Pioneer Square Business Stakeholders-

The Alliance for Pioneer Square team is working diligently to keep the Pioneer Square community informed regarding new resources and opportunities available to them. This roundup is part of a series of weekly messages capturing new resources and opportunities. Find each weekly email to date on our website.

*Please see this roundup's new resources and opportunities highlighted in RED*

What's Happening

• *NEW* The City of Seattle, Alliance for Pioneer Square and Friends of Waterfront Seattle are seeking a retail/Food and Beverage (F&B) tenant for the historic and newly restored Washington Street Boat Landing. Located at the south end of the new Central Waterfront, adjacent to Habitat Beach (opening summer, 2023), just south of Colman Dock, on the route to Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park and at the west boundary of Pioneer Square, the boat landing is an iconic structure that will benefit as a retail/F&B venue from high levels of foot traffic year-round.

The Boat Landing has been identified as a small business incubation. The site has scale and amenity limitations and should provide an adjunct or complementary retail/F&B use to an existing neighborhood business. The tenant will steward the historic space, and its outdoor grounds, and may oversee ancillary uses (such as pop-ups, non-competing food carts, art showcases or entertainment.) The Boat Landing contains approximately 350 SF of interior space and 850 SF of covered exterior space.

For more information and application instruction, please visit here. Submissions are due March 7, 2023.

Worker and Business Resources

• *NEW* The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) Transit Pass is a partnership between SHA and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). SHA residents who live in an SHA owned and managed property are eligible to receive an unlimited-use ORCA card to take transit at no cost. The program will run through December 31, 2026.

The Transit Pass Program is available to any SHA resident aged 19 or older who lives at an SHA owned and managed property. If you are unsure if you live in an eligible SHA property or community, please review our list of eligible properties. Please note, your name must be on the lease in order to receive an ORCA card. There is no income requirement to receive this card. Learn more here.

• *NEW* The Washington State Department of Commerce recently announced a grant program that will provide assistance for eligible restaurants, bars, and other qualifying businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic. This program will also provide assistance to “lodging establishments” taxable by the state under chapter 28.08 RCW with 40 or more lodging units affected by the Governors’ moratorium.

Grantees must use the funding for losses accepted between March 3, 2021 and October 31, 2021, as required by federal ARPA regulations and in accordance with the governor’s eviction moratorium end dates. Recipients/ Grantees will have until December 31, 2024 to use the fund. Commerce will launch the portal and will provide a link to receive applications in the 1st week in March 2023. Please continue to check the grant site for more information as it becomes available.

• *NEW* Does your King County business employ fewer than 100 people? Your company could qualify for the ORCA Business Passport program at a lower cost! Signing up for the first time? Subsidize your employees’ transit passes with ORCA Business Passport and you may be eligible for 50% off your first year, for a savings of up to $10,000. Learn more and apply here.

• *NEW* Solid Ground Transportation provides FREE rides for people living on low incomes and those who use health and human services in downtown Seattle. Look for the Solid Ground logo on the front and sides of the Circulator and signs posted at stops. Learn more about the circulator and route here.

• The Department of Revenue will begin accepting applications for the Washington Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) on February 1st. The purpose of the program is to stimulate the local economy, promote racial equity and support the well-being of Washingtonians. The program is perpetual (not only one time) and will provide refunds of up to $1200 to individuals and families who meet certain eligibility requirements.

Learn more about the program:

• Eligibility
• Resources
• Events

Have a question about the WFTC Program? Contact DOR at 360-763-7300 or complete a contact request form.

• Small Business Requirements & Resources (SBRR) Webinar workshops are provided by members of the Washington state Small Business Liaison Team (SBLT). A free, one-hour webinar titled Start a Business in WA, will be held on February 7th at 9a on Zoom. The session will provide potential entrepreneurs a strong foundation for starting a business in Washington. It covers planning, registration and licensing and other regulatory requirements. Register here and visit here to learn more.

Partner Efforts

• *NEW* Please join the Downtown Seattle Association on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 from 3-7p for their 18th annual State of Downtown at the brand-new Seattle Convention Center Summit addition! Presented by Lane Powell PC, this event will bring together national and local perspectives on urban issues, the latest economic data on downtown Seattle, and an afternoon of networking and socializing in this stunning new building.

For more information regarding the event and to purchase tickets, click here.

• SDOT has launched the second phase of outreach on the Seattle Transportation Plan (STP). They've heard your vision for the future of transportation. Now they need your help to turn those ideas into actions! The STP is SDOT's commitment to building a transportation system that provides everyone with access to safe, efficient and affordable options to reach places and opportunities. SDOT need your help to create this plan. Visit this interactive map to share your thoughts on Seattle's streets, sidewalks and shared spaces. Share your feedback here by February 21, 2023.

• Join the Seattle Metro Chamber after hours at Filson's flagship store on Wednesday, February 22 for an evening of networking, sipping and snacking and maybe even a little shopping. You won't want to miss out on the 20% discount on merchandise at the event. RSVP here.

Other Neighborhood Updates

• *NEW* The Alliance offers free virtual/in person de-scalation trainings led by the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) and the Seattle Police Department (SPD). The MID/SPD de-escalation training is going to be in-depth training program that teaches you how to recognize, reduce and manage aggressive behavior.

Over the course of the presentation, the MID will provide effective and compassionate methods of handling anxious or aggressive people, as well as increase confidence and introduce skills that can be used during threatening situations. Members of SPD will also present on personal safety techniques and field individualized questions from attendees. Please contact [email protected] to schedule a training for your business.

• Founders Live Seattle, a happy hour business pitch competition, will be held on Thursday, February 23rd from 6 to 9p at Expansive in the Pioneer Building. Bring your friends and coworkers, grab some food and drink, get to know your local entrepreneurs and vote for what you think will be the next big thing... built in the PNW. Visit here for tickets.

• The Alliance for Pioneer Square invites community members to our Spring networking event on Thursday, March 9th from 4-6p. Anyone who owns property, a business, or works in Pioneer Square are welcome to join. Additional information regarding the event location and how to RSVP will be communicated to neighborhood stakeholders in the coming weeks.

• Enjoy 10% off hotel room retail rates when you book with the Courtyard Pioneer Square for your Seattle visitors! For any offsite meeting or event needs, email their Sales Executive, Susan Ellis to learn about available private meeting room discounts and offers. Book here today!

Additional Resources

• Save $5 with code PIONEERSQ on First Thursday Artwalk with Veo, one of Seattle's new bikeshare providers. Learn more about their class II e-bikes in Seattle here. Driving to Pioneer Square? Check out mobile-friendly DowntownSeattleParking.com for parking locations throughout the neighborhood. 

• Each Friday, we give neighborhood businesses and organizations the opportunity to share a series of photo and video content to the Alliance for Pioneer Square’s social media channels via stories, feed posts and live video updates, for the entire day. Fill out the Google Form to get started with the process or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

• The Pioneer Square Business Owners & Managers Facebook group is an opportunity for business owners and retailers to participate in an online forum and share resources, support and stories. We invite you to join the group and connect with other neighborhood businesses. Click here to join the Pioneer Square Business Owners and Managers Facebook page.

Please let us know how we might best support you. Feel free to contact any of us with comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns.