Urban Lots

Over the past 50 years, the trend in city growth has been outward into the suburbs. Fueled by automobiles, suburban expansion has largely been a commuter proposition.

That tide, however, has changed. Within decades, it’s predicted that Seattle’s center city will produce 50,000 new jobs and more than 22,000 new housing units. The total regional growth target, according to the Puget Sound Regional Council, is 909,000 new residents between the years 2022 to 2025, with nearly 60 percent of that growth in cities.

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In many cities, and because of modernization, lofts are the design of choice for young professionals as well as for the newlyweds. They offer work-live spaces, which are generally multi-level. The first floor is often an open space that can be used as an office, warehouse or commercial place of business. The upper floors feature floor-to-ceiling glass windows — views are highly desirable — exposed ventilation and duct work, with fewer walls separating living spaces such as bedrooms, living rooms or kitchens. Where the baths gain space, kitchens often lose space, making the kitchen work area more compact and efficient. Appliances are smaller in dimensions. Many appliances blend with sleek European cabinets.