Don Miles, Longtime Queen Anne Resident, Has Died
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A Champion of Public Spaces and Communities that
Reflect the Vision of Those Who Live and Work in Them
Transformative change begins with one person identifying a need, many people coming together to propose ideas and articulate a vision, and that special person to facilitate discussions and design the plan rooted in that vision.
Don was a principal at architectural and urban planning firm, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca (ZGF) when the PPQA Board met him in 2005. With funding from Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods, we hired ZGF to work with our neighborhood in crafting a vision for the streetscape (the public sidewalk space) of Queen Anne Ave N from Galer to McGraw. The outcome of the public meetings was the Queen Anne Avenue Streetscape Master Plan.
Over the years, Picture Perfect Queen Anne and our community have used this plan to transform the streetscape of Queen Anne Avenue from cracked and crumbling gray concrete and weeds to repaved sidewalks and colorful gardens.
Don’s fingerprints can be seen everywhere along Queen Anne Avenue:
- The plaza at the Towne Center with its bronze sculptures created by Georgia Gerber at Don’s request
- The Sweet Brier and Eden Hill developments that set aside public space and created amenities for the Queen Anne Farmers Market
- The gardens at Galer, Boston, and McGraw
- The street furniture and light standards
Don was involved in the writing of “The Upper Queen Anne Neighborhood Design Guidelines” that serve as a reference, along with the Streetscape Plan, for the West Design Review Board as they evaluate development projects proposed for our retail corridor.
In retirement, Don remained a tireless advocate for what he believed to be key to vibrant neighborhoods: pedestrian-and family-friendly public spaces and beautiful places that invited people to stop and mingle.
Don Miles died on December 2, 2021. He was 79 years old.
We will continue to carry his legacy forward.
The PPQA Board: Denny Bird, Laura Corvi, Kathy King, Judy
Massong, Ellen Monrad, Margaret Okamoto
