Demolition of the city block of Broadway between John and Denny is scheduled to begin on March 9, Sound Transit tell us. They also told us something about the project we hadn't thought to ask about earlier. After they tear down all the buildings, what will the area be like in the time between demolition and the start of construction on the station? The answer: one very large, 3-acre+ patch of asphalt.
The construction area will be capped with a layer of pavement to help control runoff and dust until station excavation begins sometime in 2010.
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Which leads to the next obvious question for a creative neighborhood like Capitol Hill Seattle?
What can the community do with 3 acres of asphalt?
Spokesperson Jeff Munnoch says Sound Transit is open to doing more than simply fencing the area off. One idea that has been discussed is the possiblity of the Three Dollar Bill Cinema summer series utilizing the large lot for its free movie screenings. But executive director Rachael Brister said it's too early to make any plans -- for one, Sound Transit doesn't know when the asphalt work will be complete.
So, for now, we get to play the 'what should we do game.' What's the best possible use for 3 acres of mostly flat asphalt (with a slight slope on the south end)?