Best Neighborhoods 2009: A Parking Lot Transformed

Northgate’s new urban village encourages a pedestrian lifestyle

A portion of Thornton Creek, which for five decades ran underground, is once again flowing freely in a channel exposed to sun and sky. It’s the environmental centerpiece of Thornton Place at Northgate, which has transformed 5 acres of land long covered by an asphalt parking lot into a new mixed-use development.

The creek was sent underground back in the 1950s, and restored recently through a joint effort between the neighborhood, the city and Thornton Place developers Stellar Holdings and Lorig Associates. Stephen Holt, a principal with Lorig, expects that the property—which includes 109 condos, 278 apartments and a 143-unit retirement community (under separate ownership)—will soon be filled with residents strolling along its winding paths, stopping for dinner at one of several restaurants, taking in a movie at the 14-screen theater and perhaps catching a bus at the adjacent Metro park-and-ride for a trip downtown.

With multi-use developments springing up in almost every corner of the city, Thornton Creek distinguishes itself with its size (it’s one of the largest), price point (condos from $279,500) and unusual features, such as 12 live-work lofts and incentives (bus passes, bike amenities and a transit coordinator on-site) that encourage a pedestrian-oriented lifestyle. It’s also part of the LEED-ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development) pilot program—which means it’s not just the housing that’s built to LEED standards; the entire community is focused on being green.

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