Happy New Year. Hope you had a lovely holiday season and are ready to get back to it.
The Alliance staff and boards are looking forward to a very busy year. In addition to our on-going work in neighborhood advocacy, marketing and promotion, and recruiting even more retail and restaurants we will be launching some additional initiatives.
We will be updating the neighborhood revitalization plan. The neighborhood has delivered on its revitalization commitments from the prior plan and an update will be a great way to take stock, inform and include more people in a vision and shared set of strategies for maintaining our momentum. We are committed to Pioneer Square being a fabulous neighborhood for everyone.
The newly expanded BIA has an interim board in place but that too will be expanding; ensuring inclusive and broad representation of our diverse businesses in Pioneer Square. We anticipate electing the permanent board during the 1st quarter of 2014. Please let me know if you would like to participate.
We will be adding new staff positions: 1) a person to do B2B outreach, specifically focused on the subsidized parking program and managing our parking supply to ensure parking for shoppers, diners, and clients and 2) a person to coordinate and communicate across the various construction projects in the neighborhood and take on the work of improving the pedestrian realm.
We anticipate continuing our critical work to improve street disorder and safety with the new administration, working towards humane solutions that work are critical to the future of Pioneer Square and all of downtown.
Stay tuned, there will be many opportunities to become informed and involved. Thanks for your support and see you in the neighborhood.
Leslie Smith
Executive Director