Neighborhood   Newsletter
January 2016
Happy New Year!
Giantess Tsonoqua Totem carved by Duane Pasco 

Pioneer Square 
Business & Community Development Update
By Karen True, Director of Business Development

Cool businesses. Beautiful spaces. Fabulous people. That's what we love about Pioneer Square, right? 
Here are a few new ones to add to your must-see list for this first month of 2016:

  • Estates Wine Room is the latest addition to Occidental Mall. Enjoy a wine-tasting, a glass of wine and nibbles, or buy a bottle of something special to take home. The integration of vineyard photography into the design of the space is also worth seeing.
  • Nirmal's opened for lunch before the holidays and will start serving dinner on Thursday, January 14. It was worth the wait. The space is beautiful and you'll understand the fuss about Chef Nirmal Monteiro when you taste the food. Stop by to welcome Nirmal and owners, Gita and Oliver Bangera, to Pioneer Square.
  • Millheads Hair Cutting Company is now open at the base of the Pioneer Square Best Western Hotel on Yesler Way. Paul Pugliese and his team of stylists are pros, providing a fabulous experience in a fabulous space. (And thanks to Christian at The Belfry for encouraging Paul to consider Pioneer Square!)

4Culture is now accepting grant applications for Preservation Special Projects and Heritage Projects, something of particular relevance to our neighborhood. Feel free to share this with neighbors, businesses, colleagues, landlords, and more. Applications are due February 24, 2016. Questions? Contact Brandi Link at 206-263-1593.


If you haven't heard, two Pioneer Square buildings recently changed ownership.  Level Office just purchased the Pioneer Building  and plans to include co-working office spaces in the Pioneer Building. Brickman Realty recently closed the deal on the purchase of the  Olympic Block Building .

Pioneer Building, Pioneer Square
 
And if your re solution includes being more attuned to what's happening in the neighborhood, here are a few sites you might want to bookmark:

Though we still see a few of the Pioneer Square Gift Guides lying around, the holidays are old news. Great sales are happening and incredible deals are to be found in stores throughout the neighborhood, though they won't last long. Yet another reason to grab your raincoat and head out for a walk. Here's to 2016! It's going to be a great year!
 
Karen True
karen(at)pioneersquare.org
Pioneer Park Open House

Stop by Pioneer Park (606 1st Ave) on Thursday January 21st from 12:00pm to 3:00pm to look at proposed designs for a new Pioneer Park.  This is the culminating Open House for the  Parks and Gateways Project , and we want to hear from you.

The final effort of the Project is to provide a schematic design for Pioneer Park, one of Pioneer Square's most culturally and historically significant assets.  Help us ensure it is redesigned as a place you would like to visit, hang out, and enjoy. 
Find more information on the project here:  http://bit.ly/ParksandGateways .
Pioneer Passage Lights

With all the lights up during the holiday season, you may have missed the new permanent lights in  Pioneer Passage, the alley located just south of Yesler between First & Occidental.  Overhead LED lights now crisscross the alley from building to building. Planning for the project started back in 2013. For several years residents and businesses have been bringing life to this alley. Before people got involved and started keeping an eye on the alley, illegal dumping was often a common occurrence. Now garbage pick-up is more under control. Planter baskets and art line the alley buildings. Last year Casco Antiguo installed a back patio, proving to be a popular destination in the sunnier, warmer months. Even with these improvements, the alley still had low-light levels.

The Metropolitan Improvement District and Alliance for Pioneer Square provided the funds to make the light installation a reality. Olson Kundig donated design expertise in developing the Preservation Board application, materials and hardware for the project.  Adjacent buildings generously agreed to cover utility costs. The International Sustainability Institute and the Alliance for Pioneer Square executed the project. And Nikki Somers at the Alliance persisted in finding solutions to get the design permitted.  
 
The overhead lighting now makes it even more inviting for people to walk through Pioneer Passage. To learn more about lighting options for your alley, check out the  Pioneer Square Alley Lighting Guidelines .


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  [email protected]   to find out how to post this information to your business website.


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. 
 
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310 First Ave S, Suite 201, Seattle, WA