May 8, 3:05 PM click here to comment > 26
The Center City Initiative: making downtown Seattle streets more safe, inviting and vibrant
Downtown Seattle is the economic engine for the entire region. It is the center for entertainment, music, food, theater – for Northwest culture. It offers great shopping from international names to local gems. Even on a cold, rainy day, you will find people and activity bustling along on city sidewalks. This is why employers choose to locate in Seattle. People want to be in a place like this.
But we have work to do. Like other neighborhoods around the city, downtown is facing some tough challenges. Some of these are area-specific. Pioneer Square, for example, lost a lot of retail stores in the first days of the recession and is still working to rebuild a thriving retail core. Third Avenue is still evolving to better incorporate the flow of high bus volumes. We continue to work with Belltown to find a healthy balance between a vibrant nightlife scene and the needs of a residential neighborhood.
There are also some challenges common to all of downtown – primarily concerns about public safety and street disorder. These are not new. The intersection and concentration of homelessness, mental health needs, chronic inebriation and drug sales and abuse has long been a fact of life downtown and has long created tensions and challenges that the City and other agencies and stakeholders have worked to address.
There are familiar patterns of behavior that have developed. This includes long established open air drug markets. The police have had success disrupting these markets, but they tend to move for a while and then work their way back. If you take the time to watch, you will see much of this on display in and out and around the McDonald’s on the corner of 3rd and Pike. But it’s not just there. We see it in parts of Belltown. In Pioneer Square. In the Chinatown/International District. It makes people feel uncomfortable and unsafe. It can lead to violence.
That’s why we started working groups last year in Belltown and Pioneer Square. These groups included every City department that could contribute to solutions: Police, Parks, Human Services, Transportation, Law, City Light and Public Utilities. They also included strong representation from stakeholders in each community. The external stakeholders in each case have helped us define an aggressive work program to address a range of challenges – from public safety and human services concerns, to better lighting, to improved trash, litter and graffiti clean-up.
In the beginning of 2012, we expanded those working groups into a broader Center City Initiative that now includes a working group in the Third Ave and Pike/Pine corridor, as well as in the Chinatown/International District. These working groups have been meeting with community stakeholders to develop work plans for 2012 and beyond.
These work plans are based on strong partnerships – partnerships between City departments, between the Mayor and Council, between the City and King County/Metro, with the Downtown Seattle Association and other stakeholders, with the Department of Corrections and the courts. Strong and sustained partnerships offer our best hope for making real progress.
These challenges have been with us for a long time. We won’t solve them overnight. But we are in it for the long haul. Stay tuned for updates; we’ll be informing you of our progress regularly, here on our blog.
Posted by: Mayor Mike McGinn
Comments
Comment from Patty Fong
Time May 9, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Thank you for creating this blog. I am looking forward to being involved in the rejuvenation of Third Avenue Downtown Seattle. One thing I have observed is the lack of small business opportunities on Third Avenue. Let’s create these opportunities. One way to do this is to allow independent business owners to set up food trucks and/or carts on Third to create exciting pedestrian destinations. In addition, I encourage enterpreneurs to think about “pop up” restaurants on Third Avenue. I hope the City will create and facilitate this kind of business opportunity that cannot help but bring interest and activity to Third Avenue Downtown Seattle! !Viva Third Avenue Downtown Seattle!
Comment from Gaydi Allred
Time May 9, 2012 at 2:05 pm
My concern is the square block encompassing 2nd & 3rd Aves. between Pike & Pine. This response is very vague with no new info. What are all these groups who are working to make improvements doing….other than meeting??? This response mentions the area in front of McDonalds; but nothing was mentioned about across the street on pine in front of the Tobac shop (it’s most scary there at around 9:00 PM) & the corner of 2nd & Pine is most drug-active in the late afternoon. I’ve yet to see any changes in that activity. I think the foot patrols are usually not where the action is. Are there plain clothes patrols? I agree with Brian Myers’ comment of May 08th.
