July 2017

Neighborhood News + Updates

July 2017

GLASS SIDEWALKS CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Thank you for helping us exceed our goal!

Our Indiegogo campaign to restore the prism glass sidewalks of Pioneer Square has been very successful. You helped us raise over $40,000 so far to help repair and replace these unique gems in our city landscape!

We’re so excited to have the opportunity to demonstrate to the business community and public how beautiful and special these features are to Pioneer Square. Our goal is to get more people on board with preserving these important aspects of our historic urban legacy for generations to come. Thank you for your support!

If you missed out on chipping in during the original campaign run, we’re excited to announce that you have a second chance to not only support this exciting project, but also snag Bruno Mars tickets as a thank you for donating! But don’t delay! This special extended campaign only goes through July 15th.

SEATTLE ART FAIR TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Enjoy special member discount!

Founded by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, Paul G. Allen, the Seattle Art Fair is a one-of-a-kind destination for the best in modern and contemporary art and a showcase of the vibrant arts community here in the Pacific Northwest. The fair brings together the region’s strong collector base; local, national, and international galleries; area museums and institutions; and an array of innovative public programming August 3-6 at the CenturyLink Field Event Center.

The Alliance for Pioneer Square is a proud Cultural Partner of the Seattle Art Fair and excited to offer our supporters a 20% discount on Seattle Art Fair tickets including single-day, three-day and Beneficiary Preview tickets. Purchase your tickets online* here:

*Discount is only redeemable online.

BUY TICKETS

 

For more information on the Seattle Art Fair visit them online at: www.seattleartfair.com
Or find them on social media @SeattleArtFair on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

PARKS & GATEWAYS OPEN HOUSE
Join us on Thursday, July 13th

Stop by and help drive design decisions for both a new Pioneer Park and King Street Station Plaza! This is an exciting opportunity to weigh in on how to reinvigorate these spaces and reconnect with what makes them so great.

  • When:    July 13th 4-6pm
  • Where:   King Street Station Plaza, 303 S Jackson Street

This open house is part of the Parks and Gateways Project, led by the Alliance for Pioneer Square. The goal is to create a full system of parks and public spaces that are inspiring, active, and inclusive for all.

Find Project Details Online Here

TOUR THE “TRAIL TO TREASURE” THIS SUMMER
Explore historic Pioneer Square

  • Where: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
  • When: 2pm Every Friday, Saturday, & Sunday through September

Pioneer Square is the historic birthplace of Seattle. We’re pleased to partner with the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park to offer summer tours along the “Trail to Treasure”. Join a guide or grab a map and get walking to learn more about the people who became local legends – some born and raised here, others who traveled from afar to settle in this historic neighborhood. You’ll also learn stories of the special places and events that helped shape the history and development of Pioneer Square, the city of Seattle and the greater Puget Sound region.

Find a Trail to Treasure walking map at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Milepost 31 visitor center, and the information booths at Occidental Square and Pioneer Square Park. Pick up a map and start your historical tour from any of these spots..

You’ll find Trail to Treasure exhibits along the sidewalks throughout Pioneer Square. These informational panels feature historical photos and facts that give pedestrians the opportunity to see the urban environment around them as it once was.

Whether you come across a wayside, take a summer tour, or start at the first point on the Trail to Treasure walking map, we’re excited to have you explore the history of the neighborhood and of Seattle!

Learn More

SEATTLE STREETCAR
Center City Connector updates

The Center City Connector is a segment of Seattle’s streetcar system that will link the South Lake Union and First Hill Streetcar lines through the Pioneer Square Neighborhood. Before the streetcar track construction can begin, several major utilities must be relocated and replaced along the future route. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is relocating segments of natural gas pipeline with crews currently working along S Jackson St. For more details and to view a project map, visit here.

To contact the project team:

Check out the construction folio for more details on the first phase of utility construction, focused in Pioneer Square.

Load Zones:
You might see crews in Pioneer Square marking new load zone locations. SDOT plans to replace all load zones one for one within 1 block of their current locations. The new load zone changes will take effect about a month before water and sewer main construction starts this fall.

If you live or work along the Center City Connector streetcar alignment and would like to schedule a briefing on the project for your group, email centercitystreetcar@seattle.gov.

