Past recipients include:

2012 – Tom Douglas

2011 – Charles Royer

2010 – Vulcan Real Estate & Seattle Parks Foundation

2009 – No award presented

2008 – Downtown Legacy Champions – one initiative from each of the past five decades was recognized as part of DSA’s 50^th anniversary celebration:

• Seattle World’s Fair
• Housing Resources Group
• Downtown Cultural Arts Renaissance
• Washington State Convention Center & Freeway Park
• Downtown Retail Core Revitalization

2007 – FareStart

2006 – Seattle Art Museum & Washington Mutual

2005 – Plymouth Housing Group

2004 – Pike Place Market PDA

If you haven’t already registered for our 2013 Annual Meeting, be sure to do so and join us in celebrating our next Downtown Champion!

Waterfront neighborhood businesses, residents and visitors enjoyed a fantastically fun time at last year’s Whimsea.  This year’s event brings another occasion for whimsical family fun on the Downtown waterfront.  Argosy Cruises & Tillicum Village’s Cary Clark notes “The neighborhood businesses enjoy events that bring Seattle locals to the Waterfront. It’s easy for families to supplement their visit with lunch at one of many nearby restaurants, a stop in a curio shop, or – our favorite – when the city’s best view of the Puget Sound entices the parents to return to take one of Argosy’s popular cruises.”

Seattle’s very own Bubbleman will be in attendance, creating enormous bubble-fun for the entire family. The Seattle Fire Department will also be there (as long as they’re not called away on duty), so the kids can explore a fire truck and meet the firefighters. Bruce Meyers will perform a magic show, the Seafair Clowns will be around all day and Seattle’s own The Not Its will be performing live music.

Bring the family out to the Waterfront to enjoy all these activities, plus games, prizes & more!

When: Sunday, June 9, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where: Waterfront Park, 1301 Alaskan Way

Cost: Free!

Sponsored by:

The Emerald City Trolley will connect sightseers to attractions like Pike Place Market, The Space Needle, Chihuly Garden & Glass, Seattle Center, Seattle Waterfront, Pier 66, Seattle Aquarium, The Great Wheel, Argosy Cruises, Ivar’s, Washington State Ferries, Pioneer Square, Seattle Art Museum, Westlake Center, and Pacific Place to name a few. Another line will hit top spots in Fremont and Ballard as well, including the Fremont Troll, Woodland Park Zoo and the Ballard Locks. Take a look at the specific routes the trolley will be running:

The Green Route will make stops at Seattle Center, Pier 66, the Seattle Aquarium, Seattle’s Great Wheel, Tillicum Village, Pioneer Square, Pike Place and Westlake.

The Blue North Route will go to EMP Museum, downtown Ballard, Ballard Locks, Woodland Park Zoo, Fremont and Kenmore Air in South Lake Union.

The Red Route will run from the EMP Museum to 2nd & Pike, Museum of Flight and then back to EMP.

“The Emerald City Trolley line offers travelers a way to visit all the attractions our city offers without the expense and complication of renting and parking a car,” Jeremy Butzlaff, chief operations officer for Emerald City Trolley, said in a news release. “Guests can just hop on and off whenever and wherever they like, enabling them to see and experience Seattle for what it really is—amazing.”

Fares start at $45 for a two-day pass, with extra days costing $15. Family passes for two adults and up to three children 12 and under cost $110. With proof of residency, King County residents can take unlimited rides for $30 all day. See their website for more details.

The Downtown Seattle Association actively engages with members, residents and workers Downtown and visitors in Seattle every day. We share activities, promote events and specials from our members and love interacting with all things Downtown. Check out our links below, “Friend,” “Follow” and “Connect” with us, and together let’s share and promote all the things which make Seattle the best place to live, work, shop and play.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DowntownSeattle

Twitter: @DowntownSeattle

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/DowntownSeattle

Called by King County Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee, the hearing provided an opportunity for the public to share personal stories of how the cuts could dangerously alter commutes to work—and therefore business and economic competitiveness—as well as the quality of life in our region.

“Employers throughout Downtown, large and small, recognize the importance of transit service to their economic futures,” said Joncas. “Hundreds of small and medium-sized companies in Downtown voluntarily purchase transit passes for their employees. Large employers have invested millions of dollars in transit benefits for their workers as required by the state’s successful Commute Trip Reduction Act. Cutting transit service would put these employers, and our city, at a competitive disadvantage.”

While the King County Council hosted the public forum, the intended audience was the Washington State Legislature which is currently in special session. One of the top priorities on the legislature’s plate is a passing a transportation package which will fully cover transit and road funding.

If you were unable to attend the forum, DSA is strongly encouraging its members to share thoughts with the King County Council on the potential cuts facing Metro Transit. Submit your comments here.

The plan focuses on two major goals: to triple the amount of bicycling in Seattle between 2007 and 2017, and to reduce the rate of bicycle collisions by one third during the same timeframe.  Plan objectives also address developing and maintaining a safe, connected bicycle network throughout the city, providing support facilities to make bicycle travel more convenient and implementing measures such as funding of improvements and bicycle education, enforcement and encouragement programs.

Over the last year, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has embarked on updating the BMP aimed at guiding improvements to the City’s bicycle system since the adoption of the plan in 2007. This opportunity will bring an update to the current bicycle network map and incorporate facility types that are not in the existing plans, such as cycle tracks and neighborhood greenways. The update will also develop a more robust process to identify areas of greatest need, as well as incorporate updates to bicycle design standards that have been developed over the past five years.

