They were the trees that were supposed to survive, but now some are dead, others are gone, and more may be in trouble.
They were the trees that were supposed to survive, but now some are dead, others are gone, and more may be in trouble.
Last year, work began on two off-campus student housing projects near the University of Washington. Blakeley Village is at 4747 30th Ave NE and Laurel Village is located at 4200 Mary Gates Memorial Dr NE.
The university hired real estate developer Greystar to build the student housing.
Both sites had numerous established, mature trees before construction began.
Early in the process, Greystar representatives told community members that many of the trees would be retained and incorporated into the projects.
Despite that, plans did call for the removal of 76 trees at Blakeley Village and 90 at Laurel Village.
Grayson Badgley, who lives nearby, as well as other community members, said they were surprised when additional trees that had been slated for preservation were removed.
“This wasn't what was promised and on some level I do feel a little misled,” Badgley said. "It feels like every time we come back to this conversation there are more trees that are gone."
Among them was a large cottonwood along the eastern side of the Laurel Village property. The tree was supposed to be left in place but suffered root impacts associated with construction activity and was ultimately cut down.
About a dozen other large trees along the eastern side of the property had already been taken out to build a retaining wall. Neighbors said additional losses raise questions about the university's commitment to preserve trees while this project is underway.
Similar concerns have emerged at Blakeley Village, where several trees along the Burke-Gilman Trail are showing visible signs of stress.
Excavation work came right up to the edge of a number of trees, which now show signs of significant drying and canopy dieback. The trees are still standing, but their long-term survival is uncertain.
“They are making these retaining walls that are right up against the edge of the property that cut right into where the roots of the trees are,” Badgley said.
The university emphasized it is not managing construction but has remained in close contact with Greystar throughout the project. A UW spokesperson said the two housing projects have preserved more trees than originally planned.
"We understand that while site conditions and construction may require some reevaluation regarding individual trees, Greystar will try to preserve healthy trees and continue to follow tree protection requirements. The University will continue to monitor their efforts," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Greystar also said it has continued to look for opportunities to retain additional trees as construction moves forward.
"As a result of that ongoing work, we are preserving more trees than originally planned and more than required under the approved project plan. While individual trees may require reevaluation as site conditions change during construction, every effort is made to preserve healthy trees where feasible," Greystar said in a statement to KOMO News.
The developer said new trees will be planted for each one removed, with the goal of enhancing the overall canopy.
Tree preservation advocates, however, say replacing a mature tree with a young sapling does not immediately replace the environmental benefits that have been lost. It can take decades for them to develop into comparable canopy.
Neighbors point to benefits that include improved air quality, cooler summer temperatures, more walkable neighborhoods and better stormwater management.
Members of Tree Action Seattle who have inspected both construction sites said preserving a tree requires more than simply leaving its trunk standing while heavy equipment operates nearby.
Trees slated for preservation should be fenced off to create a barrier around the roots. That’s because excavation or soil compaction near roots can damage trees even when their trunks and branches are untouched and threaten their long-term survival.
Mulch and regular watering may also be necessary. Both housing projects have installed temporary irrigation systems.
At Laurel Village, however, the irrigation system was installed earlier this week, which tree advocates said came too late to prevent some of the impacts they have observed.
The controversy comes as UW seeks to significantly expand student housing at the two sites.
When construction is complete, Blakeley Village is expected to provide 1,000 student apartments. Laurel Village will have 320 apartments intended for students with families.
The projects also will include 43 apartments maintained as affordable units, while the Laurel Village childcare center will add capacity for 54 additional children.
A university spokesperson previously told KOMO News the projects are needed to give more students opportunities to live in housing they can afford amid Seattle's expensive rental market.
For neighbors and preservation advocates, however, the question is whether that new housing could have been built while doing more to ensure that mature trees identified for preservation actually survived the construction around them.
Tree Action Seattle said that since 2023, when city leaders revamped the tree protection ordinances, nearly 8,000 trees have been removed. Of those, more than 60% were healthy trees taken out to accommodate development, according to Tree Action Seattle.
