ReDiscover Downtown

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A place for everyone, in the heart of it all

Downtown Kent is the heart of our community. It is also one of the Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) designated Regional Growth Centers (RGC), an area that should include a substantial number of businesses, governmental and cultural facilities, transportation connections, and residential development. Regional Growth Centers are areas where a dense mix of land uses make room for future growth, supported by a transportation network that is highly walkable and connected to transit.

The ReDiscover Downtown Plan is a roadmap for creating a safe, vibrant, mixed-use urban center — a cultural and economic hub for all of Kent. The Plan will create opportunities for infill and redevelopment compatible with the community's economic, environmental, transit, and other planning goals through short- and long-term strategies that meet regional requirements and encourage the kinds of development envisioned by the Kent community over the next 20 years.

Why Plan for Downtown?

Kent’s Downtown Plan was last updated over a decade ago. During this time, much has changed in Kent and across the region, so it is time to revisit the long-term vision of Downtown. New plans like the Kent Housing Options Plan, the Meet me on Meeker Street Corridor Plan, and the 2044 Comprehensive Plan have sparked some significant changes Downtown. And, new State and regional requirements also require a fresh look at our Downtown as an RGC and how it will evolve over time.

PSRC reviews local center and subarea plans, like our Downtown Plan, to ensure that they align with the statewide Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements for subarea planning, VISION 2050 regional goals, Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), and the PSRC VISION 2050 Regional Centers Framework.

The ReDiscover Downtown Plan is developing quickly. New information will be posted on a regular basis.

Planning Context

Downtown Kent epitomizes the unique values that make up Kent today. Historic Downtown supports many beloved restaurants, ethnic businesses, and memories. Newer commercial areas like Kent Station are popular retail and entertainment destinations. Development along Meeker Street has added needed housing, and major events at the ShoWare Center continue to attract regional visitors. Downtown Kent also provides important gathering places, like the library, Kent Commons, and Kherson Park. These are all essential components of an active and inclusive community that supports and celebrates the vitality of our Downtown!

The ReDiscover Downtown Study Area consists of the designated RGC boundary, along with some of the surrounding blocks that help form the fabric connecting the downtown to neighboring parts of the city, extending from Kennebeck Ave S to 64 Ave S (crossing over State Route 167).







A place for everyone, in the heart of it all

Downtown Kent is the heart of our community. It is also one of the Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) designated Regional Growth Centers (RGC), an area that should include a substantial number of businesses, governmental and cultural facilities, transportation connections, and residential development. Regional Growth Centers are areas where a dense mix of land uses make room for future growth, supported by a transportation network that is highly walkable and connected to transit.

The ReDiscover Downtown Plan is a roadmap for creating a safe, vibrant, mixed-use urban center — a cultural and economic hub for all of Kent. The Plan will create opportunities for infill and redevelopment compatible with the community's economic, environmental, transit, and other planning goals through short- and long-term strategies that meet regional requirements and encourage the kinds of development envisioned by the Kent community over the next 20 years.

Why Plan for Downtown?

Kent’s Downtown Plan was last updated over a decade ago. During this time, much has changed in Kent and across the region, so it is time to revisit the long-term vision of Downtown. New plans like the Kent Housing Options Plan, the Meet me on Meeker Street Corridor Plan, and the 2044 Comprehensive Plan have sparked some significant changes Downtown. And, new State and regional requirements also require a fresh look at our Downtown as an RGC and how it will evolve over time.

PSRC reviews local center and subarea plans, like our Downtown Plan, to ensure that they align with the statewide Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements for subarea planning, VISION 2050 regional goals, Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), and the PSRC VISION 2050 Regional Centers Framework.

The ReDiscover Downtown Plan is developing quickly. New information will be posted on a regular basis.

Planning Context

Downtown Kent epitomizes the unique values that make up Kent today. Historic Downtown supports many beloved restaurants, ethnic businesses, and memories. Newer commercial areas like Kent Station are popular retail and entertainment destinations. Development along Meeker Street has added needed housing, and major events at the ShoWare Center continue to attract regional visitors. Downtown Kent also provides important gathering places, like the library, Kent Commons, and Kherson Park. These are all essential components of an active and inclusive community that supports and celebrates the vitality of our Downtown!

The ReDiscover Downtown Study Area consists of the designated RGC boundary, along with some of the surrounding blocks that help form the fabric connecting the downtown to neighboring parts of the city, extending from Kennebeck Ave S to 64 Ave S (crossing over State Route 167).







Page last updated: 14 May 2025, 04:45 PM