial and residential envi-
ronments in addition to trees onsite.
■ Commercial landscape treatments that include street trees.

Residential street without street trees

Residential street without street trees

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Capitol Hill Design Guidelines

DC4 Citywide Guideline:

Use quality materials for the building

Materials and its open spaces.

Capitol Hill Supplemental Guidance

Streetscape Compatibility
■ Masonry and terra cotta are preferred building materials,
although other materials may be used in ways that are compati-
ble with these more traditional materials. The Broadway Market is
an example of a development that blends well with its surround-
ings and includes a mixture of materials, including masonry.

Exterior Finish Materials

■ Use wood shingles or board and batten siding on residential
High-quality materials and contextual design in structures.
new multifamily development.
■ Avoid wood or metal siding materials on commercial structures.
■ Provide operable windows, especially on storefronts.
■ Use materials that are consistent with the existing or intended
This example shows metal
neighborhood character, including brick, cast stone, architectural
used as an accent on the stone, terracotta details, and concrete that incorporates texture
exterior of the building, and color.
as part of a carefully
executed and balanced ■ Consider each building as a high-quality, longterm addition to the
facade. neighborhood; exterior design and materials should exhibit perma-
nence and quality appropriate to the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
■ The use of applied foam ornamentation and EIFS (Exterior
Insulation & Finish System) is discouraged, especially on ground
level locations.

Quality materials that express a long-term civic

investment to the neighborhood Signs can add creativity
and individual expression
to the streetscape.

DC4. Materials 11
Greenwood/Phinney Design Guidelines

An example of an appropriately-scaled, well-

detailed sign.

A regular cadence of display windows, shop

entrances and architectural details enhances the
pedestrian experience.

An example of a roof expressed in a visually interest-

ing manner and that complements the composition
of the building and the surrounding area.

DC4. Materials 12