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News from Seattle's Office of Economic Development

City of Seattle Awards $1.6 Million to Neighborhood Businesses Districts

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Mayor Mike McGinn joined staff from the Office of Economic Development and representatives from Seattle’s neighborhood business districts to announce the City’s $1.6 million investment in 17 neighborhood business districts across the city.

The investment was announced at Maya’s Mexican Restaurant in Rainier Valley. Neighborhood business leaders from  Ballard, Beacon Hill, Capitol Hill, Chinatown/ID, Columbia City, Georgetown, Madison Valley, Pioneer Square, Rainier Beach, Rainier Valley, South Park, University District, and Wallingford spoke about the projects and exciting visions for their neighborhoods.

“Seattle’s neighborhoods are one of the reasons we attract talented people and growing companies,” said Mayor McGinn. “That’s why investing in our dynamic neighborhood business districts is critical to our overall economic vitality.”

A large portion of the funding went to neighborhoods that have developed comprehensive, multi-year strategies, in which the city is investing a total of $727,000 in 2013. Which breaks down as:

  • Beacon Hill $ 57,500
  • Capitol Hill / 12th Avenue $100,000
  • Chinatown / International District $168,500
  • Columbia City $ 65,000
  • MLK (Rainier Valley) $ 76,000
  • Pioneer Square $100,000
  • Rainier Beach $ 65,000
  • University District $ 95,000

“I’m excited that the city is investing in the three major business nodes of the Rainier Valley: Columbia City, Rainier Beach and Othello,” said Susan Davis, Executive Director of the Rainier Chamber of Commerce. “This funding will help ensure that we can bring business leaders together to maximize the potential of each of these major business areas.”

“Ballard is a great place to live, work, shop and play. As a result, we are bursting at the seams. The Only in Seattle grant allows us to assemble community stakeholders – from retailers and restaurants to industrial businesses, major employers and Ballard residents – and create a unified vision for commercial revitalization that makes sense for Ballard today and in the future,” said Scott Ingham, Co-President of the Ballard Chamber Board of Directors.

OIS is also investing $115,000 to support focused investments in additional neighborhoods, Focused investments will be made in these neighborhoods: Ballard, Georgetown, Madison Valley, and South Park.

This year, $450,000 was also granted to neighborhoods for capital improvement projects that enhance the commercial district experience. In 2013, those neighborhoods are:

  • University District
  • Pioneer Square
  • Chinatown/International District
  • Roosevelt
  • Pike/Pine Corridor – Downtown

“In the Chinatown/International District, we’re pleased to continue our façade program and clean and safe activities, and we’re especially excited that the Only in Seattle funding this year was expanded to include infrastructure projects,” said Joyce Pisnanont, IdeaSpace Manager at Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda). “For us, we’ll be able to continue our work on Maynard and Canton Alley, which are two alleys of major cultural significance to our neighborhood that have been priority projects for a long time.”
Other Program Highlights – The Only in Seattle funding will also include approximately $300,000 that will invest in the following programs.

  • The city will continue the Only in Seattle marketing campaign in 16 neighborhoods, which highlights the hidden gems of shopping and dining in Seattle’s neighborhoods (Also on Twitter and Facebook).
  • The city also will invest to build strong business-focused organizational capacity to sustain the efforts of neighborhood business districts in Capitol Hill / 12th Avenue, Central Area, MLK (Rainier Valley), Georgetown, Roosevelt, Wallingford and White Center. Support for Business Improvement Areas (BIA) will occur in the following neighborhoods: Capitol Hill / 12th Avenue, Chinatown/International District, Madison Valley, Pioneer Square, and University District.
  • Support a façade improvement program in the Chinatown/International District to develop and improve three façades through the business community.

OED will fund and manage this program in partnership with Impact Capital, a Seattle-based community development financial institution serving underserved communities throughout Washington.

“The Only in Seattle program is a great complement to the city’s neighborhood planning efforts that have happened throughout the years,” said Council President Sally Clark. “These investments help the major players in neighborhood business districts execute concrete steps towards a common vision.”

The Office of Economic Development (OED)’s Only in Seattle Initiative (OIS) is a partnership with Impact Capital, which supports investments in neighborhood business districts, and focuses on the following strategies to create healthy business districts:

  • 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.

More information can be found in the Press Release from the Mayor’s Office.

Mayor launches 2012 Only in Seattle campaign

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In a continued effort to encourage discovery and exploration of new neighborhoods and businesses in Seattle, Mayor Mike McGinn announced both the addition of three new neighborhoods to be featured in the 2012 Only in Seattle Campaign, and the launch of Only in Seattle Sundays – a special once-a-month neighborhood discount day.

“The locally-owned small businesses featured in Only in Seattle are great for visitors and locals alike,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “Our diverse neighborhoods are economically and culturally strong in large part due to these thriving small, independent businesses. Only in Seattle is about more than supporting our local economy, it’s about celebrating what makes Seattle special.”

Now in the campaign’s third year, the City is not only adding 12 new businesses in Fremont, Pioneer Square, and Wallingford, but also taking the campaign one step further by introducing Only in Seattle Sundays. The last Sunday of each month shoppers and diners will have the opportunity to take advantage of a customized set of discounts and freebies at local businesses and restaurants in neighborhoods across Seattle. Only in Seattle Sundays are designed in partnership with the neighborhood business districts to give people a great way to get out and discover what makes Seattle’s neighborhoods unique – and get some great deals while they’re at it.

