It’s easy to focus on the big, shiny objects rising from the ground across the Emerald City. Gleaming residential and office towers are sprouting like bean stalks, preparing to usher in a new skyline before you can blink your eyes.
There is something even more grandiose and, frankly, more interesting taking shape between Pioneer Square and Belltown. My friends, the Seattle waterfront is undergoing a reclamation project that hasn’t been seen in these parts since the Denny Regrade…and it’s a whole lot more exciting, too.
The viaduct is down. The new tunnel is open. Now, the city is embarking on an exciting and ambitious project that aims to connect the people – residents and tourists alike – with the Seattle shores.
There are too many projects to name (thank goodness for detailed websites) but it’s easy to share some early sketches and hear from one of the city’s managers to learn more about the overall project and what we can expect next.
Joshua Curtis works for the city as the Partnership Manager for the Seattle Waterfront project. He sat down with me to review where we have been, where we are now with the city’s efforts and what’s on the horizon.
Property owners in the local improvement district (LID) will be receiving notification in the mail about their portion of the project’s funding. Those who are paying an assessment are located south of Wall Street (Belltown), west of I-5 and generally north of the stadiums (with some exclusions around the International District).
The good news on the LID is that the original bill of $200 million to home and business owners will now face an estimated bill of $160 million, or 20% less. However, the independent appraiser’s final cost to each owner has yet to be completed and it is not necessarily 80% of the original estimate (found here). [Note: After interviewing Curtis for this story, it was reported that a group of property owners in the LID area are suing the city over the assessment.]
Waterfront Seattle offers a wealth of information about the ongoing work, including a special section on the LID.
If you have a topic related to the waterfront that you want me to consider exploring, please drop me a note.