The density of 8.5 units per acre is never felt because the site plan places the double car garages and guest parking off the street in the rear of the clustered four-plex homes. Each home appears totally detached and features welcoming front porches facing the street. Further softening the density is the variety of style including Cape Cod, Tudor Bungalow and Craftsman. Heritage Court on Cougar Mountain, an attached neighborhood of duplexes in Bellevue, uses architectural context to mask its density. On Malden Avenue, a block off the 15th Avenue commercial district, in the heart of Seattle's Capitol Hill, The Threshold Housing Partnership has built 10 new homes that appear to passersby to be two lovely old homes typical of the neighborhood.
Most units have small private gardens or porches.
All units share a generous off-street deck area for neighborly gatherings or quiet private activities. As illustrated by these projects, innovative site planning, careful attention to architectural character and detail, and new design concepts are the tools being used by architects and builders to serve the new housing needs of Seattle area home buyers.