Lieser School Redevelopment
Community engagement and site plan development
In January 2022, the Vancouver Housing Authority purchased three parcels of land in the Vancouver Heights neighborhood and planned the deconstruction and removal of the former Lieser School building to create a mix of neighborhood-serving uses, including:
Much-needed affordable housing for people who work in Vancouver
Childcare, preschool, and social services for Vancouver families
A new, seismically-safe fire station
An improved park that will continue to provide connection and recreation for neighbors
Salazar Architect was hired to facilitate a community engagement process that collected input from the surrounding neighborhood and other stakeholders and to develop a proposed site plan based on the feedback we heard from the community.
This first phase of community engagement consisted of neighborhood meetings, focus groups, pop-up events, and an open house to help inform zoning changes required by the uses proposed on the former school site. During these events, project partners connected with neighbors and community groups to provide information about the proposed development, gather feedback on their concerns, and identify opportunities for the project design.
Through this community engagement work, we identified several top concerns from the surrounding community. Neighbors wanted to preserve as much open space as possible in the plans, as the current space is a valued amenity. They were concerned about noise from the new fire station, as well as pedestrian safety on Lieser Road. Interestingly, the interactions we had with neighbors that were less enthused about the idea still gave us the impression that they appreciated the opportunity to share their feedback and that they were accepting, if not enthusiastic, about the proposed redevelopment.
Salazar Architect is providing community engagement, site feasibility, and urban design services.
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Client: Vancouver Housing Authority
