Neighborhood   Newsletter
November 2015
Things Are Lighting Up in Pioneer Square


Holiday lights are up just in time for fall and the approach of winter. Stroll down Occidental from Yesler to King and enjoy the trees dripping with light. And new overhead lights in Pioneer Passage alley make the neighborhood even more festive!

How to find out about construction projects, now and into the future
Alaskan Way redesign, 1st Ave Center City Connector, 2nd Avenue cycle track, 3rd Ave transit improvements, transit corridors, parks and so much more. There are many ways to become informed or involved. If you don't have time to attend one of many neighborhood meetings, please reach out to    Liz , our Public Realm Director.
 
Annual BIA Ratepayer Meeting
If you are a ratepayer in good standing, you are invited to attend the annual Pioneer Square BIA meeting, Thursday November 12th, 4:00pm=5:30pm at Surface Theory. Please consider attending. You'll meet other PS businesses, the Alliance boards and staff, and learn more about what we are all doing to make this a fabulous neighborhood. Learn more and RSVP. 
 
DSA Strategic Plan
The Downtown Seattle Association is updating their strategic plan  and would like your input. Since the launch of the Alliance in June of 2010, DSA has been a primary partner in supporting the revitalization of Pioneer Square. Most recently we have partnered in transforming Occidental Park and on-going advocacy with the city on street civility and public safety.
 
Have a lovely month. See you in the neighborhood. 

Leslie G. Smith
Executive Director
Pioneer Square Business & Community Development Update
By Karen True Director of Business Development

We're delighted to announce that Jayma Cohn is joining the Alliance team for a few hours each week to support our work in Business Development. Jayma is already a believer in our neighborhood. She's been working at Clementines since they opened their doors last year. She is also a freelance video and still photographer producer specializing in casting, budgeting, scouting and "all things production". Jayma will continue her freelancing and work with Clementines. (An indication of her energy level, yes?) Her skills and can-do attitude are a great match for the work we do at the Alliance.
 
Seneca Ventures, new owners of the J&M Hotel, recently purchased the long-neglected and vacant Metropole Building at the corner of 2nd Ave Ext & Yesler Way. Plans for the restoration and activation of both buildings will include boutique hotel rooms and restaurants.
 
Bill Speidel's Underground Tour, Inc. is now a Pioneer Square property owner! They purchased the Howard Building, one door north of their longtime home in the Pioneer Building, earlier this year. The finishing touches on the new Doc Maynard's and Underground Tour are underway right now.
 
The sales center for the Gridiron, the first condominium development in Pioneer Square since 1985, is now open at 510 Occidental Ave S. Daniels Real Estate is developing 107 modern units atop the historic Johnson Plumbing Building across the street from CenturyLink Field. Finally-new home ownership opportunities in Pioneer Square. This is a big deal.
 
Since my last update, Slate Coffee opened their second Seattle location here in Pioneer Square at 602 2nd Ave. The reviews have been fantastic. Rumor has it that Alton Brown stopped by when he was last in town, ( perhaps between sandwiches at Rain Shadow).
 
Treason Gallery opened this fall at 319 3rd Ave S, a truly fabulous addition to a block truly filled with some of the neighborhood's least and best-known treasures. ( Salumi, The Belfry, the Seattle Metropolitan Police Museum, and Gallery Frames.) Venture over there for this week's First Thursday Art Walk.
 
Also now open is Your Secret Admirer at 112 S Washington, next to the Pioneer Passage Alley. Bianca Wakeford and her team have created a charming space and a service to make shopping easier year round. Stop by to introduce yourself.
 
Traditional and online mail services in Pioneer Square are dealing with changes of address. The Pioneer Square US Post Office just moved to 217 1st Ave S. (See? We told you we'd keep our post office!) Earth Class Mail moved to 113 Cherry Street in the Broderick Building.
 
