Woodinville 2035 Visioning Project
Molbak’s Garden + Home together with University of Washington Green Futures Lab (GFL)

The objective of the project was to understand the needs of the Woodinville community at large and create a 20-year vision for the Town Center. Building on previous Downtown and Little Bear Creek Corridor Master Plans (2004, 2008) and proposed Comprehensive Plan Updates (2016), the Woodinville Vision 2035 project seeks to explore opportunities for a vital, walkable, sustainable city center.

Re-development Project Scope

Located at the center of the town of Woodinville, adjacent to new residential growth, the current site of Molbak’s Garden + Home Center (Molbak's) provides the possibility for a new locus of urban growth and civic identity. The current use as a single-purpose garden center does not fulfill the site’s economic or civic potential. A first step in determining the future of the site is to envision a range of possibilities that take into consideration the people and the place of Woodinville. Therefore, at the request of Jens Molbak, an interdisciplinary team of University of Washington graduate students were employed by the UW Green Futures Research and Design Lab, under the guidance of Nancy Rottle, FASLA, and Julie Kriegh, AIA, to develop background materials, provide leadership in a collaborative visioning process, and to refine ideas into distinct alternatives for consideration.

Redevelopment Catalyst and Spark

Molbak’s Garden + Home has been part of the Woodinville community for nearly 60 years. During this time, the area surrounding Molbak’s has developed and changed substantially. At this time, the physical infrastructure of the store is aging and significant re-investment will be needed for the future. The company would like to make this investment as part of a thoughtful master plan for the site and downtown district. Like many eastside communities, Woodinville’s population is expected to grow significantly over the next 20 years. Thoughtful planning is necessary to enhance, protect, and preserve the unique qualities of this rural area while accommodating new residences, businesses, and services. Cities like Woodinville have an opportunity to evolve into sustainable urban villages, designed to create vibrant, pedestrian friendly, town centers for its citizens as well as leverage the best sustainable development practices to create thriving natural and built environments.

Responses for alternatives (Source: UW -Envisioning a World-Class Town Center)