Living Sustainably on Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill

The value or “social capital” provided by neighborhood amenities such as parks, restaurants, schools, libraries, and public transportation all contribute to the community’s vitality, livability, and economy.

Queen Anne Hill is one of the most connected neighborhoods in Seattle. The pedestrian friendly sidewalk on the “Hill” provides an opportunity for daily enrichment through social interaction, goodwill, and provides a linkage that helps build strong community ties.

Another very important part of a strong community is the support the community offers to local business by buying their goods and services. According to the American Independent Business Alliance, when a consumer spends $100 at a locally owned business, $45 of it stays in the community. When that same $100 is spent at a national chain store, only $13 remains local.

These dollars that stay in the community, local businesses are, by far, the best supporters of community projects and nonprofits, help create jobs, and the businesses owners, because they live here, are more willing to give better customer service and add helps keep that unique feeling of place.

Green home builder Martha Rose, owner of Martha Rose Construction, embraces the concepts of pedestrian-centric design neighborhoods, where within a five-seven block radius residents can choose to leave their cars at home and walk, bike or utilize public transportation to reach business centers, schools, and parks.

During the building boom in Seattle from 2000-2006 builders like Rose were priced out of the Seattle market. Having to build further away from city centers gave Rose a greater appreciation of neighborhoods like Phinney Ridge, Freemont, Ballard and Queen Anne Hill home to their newest green built homes City Cabins.

Rose, unlike most builders, chooses to drive a Smart car instead of a pick-up truck embraces the new Queen Anne Hill location. “The neighborhood connectivity, along with eco-awareness of the residents was a real driver in selecting Queen Anne Hill as the site for City Cabins” mentions Rose.

City Cabins on Queen Anne Hill is now under construction and is scheduled to be completed in October/November of 2011. For more information contact Adrian Willanger 206 909-7536.