Neighborhood News + Updates
October 2017

SAVE THE DATE! UPSTREAM AND ART FAIR
2018 dates have been set
Recently, the 2018 dates for both the Upstream Music Fest + Summit and the Seattle Art Fair were announced. We’re getting these on our calendars and wanted to share these importants dates with you as well:
- Upstream – June 1-3 (Friday, Saturday, & Sunday), 2018
- Art Fair – August 2-5 (Thursday – Sunday), 2018
Pioneer Square is home to both of these large scale cultural events, and we’re excited to see what next year has in store. Stay tuned!
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION PARKS SURVEY
Share your feedback on Occidental Square park
Do you visit Occidental Square?
Have you noticed changes in recent months?
Do you have two minutes to give some feedback?
The Downtown Seattle Association, along with the Alliance for Pioneer Square, is working to develop Occidental Square park into fun and safe urban gathering spot.
Through an agreement with the City of Seattle, DSA has managed both Westlake Park and Occidental Square since the summer of 2015. They’ve brought in concerts, furniture, games, art, food trucks, and recreation for both kids and adults. They’ve also focused on increasing park staff and security.
As DSA wraps up their third summer of management, they would like to hear from you. What’s working in the parks and what isn’t? Is there anything specific you want to see added?
Take their survey and tell them! Your feedback will inform future programming and help DSA to create a healthy, vibrant downtown, and you could win a $30 gift card to Caffè Umbria!
The survey closed on Friday, Oct. 6th at 4pm.
YESLER BRIDGE REOPENING EVENT
Celebrate the restoration of an important feature in Pioneer Square
DATE: Tuesday, October 10, 2017
TIME: 11am – 12pm
LOCATION: Yesler Bridge deck
Join the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) as they celebrate the reopening of the historic Yesler Bridge. Since last spring, SDOT has been working to rehabilitate this important feature in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. Built in 1910, the bridge is one of the oldest permanent steel roadway bridges in the City of Seattle. SDOT’s work focused on improving safety and reliability while preserving the bridge’s historical elements.
Event attendees will access the bridge from Dilling Way. A limited number of parking spaces will be available on Dilling Way, but attendees are encouraged to take advantage of public transit options.
UPDATES TO THE SEATTLE CLEAR ALLEYS PROGRAM (CAP)
Announcing two new improvements for Pioneer Square
Waste Management has recently implemented two new improvements to their customer service approach for Pioneer Square residents and businesses participating in the Clear Alleys Program (CAP).
- Easier online bag ordering form: www.wmnorthwest.com/caporder
- Effective October 2, there will be a Seattle-based customer service team specifically for Clear Alley Program (CAP) customers. To set up a CAP bag account or to order bags, please contact: 1-800-963-4050.
LEARN MORE |
SPD SAFE PLACE INITIATIVE
Building community to make our neighborhood safer
In May of 2015, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) launched their Safe Place initiative to better assist the victims of anti-LGBTQ crimes. The first of its kind, the Safe Place program sought to enhance the collaboration between the business community, social organizations, and SPD to directly address community safety in a more robust and neighborhood-driven way. This program empowers businesses and organizations to provide safe and secure places for victims of anti-LGBTQ related crimes and harassment. This Seattle-designed concept is now being adopted by police agencies throughout the U.S. and Canada due to its success.
Participating locations can be identified by the Safe Place decal or poster, usually displayed near the location entrance. Anyone in need of help, not just those of the LGBTQ community, can enter these locations and receive assistance in calling 911, while also having a safe place to wait so that police can respond. Making sure victims feel secure while having a chance to file a report is essential for holding suspects accountable and reducing hate crimes and harassment in general.
In order to participate as a Safe Place location, businesses and organizations can register for free by contacting the Community Police Team at SPD. Each participating location agrees to post the Safe Place logo somewhere prominently, call 911 immediately when the victim of any crime enters the premise, and allow the victim to wait inside the premise until the police arrive. It’s that simple. By participating, local businesses and organizations can visibly show their commitment to improving the safety of our neighborhoods.
To participate in Pioneer Square, please contact:
Ofc. Carry Godeke
Community Police Team
West Precinct
206.615.0421
carry.godeke@seattle.gov
CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR UPDATE
Information from the City Connector project team
SDOT has some updates to share about the City Connector Streetcar project:
Utility construction starting soon!
Earlier this month, you may have seen our outreach team as we went door-to-door in Pioneer Square on 1st Ave and side streets. We collected information from about 170 businesses and shared that utility construction will be starting soon. If we missed you, and there’s something you’d like us to be aware of before construction starts, feel free to email us.
In mid-October, we expect the construction contractor to begin utility locating work along S Jackson St and 1st Ave. This will involve the use of large equipment to drill and dig in the street to confirm the location of utilities. We’ll share more details as we have them. When construction is underway, we’ll distribute these email updates weekly instead of monthly.
Thank you to everyone who attended our drop-in session!
On September 12, we hosted a construction drop-in session so people could meet the construction contractor and City staff and to learn about upcoming utility construction in Pioneer Square. If you couldn’t make it, you can view the display boards, construction notice, and other materials on our website.
We’ll host a drop-in session for businesses and residents north of Madison St in early 2018. We’ll let you know the date as soon as it’s scheduled.
Contact the project team at centercitystreetcar@seattle.gov or by calling (206) 400-7578.
For more information about the project: www.seattlestreetcar.org/centercity.htm
RESERVATIONS FOR HOLIDAY CEDAR GARLANDS
A Pioneer Square tradition …for 35 years!
It’s that time of year again! Pioneer Square businesses can now sign up to have fresh cedar garlands and custom handmade red mylar bows installed on their buildings and storefronts for the holiday season. A Pioneer Square tradition, these classic decorations create a festive mood that attracts visitors and customers to the neighborhood.