More information about the project: www.seattlestreetcar.org/centercity.htm

STREETCAR CONSTRUCTION: CHANGES TO BUS SERVICE
Metro Bus Route 99 will move to 3rd Avenue

Metro Bus Route 99, which serves First Avenue in downtown Seattle, will move late this summer or early this fall when Seattle begins construction on First Avenue for the new Center City Connector Streetcar. Today, the route goes along First Avenue between Broad Street and S Jackson Street, and along S Jackson Street between First Avenue and I-5. In summer it runs seven days a week, all day long. The rest of the year it runs only during peak commute hours. When construction begins, Route 99 will move to Third Avenue (northbound) and Second Avenue (southbound).

Metro is reaching out to riders and stakeholders to provide feedback and share their ideas for future transit service in the area through an online survey, open through July 16.

COLMAN DOCK CONSTRUCTION
Learn about upcoming rider impacts

Later this summer, Washington State Ferries will start major construction on the Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock Project, replacing the old and seismically-vulnerable parts of their flagship ferry terminal on Seattle’s waterfront. The project is expected to continue through early 2023 and the terminal will remain open throughout construction. In preparation, crews are already completing some work on the dock, and vehicle access to Colman Dock has recently changed.

As part of the project, King County will build a new passenger-only terminal at Pier 50 on the south side of Colman Dock. In August, service for the King County Water Taxi will be suspended for up to 10 days while its ferry facility is moved to a temporary location on the north side of Colman Dock. The new facility will open on the south side of the dock in fall 2018.

The public can learn more about what to expect during construction, including specific changes to the WSF sailing schedule, via an online open house available through July 14. King County’s web page has more information about the passenger-only ferry closure, as well as up-to-date changes to the Water Taxi’s West Seattle sailing schedule.

Online open house:
ColmanDockProject.participate.online
Online open house through July 14

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Online: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/ferries/colmanmultimodalterminal
Email: ColmanDockProject@wsdot.wa.gov
Phone: 206-922-6267

COMMUTING IMPACTS FOR COLMAN DOCK CONSTRUCTION
Tips for managing your commute during the water taxi service suspension

In August, service for the King County Water Taxi will be suspended for up to 10 days while its ferry facility is moved to a temporary location on the north side of Colman Dock. Here’s some helpful info to make getting through the upcoming construction easier for water taxi riders.

Alternative transportation options to consider – While service is suspended in August, water taxi riders may be utilizing different forms of transit to get to and from the downtown core. Here are some other options to keep in mind:

  • Buses – Metro’s Rapid Ride C Line and routes 21, 37, 55, 56, 57, 120, and 125 connect West Seattle to downtown Seattle. Route 116 connects the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal to downtown Seattle.
  • Light rail – Metro Route 50 connects West Seattle to Link light rail at the Columbia City Station.
  • Ride sharing – Learn about Carpool, VanPool, and other ride-sharing options at kingcounty.gov/metro/rideshare or contact your employer.
  • Telecommuting and alternate work schedules – If your employer allows you to work from home or flex your schedule to avoid peak commute times, you can both bypass and help reduce crowding on buses while the Water Taxi is out of service.

Note – current bus riders in both downtown and West Seattle areas can expect to see heavier-than-usual passenger loads on trips to and from downtown during the service suspension.

Ongoing impacts to the water taxi schedule – The summer/fall West Seattle water taxi schedule will be shifting to help accommodate construction:

To stay up-to-date on the latest rider info around the service suspension, please visit King County Water Taxi online for service advisories, or follow the official Captain’s Blog, which provides news about the water taxis in general.

ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT REPLACEMENT PROJECT
First Thursday Speaker Series

First Thursday Speaker Series –
Trail to Treasure: Historic Walking Tour through Pioneer Square

Liz Stenning, Public Realm Director, the Alliance for Pioneer Square
Chris Gibbs, Park Ranger, Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park
6 – 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 6th
Milepost 31, 211 First Ave. S., Seattle
Admission is free.

Join Liz Stenning and Chris Gibbs as they discuss the history behind the Trail to Treasure walking tour and highlight a few of the more interesting historic aspects of the area. After a brief presentation at Milepost 31, Chris will lead a tour to a few of the nearby interpretive panels. Trail to Treasure is a collaborative project between the Alliance for Pioneer Square and the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Developed in 2008, the idea was to create an interpretive, historic trail through Pioneer Square to foster community and enrich the lives of residents and visitors.

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. With tunnel mining complete, this commitment has been fulfilled. The visitor center’s busy schedule of regular programming will continue through November, including the free Bike Above Bertha tours.

CONSTRUCTION ROUNDUP
Pioneer Square Impacts

 

For more detail on upcoming projects and events in the region see SDOT’s three week look ahead.

NEWS ROUNDUP
June press from the Square

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.