Developments with a skybridge or hallway connecting two homes have been popping up all over Seattle in recent years.
A skybridge connecting two homes in Seattle — one single-family home and one smaller attached accessory dwelling unit, or A.D.U.
By Jane C. Hu in the NYT – Photographs by Ruth Fremso – (Thanks to Tim B.)
A peculiar architectural feature has spread throughout Seattle. On a single lot, you’ll see three houses, one somewhat bigger than the others, and between the big one and a smaller one is a walkway. Sometimes it’s on the ground floor, and sometimes it’s through the air — in other words, a skybridge.
On paper, what you’re looking at is a single-family home and two accessory dwelling units, an arrangement locally known as a 3-pack. These compounds popped up after Seattle eased building restrictions on A.D.U.s in 2019, as part of the city’s efforts to increase housing density and drive down prices. A.D.U.s are built on land that would not otherwise be developed — often, what would be a house’s backyard — and tend to cost less than conventional single-family homes.
Before 2019, Seattle allowed only one A.D.U. per lot, and the owner of the main house had to live on site and provide an off-street parking spot for any new unit. Under those restrictions, most A.D.U.s were built by homeowners on their existing lots, for use as guesthouses, studios or offices. (continued on page 2 at website www.skyline725.com)