07 Apr Great City Brownbag: Revitalizing Pioneer Square Charrette

Where: GGLO Space at the Steps, 1301 First Ave, Level A
Date: Thursday, April 8, 2010
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Enter through door located about 1/4 of the way down the Harbor Steps (click for map)

Pioneer Square is home to the Seattle’s largest concentration of preserved historic structures; not to mention a growing office and residential community. It is the nexus of all local and regional transportation and is strategically located on the edges of downtown, the central waterfront, and the Chinatown/International District. However, lingering perceptions of crime and violence deter most citizens from visiting the area. This has had an increasingly negative impact on the vitality of the neighborhood.

With the economy in a holding pattern for the foreseeable future, neighborhood stakeholders are looking for ways to use temporary activities or other means to revitalize the area. Although there are many great programs happening in the neighborhood already, including ArtSPARKS (temporary art installations in Occidental Park), First Thursday, a grassroots Saturday Market, and Alley Art initiatives, we hope to further discuss ideas that contribute to the revitalization of the neighborhood.

The brown bag will include a 15 min presentation, followed by a 45 min round table charrette.

Lisa Dixon, is the Program Director of the Pioneer Square Community Association. Lisa has been with the PSCA for over two years as the Program Director. She is the current neighborhood representative on the South Portal Working Group. The PSCA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to the betterment of Pioneer Square through advocacy, programming, marketing, and community action.

Leslie Smith is the principal of Leslie Smith & Associates, an organization and leadership development practice. She has built her consulting practice on a foundation of over 25 years’ leadership experience in a variety of business settings, including higher education and not for profits. As the interim Executive Director of the Pioneer Community Association, Leslie works with the diverse stakeholders of the neighborhood, finding a way forward to economic and neighborhood revitalization.

Jen Kelly began the New Pioneer Square blog to show people the positive aspects of the neighborhood and help build a strong community of Pioneer Square residents. She hopes to spark conversation about the square, get residents more involved in facilitating change, and share the realities of living in Seattle’s first neighborhood.