01 Aug Pioneer Square in the News

Pioneer Square group supports tunnel; Cascade Bicycle Club opposes (Seattle PI)
The Alliance for Pioneer Square has endorsed Referendum 1. Here’s the statement:
“While the ballot measure is confusing, board members were very clear that the bored tunnel alternative has the fewest negative traffic and construction impacts on their neighborhood, and that further delay could cost the neighborhood and the region a great public waterfront,” said Leslie Smith, executive director of the Alliance for Pioneer Square.

Developers struggle to get ground-floor retail leases Seattle Times)
Scholes said the Downtown Seattle Association is most concerned about Pioneer Square, the Chinatown International District and Belltown, where retail vacancies are the highest and lack the most affordable housing. Over the next 12 to 18 months, new housing projects in areas such as South Lake Union should help to fill the void, he said.

Losing sleep thinking about a later last call in Seattle (Seattle Times)
Those who bought into Belltown condos have long felt under siege by nightclubbers, and I wonder how anyone gets any sleep in Pioneer Square. The games go on long after the Sounders, Seahawks and Mariners have headed home.

WSDOT Says: Seattle-to-Portland by Train is About to Get Faster (Seattlest)
Sounders fans and Timbers fans delight in being in the heart of the opposition’s home stadium, beer enthusiasts want to try a pint from Rogue or Hale’s, and everyone wants to see everyone else’s Pioneer Square. After an agreement between WSDOT and BNSF Railway this week, there’s hope that folks can make the trip a lot quicker.

Startup Spotlight: Carnegie Mellon transplant takes root in Seattle with Panopto (GeekWire)
Panopto was founded in 2007 with technology from Carnegie Mellon University. But the company is now growing its presence in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, thanks in part to a connection to Microsoft.

Tapping the potential of our alleyways (DJC – subscription only)
Todd Vogel of the International Sustainability Institute has brought a lively new alley culture through the fantastic Nord Alley parties and is working with a handful of other Pioneer Square alleys to create a neighborhood network of culture and activities in these often overlooked spaces.

Tunnel debate spills into the streets (Seattle Times)
Downtown includes the historic Pioneer Square district. Not only would some cars divert, but officials are looking at Washington and Main streets as an east-west bus route between the highway and the Third Avenue transit spine.

Pioneer Square: Body and Soul (Stroupe Condo Blog)
To say life is busy at Pioneer Square is an understatement! From building rezoning to preservation, the changes now occurring in Seattle’s oldest neighborhood are fast, huge, and potentially historical. With change, of course, come a few growing pains.

Youth in Focus in Pioneer Square Art Walk! (Hank Blog)
If you can believe it, it’s officially August; which means another First Thursday Seattle Art Walk in Pioneer Square! You can come explore Victorian storefronts that have been converted into art spaces on August 4th, from noon to 8PM.