Seattle sports palaces, from the viaduct (photo by Alan Lande)
Downtown
Over the past decade, Seattle's downtown has seen a rush of new development, and many new residents. That's all part of the city's plan for a Livable Downtown. But many critics worry that the proliferation of luxury high rise condos and hotels is creating a city for the rich, leaving no room for a diverse, working class. In this five part series, KUOW's Marcie Sillman examines the history of Seattle's downtown, and its evolution from a frontier town into a 21st century metropolis.
Written and produced by Marcie Sillman. The series was edited by Steve Scher.
I. The First Downtown
Smith Tower (photo by Marcie Sillman)
In the mid 19th century, Seattle's white pioneers set up their first major settlement in the area we now call Pioneer Square. It was a rough collection of wooden storefronts and Henry Yesler's sawmill. After the Great Fire in 1889, Seattle reinvented itself, erecting more than 100 sturdy brick and stone buildings. Many of these historic landmarks still stand, but the Pioneer Square community wants to be more than a monument to Seattle's history. KUOW's Marcie Sillman takes us on a tour of the city's first downtown.
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II. The Last Artist in Belltown?
Belltown Welcomes You (photo by Alan Lande)
Fifty years ago, the neighborhood we now call Belltown was known as the Denny Regrade. It was an area populated by Seattle's working folks, seafarers and union laborers. The Regrade was cheap and centrally located, with plenty of empty space that attracted the city's artists. The artists moved in, starting hip cafes and galleries. That hipness attracted developers and, in the past 15 years, many more affluent residents. Now Belltown is downtown Seattle's most populated neighborhood, and many of the artists and working people have been priced out. Almost. KUOW's Marcie Sillman introduces us to one man who might just be the last artist in Belltown.
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III. Families First
Rogan, Domenica and Marco Zangari (photo by Sillman)
About 1,000 children live with their families in downtown Seattle. Most of them are under six or over 16, and that bothers city planners. They see families as the proverbial canary in the coal mine, and indication of the overall health of a vital downtown. They believe if we can't make the central city family friendly, it won't work for anybody. So what do we need to do? Some people say, look north to Vancouver, where more than seven-thousand children live downtown. Can Vancouver's policies work here? KUOW's Marcie Sillman looks at the challenges to bringing families downtown.
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IV. Heading South
Historic street, Chinatown-International District (photo by Lande)
For the past decade, most of Seattle's downtown development has focussed in areas north of the retail core: Belltown, Denny Triangle, and South Lake Union. But city planners have been hard at work on a development proposal for the neighborhoods south of City Hall: the International District, Pioneer Square and the area south of the two sports stadia. For more than 100 years, the International District has been the first American stop for Seattle's Asian refugees. How will increased development shape the community's next century? KUOW's Marcie Sillman tours the International District with one woman with a passion for the I.D.'s past and its future.
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- Wing Luke Asian Museum
- Chinatown-International District Walking Tour
- Interim: housing and neighborhood advocates
V. The Vision Thing
False Creek residential towers, Vancouver B.C. (photo by Sillman)
In Spring 2006, the Seattle City Council voted to allow taller buildings in downtown Seattle, reversing a 17 year old policy to cap growth in the city's central core. The change was supported by everyone from developers to many environmentalists. What prompted this change? What vision shaped the public policy? What do we want for downtown Seattle? And how do we make sure that dream is fulfilled? In the final story in the series Downtown, KUOW's Marcie Sillman explores the vision and the path that could make it happen.
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