Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell on Monday revealed the first phase of his “Downtown Activation Plan” to revitalize downtown in a move that could help attract tech companies and their workers to the city core.
The plan includes an executive order to address the public health and safety impacts of the fentanyl crisis, and other immediate steps to make downtown more active and welcoming.
Fewer than half of downtown Seattle workers have returned to the office, one of the slowest rates of return in the U.S. The slow return is driven in part by Seattle’s strength as a technology hub, where many companies — like F5, Zillow, DocuSign, Qualtrics and others — can more easily rely on remote work, which has also impacted small businesses that rely on worker foot traffic.
Harrell’s announcement comes just a few weeks before Amazon’s new policy to require workers in the office three days a week is enforced. The mayor recently praised Amazon for its decision.
Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, called Monday’s announcement a “down payment” on what’s needed to address the drug crisis and stimulate economic activity downtown. Public safety has become a leading concern among those who work in the area.
Smith said new data from Chamber surveys shows only 13% are optimistic about downtown Seattle’s economy, with 51% saying they are pessimistic.
“As the region’s chief civic booster, we’re determined to turn that around — and we know what’s needed: sustained, meaningful action on public safety and homelessness, incentivizing more people to come downtown, and making it easier to do business and create jobs,” Smith said in a statement.
Harrell’s plan “gets us going in the right direction,” said Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association.
During an event in the Pioneer Square neighborhood on Monday, Harrell called downtown the “heart of Seattle” and said it is “powered by people — workers, neighbors, families, and visitors alike.”
The executive order will direct the Seattle Police Department, in concert with other agencies, to prioritize efforts to disrupt the distribution and sale of narcotics. A number of drug abatement and treatment ideas to help those struggling with addiction are also part of the order.
Other action items on Harrell’s list include:
- Fill vacant storefronts via the Seattle Restored program in an effort to help small businesses, entrepreneurs, and local artists.
- Reopen City Hall Park on June 15 with new security and activities.
- Increase the number of Metropolitan Improvement District ambassadors who help keep downtown streets clean and safe.
- Encourage more frequent closings of downtown streets for special events.
- Increase opportunities for food truck operators by waiving street-use permit fees.
- Improve street and sidewalk lighting where crime and disorder is concentrated.
- Update land use policies to encourage more housing construction and more hotels, restaurants, bars, and entertainment centers.
- Increase trash removal and expand graffiti abatement, focusing on the Chinatown-International District.
The list also includes exploring the possibility of repurposing downtown office buildings for housing and other uses as office vacancies are on the rise. The Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development is sponsoring a competitive call for ideas to convert commercial space to residential use. The deadline for entries is May 12.
“We need to recognize that downtown’s office space may never fill up as before,” Harrell said in February. “We need more housing options.”
Last month the Chamber and DSA sent a letter to Harrell and his executive leadership team with recommendations for how to revive downtown Seattle. Among those recommendations was a call to suspend — for the next three years — the city’s business and occupation tax for new businesses and the JumpStart tax for all businesses, with the intention of increasing competitiveness and attracting new companies.
Speaking at the GeekWire Summit in October, Harrell expressed concern about the impact of remote work on the city’s ability to generate tax revenue.
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