Comment from Jay G
Time May 9, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Can we do something to start cleaning up all the bums and incessant beggars in the downtown core? It’s horrible for tourism. I can’t walk from Belltown to downtown pretty much anytime there is daylight and not be hit up by at least 10 different beggars, and that doesn’t even count the folks selling the homeless newspaper.
Let’s also move the women’s shelter on 3rd avenue towards Belltown. I’m all for providing that service, but let’s move it outside the city. It just draws all the wrong type of people (not counting those it serves) and they infest that area.
Comment from Jay G
Time May 9, 2012 at 5:26 pm
I should add that as a somewhat older Belltown resident who doesn’t frequent the bars very often, having a vibrant nightlife is good for the area and I have no problems with how it has been for quite some time (other than the gang culture that seems to like to show up). It is good for the restaurants in the area (which is good for all of the area residents). It is good for bringing people into the city for other activities.
Comment from Spencer Lehmann
Time May 9, 2012 at 5:34 pm
It is a shame that Mayor Mike McGinn mouths platitudes as he did promises in his campaign, and then reverses direction when he is called upon to Walk the Walk he Talked.
Seattle’s Downtown core is in serous trouble. Through his actions promoting bicycles and attempting to rid the city of cars, making even residential areas such as those on First Hill subject to Parking fees, taking automobile lanes and giving them at no cost to the motorists who pay for them as a gift to the Cascade Bicycle Assoc, and treating Seattle as he would an Old Growth Forest, demonstrates McGinn’s determination to drive Seattle back to the 1800s.
Mike McGinn is the worse thing to happen to Seattle that I’ve seen in 66 years. That said, what on Earth did Seattle expect? We (not I, but obviously too many) voted for the Past President of the Sierra Club to be Mayor of a very big city. What a shame.
How long before Mayor McGinn can become Former Mayor McGinn? 
Comment from Bruce
Time May 9, 2012 at 5:44 pm
…then quit making downtown so hostile to cars too!
Comment from Jalair Box
Time May 9, 2012 at 5:47 pm
I have the same concern as Gaydi Allred. It is unnerving at any time of the day to wait for a bus on 3rd & Pine. There are so many open air drug deals and swarms of meth/alcohol/who knows what else vagrants who have observed that the police can’t act and therefore they take our downtown over with impunity. A street fight among 10-12 people broke out seconds after I boarded a bus with my 8-year-old daughter last November. No police anywhere. The tension and threat of violence to ordinary, law-abiding citizens is real. I think it comes down to law and order. The laws need to fit the crimes, and order needs to be restored. Multiple offenders need to be locked up. I’ve been here in Seattle since 1983, and this is by far the worst I’ve ever seen it. How do the tourists feel? Conventioneers? We seriously need to address this issue.
Comment from Patty Fong
Time May 9, 2012 at 5:53 pm
I agree with Gaydi Alfred’s comment. Day or night, this is an unpleasant part of Third Avenue. I am on the City’s Third Avenue Task Force. I have requested that the SPD establish a “store front” right next to the McDonald’s to create a clear presence of law and order in this particular area. The SPD used to have such a store front in Macy’s on Third (corner of Third/Stewart) but this is the wrong place.
Comment from Steven
Time May 9, 2012 at 5:57 pm
I think these people who like gather around places like Macdonalds begging for money etc need to be told to keep moving,and not seen in that spot by any store the rest of the day,and not for any reason be hanging around bus stop, but taking the bus.It scares the senior citizens away seeing bum alway around bus stops?
Comment from Janine Boyer
Time May 9, 2012 at 6:48 pm
My concern is the 3rd & Virginia corridor where YWCA, Worksource, Angeline’s, DSHS, Family Services and Elrey Boarding home. There is constant police surveillance and calls to police, AMR aid cars, Medic Ones and Fire Engines never mind bus traffic. Is it possible that some of the social service agencies could be spread out a little more? It just seems a little too concentrated here.
