One of the fastest developing neighborhoods is Northgate, located just north of Green Lake and slightly east of I-5. In fact, it’s name comes from the first covered shopping mall in the U.S. Northgate Station is filled with national brands you know and love. The area is a mix of condos, townhomes and single-family homes, all within walking distance of great shopping and community activities. Another bonus of Northgate: easy access to the new Sound Transit light rail station will take you wherever you need to go to Seattle, especially the University of Washington and SeaTac International Airport. The Northgate area has been subject to a large amount of residential and commercial development in the last few years, and many huge projects are underway. The height limits in the area have been increased to 85 feet to allow for further population growth. In 2009 the Northgate Mall was remodeled and added several more retail shops. In 2006, a new park, library, and community center opened in the Northgate neighborhood across 5th Ave NE from Northgate Mall. These are part of the city’s plan to accelerate development in the area. While there is much commerce in the area, hotel development has been limited with only the Hotel Nexus, previously a Ramada Inn, being the only upscale hotel in the area. The many motels on Aurora Avenue are further northwest than the Northgate neighborhood.