City Planters has mailed reservation requests to all previously participating business and property managers. They are also available to measure storefronts and create individual cost estimates on request. Please email City Planters at marshall@cityplantersseattle.com to set up a meeting time.
All regular reservations must be received by October 15th to participate.
Installation will begin on Thursday, November 23rd (Thanksgiving Day).
ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT REPLACEMENT PROJECT
First Thursday Speaker Series
First Thursday Speaker Series:
Pioneer Square’s Grunge music scene
Rich Jensen, Grunge, Highways & Doom: Cabin Games co-founder
6 – 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 5
Milepost 31, 211 First Ave. S., Seattle
Admission is free.
Rich Jensen is a songwriter and entrepreneur who ran Sub Pop Records during the Grunge era, performed at Hugo Piottin’s all-ages Metropolis club (207 Second Ave S.) in 1984, and attended the first public performance of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (OK Hotel, 212 Alaskan Way S). The Grunge, Highways & Doom: Cabin Games co-founder will reflect on events in Pioneer Square and the music underground in the 1980s and ’90s.
As a reminder, after a successful six year run, Milepost 31 will be closing its doors in late November 2017. Milepost 31 was created to meet WSDOT’s commitments under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires agencies to take into account the effects of their projects on historic properties and neighborhoods, such as the Pioneer Square Historic District.
CONSTRUCTION ROUNDUP
Pioneer Square Impacts
Center City Connector Project (Overview)
Center City Connector Project (PSE phase)
Western Ave Roadway Restoration
Yesler Bridge Replacement
Seattle City Light Upgrade 1st & Jackson
Seattle City Light Upgrade at 1st & Main
Seattle City Light Upgrade at Alaskan Way & Washington
Central Waterfront Transmission Line Relocation
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project
450 Alaskan Way
Gridiron Condos
255 S King Street
For more detail on upcoming projects and events in the region see SDOT’s three week look ahead.
NEWS ROUNDUP
September press from the Square
Arts & Culture News:
- The Best Art Shows in Seattle This Fall (The Stranger)
- ‘Fumetti for the Mothership’ Is a Book, an Art Installation, and a Friendship (Seattle Weekly)
- Seattle visual artists paint an ambivalent picture of the future – but are determined to survive (Seattle Times)
- First Thursday Guide for Oct. 5, 2017 (Real Change)
- Photographer Arlene Mejorado Gives the Camera the Angeleno Aesthetic (LA Weekly)
Restaurant & Retail News:
- These Are the Best Restaurants in Seattle That Keep Us Coming Back (Seattle Magazine)
- Here Are the Winners of Our Best Restaurants Readers’ Choice Poll (Seattle Magazine)
- The Hottest Happy Hours in Seattle Right Now, September 2017 (Eater)
- Hottest Restaurants in Seattle (Zagat)
- #WhatsTrending: Smartphone lenses, Four Seasons, and Copal (King 5)
- Seattle Mystery Bookshop Will Close At the End of September (The Stranger)
- Death of another Seattle bookstore is not a mystery (KUOW)
- Eating around Emerald City: Where to dine in Seattle (Austin American Statesman)
- Fresh tortillas make all the difference: Here’s where to find the best (Seattle Times)
Tech News:
- Forget fantasy football: This new esports startup backed by NFL team owner Paul Allen pits fans against each other (GeekWire)
- Russell Wilson’s New Social Media Startup Is for Celebrities and Super-Fans (Fortune)
- TraceMe Raises $9M in Series A Funding (Finsmes)
- Seattle-based Vermouth app thinks your friends give the best reviews (Q13 Fox)
Seattle Design Festival:
- “Mighty House” is a do-it-yourself design to shelter the homeless (Seattle Times)
- The 2017 Seattle Design Festival explores power (Curbed)
- In Light of the Election, Seattle Design Fest Is Questioning the Idea of Power (Seattle Weekly)
- Seattle Design Nerds are making the city a little more awesome (Evening Magazine)
- Ice Box Challenge showcases Passive House standards (Curbed)
Other News:
- Stay a while in Seattle, the USA (Femina)
- Historic Moses Building for sale in Pioneer Square (Curbed)
- Jamie Ford’s latest novel, ‘Love and Other Consolation Prizes,’ sets an immigration tale against the backdrop of Seattle’s two world’s fairs (The Spokesman’s Review)
- It’s Park(ing) Day this Friday in Seattle (Curbed)
- Sounder train will make weekend trips for Seahawks games (Curbed)
- GeekWire’s Great Race: We pitted cars, bus, bike and skateboard at rush hour, with a surprising result (GeekWire)
- Looking back on Seattle streetcars and trolleys (Curbed)
- Seattle growth brings hits, misses for comedy clubs (Seattle Times)
- Seattle to spend $177M on new streetcar line amid questions about ‘unrealistic’ revenue, rider projections (Seattle Times)
- Out and about in four Seattle neighbourhoods (The Province)
- You don’t know Seattle until you see these gritty scenes (KUOW)
FIND IT, FIX IT!
Have you seen an issue in the neighborhood, but didn’t know how to report it to get it taken care of? ” Find It, Fix It” is a smartphone app offering mobile users one more way to report selected issues to the City of Seattle. Reporting an issue is as easy as snapping a photo with your smartphone, adding detailed information, and hitting submit. Help us keep our neighborhood a clean and well maintained. Be on the look out to report graffiti, potholes,street lights out, abandoned cars and other issues through the Find it, Fix it app, online or call 206-684-7587. If graffiti shows up on your property, make a police report by calling 206-625-5011.