Street Level Activity in Pioneer Square

We love the sound of saws and hammers.

The build-out of Bar Sajor (pronounced SYE-your) is underway at the corner of Occidental and South Jackson on the mall. Matt Dillon, the James Beard award-winning chef of Sitka & Spruce and The Corson Building, is installing a wood-fired oven, grill, and rotisserie to prepare foods influenced by the flavors of North Africa, Portugal, and Spain. Bar Sajor will serve lunch and dinner.  There will be outdoor seating and a take-out window on Occidental Mall. Matt and his partners hope to be open by the end of November.

La Bodega, Manuel Alfau’s new sandwich shop at 100 Prefontaine, is also under construction.  Dominican-style sandwiches, featuring the coveted Puerco Asado con Repollo (roast pork), will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Mike Klotz and Derek Shankland, owners of Delicatus, are working on a new project a couple of blocks south of their restaurant.  The Kitchen by Delicatus will be a commissary kitchen and event space.  Plans are also underway for a winery, Sous Sol Winery, in the front part of that space.

And Gaba Sushi, off the Grand Central Arcade at 220 1st Avenue South, is getting close…

Keith Wilson and his wife, Megan Connors, plan to open the doors of Bon Voyage Vintage at 110 S. Washington later this month.  They may even be able to pull off a “soft opening” in time for October’s First Thursday.  Bon Voyage Vintage will feature retro clothing, house wares, records, and more.  They’ll also sell locally-made skateboards.  Keith said he helped set up Red Light on Broadway 15 years ago and has been eager to open his own shop.  The original plan was to go to San Francisco, but they fell in love with Pioneer Square.  Their vision is big and their energy infectious.

The historic Masin’s Building is a hub of activity as HUB Seattle, the Bainbridge Graduate Institute, and Social Venture Partners prepare to open the Center for Impact & Innovation.  The opening will be a big deal indeed.  Watch for details.

More deals are in the works.  Prospective restaurateurs and retail merchants continue to tour Pioneer Square, peek in windows, and inquire about available spaces in the neighborhood.  The signing of each new lease attracts more interest.  Bringing the right retail to Pioneer Square is a crucial piece of the neighborhood’s future.  Who would you love to see in the neighborhood?

Another source of interest came from the launch of Walk Score’s upgraded iPhone app and website.  Many of Pioneer Square’s “neighborhood gems” were posted during a “walkability audit” conducted by the International Sustainability Institute and Feet First.  Go ahead.  Check out Walk Score and post your favorite Pioneer Square places.

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement construction closures

Highlights for Friday, Sept. 27 – Monday, Oct. 8

Visit WSDOT’s website for a complete list of closures. Closure information changes frequently, so remember to check for updates throughout the week.

 

Corridor-wide:
Sunday, Sept. 30

  • Viaduct reinforcement work will close all lanes of southbound SR 99 between the north end of the Battery Street Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge from 9 p.m. Sunday through 5 a.m. Monday.

Saturday, Oct. 6, through Monday, Oct. 8

  • Semiannual viaduct inspection and maintenance work will close both directions of the Alaskan Way Viaduct from just north of the Battery Street Tunnel to the West Seattle Bridge around-the-clock from 6 a.m. Saturday through 4 p.m. Sunday.
  • SR 99 Aurora Bridge seismic retrofit work will reduce traffic across the bridge to one lane in each direction from 9 p.m. Friday through 2 p.m. Sunday. Beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, crews will open more lanes to accommodate traffic heading to and from the Sounders match at CenturyLink Field.

North:

Monday, Oct. 1 through Friday, Oct. 5

  • John Street will be closed between Sixth Avenue North and Taylor Avenue North from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  Additionally, flaggers will alternate traffic in the intersection of Sixth Avenue North and John Street.

Central:

Monday, Oct. 1, through Friday, Oct. 5

  • The southbound parking lane on Western Avenue between Marion and Columbia streets will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
  • The shared-use path under the viaduct will be reduced to 4-feet wide at Columbia Street from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Monday, Oct. 1, and Tuesday, Oct. 2

  • Crews will remove parking and/or close lanes on Columbia Street between Alaskan Way and Western avenues from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Crews will close the south parking lane on Yesler Way between Alaskan Way and Western Avenue from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Monday, Oct. 1, through Wednesday, Oct. 3

  • The left lane on Marion Street between Western and Post avenues will close from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly.

Thursday, Oct. 4

  • Crews will close the right lane on Marion Street from Alaskan Way to Western Avenue from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 4, and Friday, Oct. 5

  • Crews will close the left lane on Madison Street from First Avenue to Western Avenue from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Quick links:

Website links

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program

SR 99 Tunnel Project | South Holgate Street to South King Street Project

Update from WSDOT

Milepost 31 Speaker Series – Protecting structures along the SR 99 tunnel route

Safety is WSDOT’s number one priority on the SR 99 Tunnel Project. This includes protecting buildings, utilities and roadways above and near the tunnel route. Learn how advanced technology will allow WSDOT to keep a continuous eye on the ground around the tunnel before, during and after construction.

6 to 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 4

Milepost 31

211 First Ave. S., Seattle

Admission is free.

After the talk, be sure to leave enough time to explore the rest of the First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square. Milepost 31 is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and stays open until 8 p.m. on First Thursdays.

 

Tunneling toward a new SR 99 corridor

At 57.5 feet in diameter – roughly as tall as a five-story building – the SR 99 tunnel boring machine will be the world’s largest. Crews are currently assembling the machine in Japan. It will be tested, taken apart and barged to Seattle in more than 40 pieces, which will be reassembled in an 80-foot-deep launch pit to the west of Seattle’s stadiums. The first pieces of the machine will begin arriving early next year, and tunneling is scheduled to start next summer.

Curious how the tunnel boring machine will work? Check out the 10-foot-long, motorized scale model on display at Milepost 31 for an up-close look at the machine’s inner workings.