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Real estate professionals and others interested in monitoring what’s being built in Seattle neighborhoods can access two new tools: Shaping Seattle: Buildings and Seattle in Progress.
“Shaping Seattle,” released by the City of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development, allows users to click on various points on a mobile-friendly map to see details and renderings of major projects under development around the city. Users can view/download each project’s design specifics, illustrations, permit statuses and schedule of upcoming community meetings. The interactive site also invites comments.
The city’s site follows last fall’s unveiling of a desktop and mobile web app called “Seattle in Progress.” It’s the creation of Ethan Phelps-Goodman, who describes himself as a software developer, data scientist and civic organizer.
In announcing his creation, Phelps-Goodman said he is motivated by his belief that technologists need to play a more conscious role in shaping the cities in which they live. His tool is intended to “inform and engage residents in local land use and building design decisions.” To accomplish that goal, he partners with businesses, non-profits and policy makers “to create technology that matters to Seattle.”
In comparing the two tracking tools, GeekWire co-founder and editor Todd Bishop said an advantage of Seattle in Progress is that it is designed for mobile use, using location-based technologies and a lightweight image viewer. People can “easily see and view project documents on their phones when they’re walking around a neighborhood and find themselves wondering what’s going up on a specific block.” More.
