Category Archives: Government

The Social Benefits of Lidding Interstate 5

Posted on August 29, 2026 by Scott Bonjukian

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, equity in a social sense means “freedom from disparities in the way people of different races, genders, etc. are treated”, and often more specifically referring to “freedom from disparities in the way people of different … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Lid I-5, Megaprojects, Parks, Public Participation, Public Space, Transportation | Leave a comment

Checking in on Convention Center Public Benefits

Posted on December 15, 2024 by Scott Bonjukian

It’s been nearly two years since the Seattle Convention Center’s newest building opened at 900 Pine Street and started hosting events. The structure occupies two city blocks in Downtown Seattle and was likely the most expensive single building in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Government, Housing, Land Use, Lid I-5, Megaprojects, Public Participation, Public Space, Transportation, Walking | Tagged addition, biking, coalition, community package, construction, convention center, cycling, news, public benefits, Seattle, summit, transportation | Leave a comment

Public Risks Being Left Behind as Downtown Seattle Land Runs Out

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Scott Bonjukian

“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.” – Mark Twain As Seattle’s development boom continues without any sign of stopping, the city is rapidly approaching a point where Downtown is completely built out and there is no land left to … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Land Use, Policy, Public Space, Schools | Tagged acquisition, affordable, agencies, analysis, Belltown, calculation, Chinatown, civic, Commercial Core, community center, demand, denny triangle, downtown, fire station, governments, growth, historic, housing, infrastructure, International District, land, landmark, library, parks, Pioneer Square, plan, Planning, public, public space, residents, Seattle, supply, utility | 2 Comments

Seattle Primary 2017: Vote Farrell for Mayor, Mosqueda for Council

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Scott Bonjukian

With crowded races in two important Seattle city elections this year, The Northwest Urbanist is weighing in with endorsements for the first time. Ballots for the August 1st primary are in your mailbox this week, so make sure to research … Continue reading →

Posted in Government | Tagged 2017, august 1, ballot, candidates, choice, City Council, election, endorsement, Farrell, Jessyn, mayor, Mosqueda, Northwest Urbanist, position 8, primary, race, register, Seattle, Teresa, urbanism, urbanist, vote | Leave a comment

Seattle Convention Center Hosting Public Benefit Event December 7

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

The next phase of the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) is being planned, and associated with it may be millions of dollars in discretionary public benefit funding. Occupying four city blocks, the WSCC Addition project will transform a long-neglected corner … Continue reading →

Posted in Land Use, Lid I-5, Megaprojects, Public Participation, Public Space, Transportation | Tagged addition, affordable housing, alley, architecture, campaign, Capitol Hill, City Council, City of Seattle, convention center, cost, denny triangle, design, Design Commision, details, event, expansion, First Hill, Freeway Park, funding, funds, GGN, I-5, Interstate 5, lid, lidding, LMN Architects, Melrose Promenade, open house, Pine Street Group, plan, public, public benefits, render, schedule, SDOT, Seattle, section, sidewalk, street, vacation, view, Washington State Convention Center, WSCC | Leave a comment

New Movement Seeks to Empower Seattle Renters

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

On Saturday the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict hosted a Renter Summit to kick off a community conversation about rising rents, renter protections, and transportation options. The half-day event at Miller Community Center drew at least 100 residents from the Capitol Hill, … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Policy, Public Participation, Transportation | Tagged affordability, Capitol Hill, City Council, EcoDistrict, Frank Chopp, HALA, housing, increases, Jamie Pedersen, Kshama Sawant, living, mobility, policy, rent, Renter Summit, renters, Rob Johnson, Sara Maxana, Seattle, Shefali Ranganathan, transportation, transportation choices, Victor Obeso | 1 Comment

Seattle to Cut Official Ties With Neighborhood District Councils

Posted on August 30, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

Last month Seattle Mayor Ed Murray issued an executive order that will soon terminate the City’s official relationship with the 13 district councils. His decision was partially based on data showing the councils are mostly made up of older homeowners … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, Public Participation | Tagged audit, boards, City, City Council, city neighborhood council, community councils, department of neighborhoods, District councils, Ed Murray, ending, executive order, feedback, funding, grant, grants, input, Kathy Nyland, mayor, media, members, neighborhood, neighborhood matching fund, neighborhood park and street fund, neighborhood street fund, program, public engagement, rate, recommend, report, SDOT, Seattle, seattle times, support, terminating, volunteers | 3 Comments

Whose Sign Is It, Anyway?

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

As a commuter moving up and down Olive Way every day, I always notice when something changes on the street. And on the morning of February 29th, what I saw was admittedly anticlimactic: a missing pedestrian sign and signal at … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, Walking | Tagged Capitol Hill, Chang, crosswalk, department of transportation, DOT, driver, email, engineer, Kubly, Olive Way, overpass, pedestrian, rapid flashing beacon, rectangular, replacement, RFB, safety, SDOT, Seattle, sign, signal, state, tweet, visibility, Vision Zero, warning, Washington, WSDOT | 2 Comments

University Link Opens To Great Fanfare

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

Twenty years ago, when voters first approved Sound Move, the idea of rapid rail transit in Seattle was only a fuzzy concept. It was something that had been declined by 1960s voters and only the oldest residents might have recalled … Continue reading →

Posted in Density, Land Use, Megaprojects, Mixed Use, Public Art, Rail, Transportation | Tagged buses, Capitol Hill, connections, cost, expansion, frequency, King County, light rail, location, map, metro, opening, opening day, schedule, Seattle, service, sound transit, stations, transit, University Link, university of washington, uw | 4 Comments

CascadiaCast Episode 6: Nathan Vass

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

On this episode of CascadiaCast I had a lively chat with Nathan Vass, who splits his time between driving for King County Metro and his artistic pursuits in photography and video. He also frequently writes short stories about his experience … Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Buses, CascadiaCast, Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Parks, Policy, Schools, Transportation, Walking | Tagged affordability, art, artists, blog, bus, changes, culture, driver, film, growth, homeless, King County, light rail, metro, Nathan, operator, painting, photography, Seattle, transit, travel, Vass, video, View from Nathan's Bus | Leave a comment