City of Renton wins two Governor’s Smart Communities Awards

Announced on Nov. 1, the city won for the South Lake Washington Revitalization project and for the Family First Community Center.

By Bailey Josie • November 9, 2023 1:30 am
Courtesy of City of Renton.
Courtesy of City of Renton.

Renton has won two Washington state Governor’s Smart Communities Awards: the Smart Planning Legacy award and the Judges Merit Award.

The Smart Planning Legacy award recognizes long-term community planning, visioning, policies and programs that have taken 25 years or more to accomplish. Renton won in this category for the South Lake Washington Revitalization project, which required Renton to adopt several ordinances and amendments to its comprehensive plan.

In collaboration with Boeing, a former airplane-manufacturing site was transformed into a mixed-use retail center, known as The Landing. The project was “designed to complement adjacent uses, the project took more than 20 years and redefined a waterfront area for the Renton community, with public investment create the bridge for private development.”

The Judges Merit Award is given to cities in recognition of success in more than one judged category. The City of Renton has recieved this award for the Family First Community Center. From the Governor’s Smart Communities Awards statement:“The Family First Community Center (FFCC) represents a strong partnership that led to an amazing community center seamlessly designed to fit in with the surrounding neighborhood. A part of several plans including the [2015] Renton comprehensive plan, the FFCC provides recreation, education, community gathering spaces and medical support for an underserved community. Originally a partnership award, this project combined the efforts of the Renton School District, the Family First Community Center Foundation, HealthPoint and the City of Renton.”

Since the Governor’s Smart Communities Award launched in 2006, Renton has won awards for the City Center Community Plan and its 20-year Parks Plan in 2012, the Sunset Area Community Plan in 2013, the Meadow Crest Early Learning Center and Meadow Crest Accessible Playground in 2014, the Kirkland Avenue Townhomes in 2015, the Downtown Renton Library in 2016, the Galvanizing Art Project in 2017, the Sartori Elementary School in 2018, the Willowcrest Townhomes in 2021 and last year for the city’s Rainier/Grady Junction Tranist-Oriented Development Subarea Plan.