October 2017

Neighborhood News + Updates
October 2017

2017 Seattle Design Festival Icebox Challenge in Occidental Park

 

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).

  1. Easier online bag ordering form: www.wmnorthwest.com/caporder 
  2. 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:

Restaurant & Retail News:

Tech News:

Seattle Design Festival:

Other News:

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.