Comment from Norge
Time May 9, 2012 at 7:15 pm
Whatever issues are addressed downtown, let’s figure this out so that the problems are not pushed to our residential neighborhoods. The problems has been created by redevelopment of downtown, and they should be solved there.
Comment from Richard Wells
Time May 9, 2012 at 7:52 pm
“More safe,” is not proper usage.
Comment from Patty Fong
Time May 9, 2012 at 9:38 pm
I created a Facebook page to post ideas about rejuvenating Third Avenue Downtown Seattle. Please visit, share and “like”.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viva-Downtown-Third-Ave-Seattle/252409161510297
Thank you!
Comment from Karen Husted
Time May 10, 2012 at 8:14 am
Hows about not attacking real OWS protesters and the like and do your jobs? The hooligans are paid agent provocateurs while the others are trying to improve society and thus improve the streets, yet you waste our resources on this crap.
Comment from Marilynn
Time May 10, 2012 at 9:18 am
Sadly, our businesses in Belltown continue to struggle terribly. Can we please get some attention before it is too late? Bums and drug dealers are the majority here. All the people who bought condos and businesses here are going to be really sad when their property values are cut in half!
Comment from Charter Harrison
Time May 10, 2012 at 10:11 am
I have two suggestions. For the homelesss I would work on closing the Pionier Square shelters and move them south into the industrial area rather then a commerical realtail area. Ban pan handling. Partner with Operation Nightwatch to help relocate and help serve this group who need mental and adiction help.
Two instead of replacing old telephone poles with new ones. Slowly and sytematically put Seattle’s wiring underground.
Thanks!
Comment from Patty Fong
Time May 10, 2012 at 11:42 am
Facebook page notification
Need for SPD storefront
Defending the Mayor
I can understand the frustration of Seattleites when it comes to the seemingly insurmountable problems in the downtown core especially Third Avenue. However, I want to defend Mayor McGinn. The problems of downtown are not his fault. He inherited this longstanding problem and he did not create it. If I recall correctly, then-Mayor Nickels relocated City Hall aaway from Third Avenue. There has been a huge hole in the ground on Third ever since. I attended the City’s open house a few months ago and pressed Mayor McGinn on the proposed Third Avenue task force I read about in the newspaper. Now we have this Downtown Third Avenue task force ably led by David Hiller, Deputy Mayor and we have had meetings very well-attended by various capable city personnel who are in a position to put the City’s services to work to solve some of the many problems downtown. The meetings have been well-atended by downtown business persons as well. I have pointed out the problem of litter around McDonald’s and that bus stop in front of Pacific Place on Third and ever since it has been spotless thanks to a word by the city to the MID/Downtown Association and Kate Joncas and their prompt action. I spoke with Deputy Police Chief Mike Sanford about a Third Avenue SPD storefront and found a sympathetic and helpful ear. I am hopeful these contacts will be productive. So far, though, I have found the city very responsive and involved so far. Finally, remember, we live in a democracy which means that no matter who we elect it is up to the people to become involved and solve these social problems right alongside the mayor and city hall. I say, let’s do it and leave cynicism behind – it’s so yesterday. “A cynic is a person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
Comment from Barbara
Time May 10, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Why is it that every afternoon outside Century Square at Third and Pike, as I wait for my bus I can watch people sell drugs and even smoke dope without thinking twice about it? Oh, McDonald’s at Third and Pike that could use some vermin clean up, too.
Clean up the CBD!
Comment from Thomas Dunne
Time May 11, 2012 at 1:13 pm
My concern, in addition to several already posted, is the area between 3rd and 2nd on Yesler. Just recently there was the murder of a young woman, just recently moved here, randomly shot next to her apartment house at 2nd and Yesler. Helluva way to say “welcome to your new city.” This is in addition to the random sniper shooting in the area last year, the panhandling & constant drug trafficking on the corners, the multiple social service programs and 2 courthouses, all mixed in with tourists and business people trying to navigate their ways to a restaurant in the area or the bus tunnel entrance. This is a heck of mix to try to draw tourists and people to reside in the area (Pioneer Square) and rejuvenate the business economy down here.
