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Business & Community Development Update – April 2014

I don’t have much to add since last week’s blog, but I’d like to mention briefly a couple of opportunities that remind me why Pioneer Square is such an extraordinary neighborhood:

The Spring Clean on Saturday, April 19 is an opportunity for everyone to roll up their sleeves to work side-by-side to make our neighborhood shine. Business owners, property owners, people who work in the neighborhood, people who live in the neighborhood, and people who love the neighborhood all have a vested interest in Pioneer Square. Behind-the-scenes planning has been underway for weeks so the event will be organized. We’ll accomplish a great deal in a short period of time. It’s going to make you feel great about being part of Pioneer Square AND you’ll get a great t-shirt. Sign up here.

4Culture’s annual LANDMARKS CAPITAL application period is now open. The deadline for submittal of online applications is Wednesday, May 14. Owners or long-term tenants of individual Seattle landmarks and contributing buildings in landmark districts are eligible to apply. Any type of ownership, whether private, public, or non-profit, qualifies. The funding range this year remains at $3,000 to $30,000. There is no longer a cash match requirement, although some level of owner cost share is encouraged. Grants are reimbursable, and work items completed prior to award notification are not eligible costs. Please help us spread the word. Landmarks Capital Applications are due May 14. For more information, contact Flo Lentz at 4Culture.

KAREN TRUE

Director of Business Development

ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE

All of the Above: What’s Behind the Revitalization of PSQ

I’m the first to say that I’ve got the best gig in town.

People seem most intrigued by the “retail recruitment” aspect of my work for good reason. What’s not to like about being the neighborhood matchmaker? I get to connect brilliant retail and restaurant businesses with fabulous spaces in our beautiful historic district. Beat that.

It’s not about filling vacant street level spaces with whomever is ready to sign a lease. Far from it. It’s about finding those quality, intriguing, and relevant retail businesses that will make Pioneer Square an even better place to live, work, and visit. The recruitment strategy developed in 2012 with the help of community stakeholders suggested guidelines for a particular mix of restaurants, retail, and services. It also recommended leading the recruitment effort with food. 26 new storefront businesses opened in Pioneer Square in 2013, 15 of them restaurants. More are scheduled to open in this summer. Not a bad start, right?

What kinds of retail businesses are great candidates? Sometimes it’s an existing business ready to expand or try a new concept. Other times it’s a new venture that’s been the dream of someone working behind the lines for someone else. Sometimes it’s someone I’ve personally invited to take a walk around the neighborhood. Others find their way here all on their own. My goal is to generate a buzz about all that’s happening in our business district. When creative entrepreneurs are ready to “set up shop”, we want them to think about Pioneer Square. Regardless of how they get here, my job is then to help new businesses understand the vision of the neighborhood, help navigate the waters of administrative permits and approvals, connect them to whatever resources might be useful, introduce them to other businesses, and help them spread the word.

As the story of Pioneer Square’s revitalization gets more attention, I’m often asked “what was the real turning point?” Was it the restaurants? The apartments at Stadium Place? The tech companies? The King Street Station renovation? The streetcar? The waterfront? The stadiums? The ….?

Of course, you know the answer. It’s all of the above. And it takes time. Stadium Place, for example, was over ten years in the making. No one program, including the retail recruitment and business development program that fills my days, stands alone. If the Alliance for Pioneer Square hadn’t partnered with so many community stakeholders to weave a sustainable infrastructure based on a comprehensive neighborhood plan, the changes we’re buzzing about wouldn’t stand a chance.

For instance, if it hadn’t been for those long-fought battles:

The streetcar route would have ended in the Chinatown/International District.
Metered parking would still go until 8:00 PM.
After losing those hundreds of parking spaces under the viaduct, there would have been no mitigation dollars to subsidize short-term parking in four neighborhood garages to be cheaper than street parking – and fund free parking for First Thursday.
There’d be no marketing of the neighborhood. (Think maps, social media, and those awesome bus ads!)
There would be no advocate at the table to make certain our interests are represented in talks about the waterfront, street civility, transportation and public transit, parks, historic preservation, stadiums, housing, etc.

We’re not done. Not even close. We’ll continue to move things forward, welcoming all who care about the future of Pioneer Square to be part of the effort. I’ll continue to watch for cool retail to complement the anchors who have been here for decades, as well as the newest kids on the block.

I welcome all ideas and suggestions about possible retailers – or other kinds of cool uses – that you think might add to the magic of Pioneer Square. What have you seen in another neighborhood or what did you see during that trip to Florence, Prague, or Nashville that would be perfect here? I want to know. The coffee’s on me.

Oh, and be sure to sign up here to join me at the neighborhood Spring Clean on April 19.

KAREN TRUE

Director of Business Development

ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE

Community & Business Development Update – March 2014

Just sayin’…

Last week we heard from folks around the ‘hood who were thrilled to hear about Good Bar, the new venture by the owners of Marination Station, coming soon to the Pacific Commercial Building. We couldn’t be more excited and can’t wait to see that corner of the neighborhood come to life! (However, may we point out that we already announced Good Bar in last month’s newsletter? Our feelings are a little hurt, loyal readers.)

The newest London Plane is open and it’s a stunner. (Check out these pictures from a recent Eater post.) The food is, as you would expect, extraordinary. The retail side of things is a truly beautiful experience. And the flowers…….oh, the flowers…..

More BIG news and collaborations at Stadium Place… Cone & Steiner announced that they are opening a neighborhood market! Partners Josh Henderson (owner of Skillet & Quality Athletics), Dani Cone (owner of Fuel Coffee and High 5 Pie), and Retrofit Home owners Jon Milazzo and Lori Pomeranz plan to open their doors this fall. (Read more here.) As if that wasn’t enough great news on S King Street, Jon and Lori announced that they will also be opening a Retrofit Home! Residents at The Nolo must be doing the happy dance, but this is great news for the entire neighborhood.

Reports from the Laika Lounge (co-branded with Trabant Coffee) grand opening last weekend were glowing. Though you may have missed that party, you can still get in on Chef Joseph Bollag’s special pre fixe Russian menu to be offered on March 15-16. Or just stop by after work to introduce yourself to Tatiana and the gang. Tatiana shared a little more about their vision. “Trabant is still in the same place; this is just an evolution. In addition to our menu of coffee, chai, and other beverages, we’ve added a fresh, local approach to Russian food and craft cocktails, making us more of a European style cafe. We’ve branded the food and cocktails side Laika Lounge. Trabant means ‘satellite’ in German and Laika (a Russian dog) was the first space traveler, so they fit hand in hand.”

Finally, we can announce that Damn the Weather will be opening in the space next to the New Orleans Creole Restaurant. Pioneer Square resident, Bryn Lumsden, has been working to make this place a reality for a long time. The paper should be off the windows for both places this spring. Work is also underway at the future Taylor Shellfish and Intermezzo. But you already knew about those, right?

The days are longer and warmer. Get out there and see what’s happening in your neighborhood!

Karen True

Alliance for Pioneer Square

Business Development Director