“Seattle has one of the largest bike commuter populations in the country,” said Commute Seattle Executive Director Jamie Cheney. “As the numbers continue to grow and contribute to Seattle’s desirability, more infrastructure will be needed to ensure safer commutes for bicyclists and drivers alike.  Safety has been a barrier to entry for interested but reluctant bicyclists.  Increasingly, vibrant competitive cities are acknowledging this need and opportunity by improving their bike related infrastructure.”

SDOT is holding several open houses to include the community on the continuing conversation of the BMP update:

June 5 – Downtown Open House, City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room (6-7:30 p.m.)

June 6 – Online Lunch and Learn (12-1 p.m.)

June 12 – South Seattle Open House, Columbia Branch Library (6-7:30 p.m.)

June 13 – North Seattle Open House, Roosevelt High School Lunchroom (6-7:30 p.m.)

For more information on the open houses and Seattle’s Bicycle Master Plan, visit SDOT’s website.

Current Mayor Mike McGinn will be facing off with his eight opponents in this third meeting between the candidates. Information-systems consultant Joey Gray, City Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Greenwood Activist Kate Martin, Socialist Workers Party candidate Mary Martin, attorney Doug McQuaid, state Senator Ed Murray, businessman Charlie Staadecker and former City Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck have all been invited to take part in this opportunity to share why they deserve your vote.

Here’s your opportunity to hear directly from the candidates on the issues that matter most to you:

When: Thursday, June 6, 4-6 p.m.

Where: Westin Hotel, Grand Ballroom 3, 1900 5^th Ave.

Cost: Free and open to the public. RSVP required, click here to RSVP.

Sponsored by:

PSF is a full-service commercial design-build contractor specializing in environmentally sensible and sustainable buildings, life sciences and mission critical facilities, high-rise office and residential, and high-end retail projects.  Our teams consist of highly-diversified engineers, project managers, technicians and craftspeople. Our strength is our commitment to our people and the value we place on long-term partnerships over short term gains. PSF has been part of the Seattle business community since 1898. http://www.psfmechanical.com/

With renewal now official, the MID’s service area (see maps below) will expand from 225 to 285 square blocks with the addition of the Belltown neighborhood and several added blocks in Pioneer Square on July 1, 2013.

Jim Miller, president of the Belltown Business Association, said his neighborhood is excited to be part of the MID. “We require added services in order to address our crime, human service and cleaning needs beyond what the City could offer. Now, as part of the MID, we’ll get the help we need.”

“Today’s vote is a significant endorsement of the MID’s value to the economic engine of our region – Downtown Seattle,” said Hines’ Kathy O’Kelley, who serves as chair of the MID Ratepayer Advisory Board. “For 13 years, the MID has played a key role in keeping Downtown inviting, clean and safe. The Seattle City Council and property owners have seen the difference MID services can make and said ‘Yes!’ for another 10 years.”

Founded by the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) in 1999, the MID is a business improvement area funded by assessments on commercial and residential properties. The services provided by the MID are based on feedback from MID ratepayers – the commercial and residential property owners.  The MID Ratepayer Advisory Board, which consists of elected members from all types of property owners and each Downtown neighborhood, spent the past year reaching out to ratepayers to help design the new services.

Each day, the MID’s team of 62 uniformed Ambassadors can be seen providing services in the Denny Triangle, Pioneer Square, Retail Core, Waterfront and West Edge neighborhoods, and now Belltown. MID Ambassadors clean streets and alleys, remove graffiti, help visitors find their way, coordinate services for people in need and much more. The MID also employs off-duty police officers who help reduce crime in special emphasis areas.

“We benefit every day from the work done by the MID Ambassadors,” said Broderick Smith of Urban Visions, a Downtown property owner and developer of sustainable buildings. “They make Downtown a great place to do business. I can’t imagine how we’d ever get along without them.”

Kate Joncas, DSA’s president & CEO, said property owners and elected officials supported renewing the MID because they see it helping to keep Downtown inviting, clean and safe. While the City of Seattle provides basic services, she said, it does not have the resources to provide the level needed in Downtown neighborhoods to keep them attractive and competitive.

Joncas said MID services are critical to keeping Downtown clean and safe. “There are more people living and working Downtown,” she said. “Our sidewalks are busier than ever and the human service needs continue to grow.”

Among the enhancements a renewed MID will bring are:

• Additional MID Ambassadors for sidewalk and curb cleaning.
• Additional off-duty SPD teams to focus on drug activity and other illegal behavior.
• New retail recruitment program to help fill street-level storefront vacancies.
• More outreach services to homeless people and others in need.

Facing an annual shortfall of $75 million beginning next year, Metro would experience dramatic impacts to existing service and be forced to slash up to 17 percent of bus services, affecting 7 out of 10 riders and eliminating or condensing routes on already crowded buses. With more than 200,000 employees commuting to Downtown Seattle each day, access to effective, reliable transit is key to sustaining our rise out of recession and maintaining economic competitiveness.

The special session will begin Monday, May 13, and was called by Governor Inslee in order to tackle multiple issues including a transportation package. Help us keep the pressure on lawmakers in Olympia by participating in a special meeting with King County Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee. This will be an important opportunity to tell how drastic transit cuts will affect business and the entire Puget Sound community:

Tuesday, May 14^th 4:00pm at Union Station (605 5th Ave S)

“Commuters throughout the region depend on reliable access to Downtown Seattle and other major job centers,” said Parsons Brinckerhoff Senior Vice President and DSA Board member Jared Smith. “I hope you’ll join me Tuesday at Union Station to tell your story of why transit matters.”

We hope you’ll join members of the DSA in the chorus of voices supporting transit funding. If you have questions about our efforts in Olympia or about the hearing, please contact Katherine Mackinnon at katherinem@downtownseattle.org. If you’re unable to make it to Union Station Tuesday, be sure to submit your comments to King County Council on how you depend on transit.