Seems like a set-up for failure.
Comment from Patty Fong
Time May 12, 2012 at 10:06 am
I heard that the Downtown Association wrote to the City and/or SPD complaining about the effectiveness of police protection of property.
I think the property destruction could have been averted by better proactive measures by both the SPD and the downtown business owners.
The downtown businesses had full warning that this May Day protest was going to occur. Business owners could have protected their property as did Bank of America on Jackson by boarding up their windows. It would have taken only a few boards and maybe an off-duty cop or security guard for the day. Isn’t that worth the cost of expensive replacements of broken custom-made windows?
The vandals (I won’t call them “anarchists” – they don’t deserve to be called such) were easily identified, black-clad, weapon-brandishing. In this respect they didn’t look all that different from the vandals of the WTO debacle. So why wasn’t that a tip off to the SPD to be onto these vandals sooner? Perhaps there was more happening than the TV videos showed but I didn’t see any bike police arresting or confronting these thugs. They seemed to have a lot of time to wreak their damage and the cops seemed to be just following them!
In the end, I am concerned about the right of citizens to march and protest – peacefully and lawfully.
Peaceful protest should not be stifled or prevented, manhandled by spray or shields or horses and it should not be relegated to obscurity. People should have the right to protest downtown in the heart of a city. Free speech is as important as property rights.
That is the real collateral damage from this unfortunate day. Property can always be restored. Rights, free speech, the right to assemble and freedom from intimidation and suppression are not always so.
We must all do our able part in the future to anticipate, protect and respond to those would damage our rights, our liberty and the property of businesses in the name of nothing more than hooliganism.
Comment from don
Time May 17, 2012 at 11:16 am
One of the biggest reasons not to come downtown, at least by transit, is the mess at 3rd Avenue between Pine and Pike. Its now become the only place to board a bus to the north. The lighting is poor. At least there is usually a police contingent. A permanent transit or police substation on that corner would be welcome to all. And it would probably pay for itself by more transit riders and visitors, both locals and out-of-towners. Mr. McGinn, you should personally observe and visit this situation some night.
Comment from Patty Fongbe
Time May 18, 2012 at 11:49 am
SPD Chief Sanford told me that the SPD used to have a store front in the corner of Macy’s (Stewart and Third). Problem with that location is that there is no street traffic there. Furthermore the windows were one-way windows which was creepy. The best spot for an SPD storefront is right by the MacDonald’s between MacDonald’s and Pacific Place. I’m not suggesting that all the problems of Third/Pike/Pine will disappear just because an SPD storefront is there. There are obviously social service needs that should be addressed as well. Let’s make an SPD store front – big and bright – a permanent feature of Third Avenue and Pine/Pike.
Comment from Patty Fong
Time June 7, 2012 at 8:45 am
Please allow more street vendors on Third Avenue such as food carts and flower vendors. Third Avenue is currently very bleak and suffers from a paucity of vibrant street life. More decorative landscaping won’t change what is already a street that is dominated by buses and transit riders. Let’s have a Third Avenue art/jazz walk and lets get people to move downtown closer to Third Avenue.
Comment from Mike
Time June 19, 2012 at 10:28 pm
I miss the waterfront streetcars – and failed to understand how the Sculpture Park made better use of the space that housed the streetcars. We lost something important to our waterfront – and it should be recaptured in our future plans.
Comment from Gary Howse
Time December 12, 2012 at 2:58 pm
I have lived at 3rd/Pike/Pine for 20 years (ground zero for these issues). We have asked/pleaded/begged to have a voice about our downtown neighborhood. No one has asked our opinion about anything. In fact, emails to the Mayor’s office and City Council members generally go unanswered. I hope this new effort has some positive impact–but 20 years of struggle and disappointments have left me spending more time in NYC where they “get it”.
Comment from Brian Myers
Time May 8, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Nice words to hear. However, I note that this could have been written in 2005. Or 2000, or 1995, or 1985. Actions speak; words mean nothing after so little action.