Behind papered (or soon-to-be papered) windows:
  • Millheads Hair Cutting Company just signed a lease for 83 Yesler Way in the Best Western Pioneer Square Hotel. Paul Pugliese and his team hope to open in January 2016.
  • Estates Wine Room on Occidental Mall plans to open mid-December, hopefully in time for Howlidays on December 12!
  • Flatstick Pub - one of the most interesting basements in Pioneer Square, in the Furuya Building at 2nd Ave S & S Main St, will be alive with miniature golfers and Washington Beer in 2016.
  • Sweetgrass Food Company opened their first restaurant in South Lake Union last month, so now they can concentrate on their new space in the State Building on 1st Ave S.
  • Gary Manuel Salon will soon be covering those big beautiful windows at 2nd Ave & James so their build-out can begin.
  • Nirmal's - Soon, right?
Business is strong in Pioneer Square and new businesses continue to move into the neighborhood. These updates highlight what's new, yet I remain in awe of all the businesses who have been here for the past year, decade, and beyond. Thanks to everyone for being part of the Pioneer Square story.

Now--who else do you think should become part of the Pioneer Square experience? I want to know. Really. Shoot me an email Karen.

Street Concept Plan Open House
Stop by Occidental Park on Tuesday, November 17th Noon-3pm for hot cocoa and take a short walk to discuss Pioneer Square streets!

Most of Pioneer Square's streets are under consideration for change or already undergoing construction. A combination of development and transportation projects give Pioneer Square an opportunity to improve much needed infrastructure in our streets, sidewalks and alleys.

The final product will be a set of street concept plans to guide future development of the Pioneer Square streetscape.

More information on the project webpage 


PioneerSquare.org

The Alliance for Pioneer Square has teamed up with local website developers, Digital Mullet , to bring you a new PioneerSquare.org website. The new site is interactive and loaded with information about the neighborhood including local business features, Pioneer Square events, and a more robust neighborhood directory! The site is fully responsive on all devices, features calendar exporting and is decorated with retina friendly graphics for high quality display. If you have any questions about the website please contact our Marketing Manager, Carly.
Weigh in on Pioneer Square Parks

We want to know what you think.  If you want to get involved with improving our neighborhood parks, help us out by p roviding feedback in this survey:  http://bit.ly/PSQParksSurvey

Stay in the loop by following the project webpage.
Milepost 31 First Thursday Speaker Series

How changing transportation technologies have shaped Seattle's waterfront
6 - 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 5th
Milepost 31, 211 First Ave. S., Seattle
Admission is free.
 
The SR 99 tunnel will pass through a landscape that has been radically transformed. Go back just 160-odd years and high tide laps at the foot of the bluff below Pike Place Market and tide flats reach all the way to the base of Beacon Hill. Come hear historian Jennifer Ott discuss how changing transportation technologies - from canoes to container ships - have helped shape Seattle's waterfront. 

Speaker,  Jennifer Ott  is an environmental historian with a particular interest in Seattle's history of moving dirt, rerouting waterways and leveling hills. She is a staff historian for  HistoryLink.org  and has written for Seattle magazine and the Oregon Historical Quarterly.

After the talk, be sure to leave enough time to explore the rest of the First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square. Milepost 31 is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and stays open until 8 p.m. on First Thursdays. Free parking is available for First Thursday art walk patrons in Pioneer Square. Visit  www.FirstThursdaySeattle.com for more information about participating garages.

Celebrate  the holidays in Occidental Park Saturday, December 12th, 11:00am-3:00pm. We invite you to bring the whole family, even the pawed ones, for a day of entertainment, activities and treats. Shop the Barket Market for some great stocking stuffers, take your pup for a run on the agility course, or let them play in the pop-up pooch park. There will be live carolers, hot cocoa, a photobooth and a costume contest with local celebrity judges to determine the  2016 Dog of the Year ! For more information visit the event webpage.

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 neighborhood.  Be on the look out to report graffiti, potholes, 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. 
Looking for Parking?

Help neighborhood visitors and your customers find low-rate parking by spreading the word about

  The Alliance for Pioneer Square is partnering with WSDOT, the City of Seattle, Downtown Seattle Association and nearby parking garages to offer parking spaces for just $3/hour, up to four hours. A great option over circling for parking or feeding the meter.

Email  Liz Stenning   to find out how to post this information to your business website.
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