Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Mayor announces $1.1 million investment in neighborhood business districts, $0 for Lake City


On Tuesday the City of Seattle announced a plan to invest $1.1 million in 19 Seattle neighborhood business districts.

However, our own Lake City business district was left off of the list, and is not (as far as we can tell) going to receive any of the financial assistance.

From Mayor Mike McGinn's press release:
Our neighborhood business districts are a critical economic asset. Their diversity and strength is a part of what makes our city special. The dollars that the city invests support projects that make an immediate impact in our neighborhoods, and they also serve as catalysts that bring neighborhood business district leaders together to organize and create a shared vision for long-term revitalization strategies, which will help our city’s overall economic recovery.
The apparent snubbing of our community resulted in this response from the folks at the Lake City Live blog:
This should be a wake up call to Lake City residents and businesses that it is time for change.  We need to ask ourselves what we are doing wrong as a community and why the City is not investing in Lake City as important neighborhood.

Business communities in neighborhoods were awarded money for developing "comprehensive, multi-year strategies, in which the city is investing a total of $844,000 in 2012." The awards were:
  • Capitol Hill / 12th Avenue — $128,000
  • Central Area Main Streets — $72,000
  • Chinatown / International District — $185,000
  • Columbia City — $ 66,500
  • MLK (Rainier Valley) — $83,000
  • Pioneer Square  — $120,000
  • Rainier Beach — $55,000
  • University District — $70,000
  • White Center — $64,500

The city is also investing $142,500 to support focused investments in additional neighborhoods, as well as the Only in Seattle marketing campaign and business organization development. Those neighborhoods are:
  • Beacon Hill
  • Belltown
  • Columbia City
  • Georgetown
  • Madison Valley
  • Rainier Beach
  • SODO
  • South Park
  • White Center.

Those focused investments in the above neighborhoods include:
  • Business and retail development (supporting businesses, enhancing business mix);
  • Marketing and promotion (events, social media, district advertising);
  • Clean and safe (graffiti removal, dumpster free alleys, lighting);
  • Streetscape and appearance (catalytic development projects, façade, public art); and
  • Business organization development to sustain the effort, including participation of an existing Business Improvement Area (BIA) or commitment to form one.

We are unsure why the Lake City community was not awarded money but many would probably agree that assistance from the city would be welcome in our northeastern outpost of Seattle.

Thanks to Lake City Live for pointing out this important story.

Kaffeeklatsch celebrating Leap Day with special treats, discount

Frog leap cookies anyone?
Neighborhood German bakery and coffee shop Kaffeeklatsch is celebrating Leap Day today, February 29th, with special treats and a discount for customers that give their best leap while ordering.

February 29th is an extra day added to the calendar every four years. It helps keep our dates in sync with the astronomical and seasonal year.

The extra day doesn't seem to be much celebrated —but should be. Fortunately the folks at Kaffeeklatsch are helping take the lead, making sure that extra day gets the recognition it deserves.

Looking for more specials on Leap Day? Here is a list of national chain businesses that are offering specials today.


Neighborhood Lions Club checks vision, hearing of over 700 kids

Chuck Dickey with some of the students screened by the Lions Club memebers


Recently our neighborhood Lions Club has been hard at work screening area students for potential vision and hearing problems — one of the major community service projects taken on by the organization.

Over the course of three days in February, 15 volunteers used the mobile Lions Health Screening Unit and and checked the hearing and vision of 746 children in three area schools.

The schools visited were our own Olympic Hills Elementary, St. Luke Catholic and Shoreline Christan.

"The general consensus of opinion in our Club is that this is one of the most important things we do all year," said Joan Dickey, a member of the club.