Fremont will host the inaugural Only in Seattle Sunday on Sunday July 29th with 14 business offering discounts throughout the neighborhood. Visitors can start their day with an Only in Seattle Sundays brunch at Markettime Foods, spend some time shopping with 10% off at Only in Seattle featured businesses evo and Bitters Co. and finish off with “a buy one get one” free BBQ lunch at Pete’s Fremont Fire Pit, among other discounts throughout the neighborhood.

Following Fremont, locals can look forward to Only in Seattle Sundays hosted in Belltown (August) and Wallingford (September), and other neighborhoods in the subsequent months.

To redeem and view the monthly Only in Seattle Sundays deals, shoppers can download or print the Only in Seattle Sundays coupon available at www.onlyinseattle.org/ois_sundays . Additionally Seattleites are encouraged to follow Only in Seattle on Facebook and Twitter, where the City’s Office of Economic Development (OED) will be giving away prizes from select neighborhood businesses throughout the month.

The City promotes a healthy business environment for neighborhood business districts and organizations. The Only in Seattle marketing campaign is only one of numerous City-funded projects and activities that improve and strengthen local business districts under the broader Only in Seattle Initiative.

Annually, participating neighborhoods apply and are selected to be part of the Only in Seattle marketing campaign. Neighborhood business organizations interested in applying to participate in the 2013 Only in Seattle campaign should contact Theresa Barrearas at (206) 684-4505 or Theresa.barreras@seattle.gov.

Announcing an $1.1 million investment in neighborhood business districts

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(From Mayor Mike McGinn’s blog)

Today, the mayor joined neighborhood business district leaders and local business owners at Big Time Brewery & Alehouse in Seattle’s University District to announce a $1.1 million investment in 19 neighborhood business districts as part of the Seattle Jobs Plan.

“Our neighborhood business districts are a critical economic asset. Their diversity and strength is a part of what makes our city special,” said Mayor McGinn. “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.”

Small businesses employ 72 percent of Seattle’s workforce and contribute 35 percent of the city’s business tax revenues, totaling $55.4 million. Our local neighborhood business districts serve as the location and incubators for many of the city’s small businesses. The Seattle Jobs Plan specifically targets investment in Seattle’s neighborhood business districts.

“As a business owner, I know that investments in our business district help us do more to improve our business environment and support our local businesses,” said Don Schulze, board chair of the University District Chamber of Commerce and owner of Shultzy’s. “I’m excited about this investment in our University District business to help us, the business and property owners, get organized around a shared vision for the future of our neighborhood.”

The Office of Economic Development (OED)’s Only in Seattle Initiative supports investments in neighborhood business districts, and focuses on the following strategies to create healthy business districts:

  • 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.

The local business communities in these nine neighborhoods have developed comprehensive, multi-year strategies, in which the city is investing a total of $844,000 in 2012.

  • 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

In addition, the city is investing $142,500 to support focused investments in additional neighborhoods, as well as the Only in Seattle marketing campaign and business organization development.

  • Focused investments will be made in these neighborhoods: Beacon Hill, Belltown, Columbia City, Georgetown, Madison Valley, Rainier Beach, SODO, South Park, and White Center.
  • The city will expand the Only in Seattle marketing campaign, which highlights the hidden gems of shopping and dining in Seattle’s neighborhoods (www.onlyinseattle.org). The following neighborhoods will join the Only in Seattle marketing effort: Fremont, Pioneer Square and Wallingford.
  • The city also will invest to build strong business-focused organizational capacity to sustain the efforts of neighborhood business districts. Support for Business Improvement Area (BIA) formation will occur in the following neighborhoods: Ballard, Belltown, Capitol Hill / 12th Avenue, Madison Valley, Pioneer Square, SODO, and West Seattle.

“The city is focused on helping business and property owners to strengthen local business climate and grow jobs,” said Steve Johnson, director of the Office of Economic Development. “Through the Only in Seattle Initiative we have created an investment framework and partnerships to execute strategies to support healthy business districts.”

In addition this year, the city is investing $100,000 in three neighborhoods for façade improvements: Columbia City, Central Area Main Streets, and Chinatown/International District. This investment was matched with $142,764 in private dollars. These improvements directly impact the continued revitalization of the neighborhood business districts and support ongoing business attraction and clean and safe strategies.

“The City’s investment in the Viet-Wah façade with a new awning and improved lighting will help our customers feel welcome and safe while they are shopping,” said Duc Tran, Chairman, Viet-Wah Group in Little Saigon. “Helping our business districts look and feel clean and professional help attract a mix of businesses and companies, increase our customer base and in turn, expand our bottom line.”

OED will fund and manage this program in partnership with Impact Capital, a Seattle-based community development financial institution serving underserved communities throughout Washington.

OED also partnered with the Seattle Department of Transportation this year to better understand the purpose and patterns of travel by visitors in various neighborhood business districts by conducting an intercept survey of visitors in six neighborhood business districts.

“From this survey we were able to gauge important patterns of customers in the district, including how long they were staying, and what other services they were looking for,” said Shelley Morrison, chairman of the marketing committee of the Columbia City Business Association. “We will use this data to improve our marketing and business attraction efforts. It’s the kind of research we couldn’t afford to do on our own, but is greatly beneficial, especially when we can compare ourselves to other neighborhoods.”

Photo by: Aaron Fishbone

REI, Perkins Coie among Seattle’s ‘best companies to work for’

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REI, Perkins Coie among Seattle’s ‘best companies to work for’   
Seattle PI
Fortune magazine released its list of best companies to work for, and a handful of Seattle-area businesses made the list. REI, Starbucks, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Perkins Coie and The Everett Clinic were included in the top 100. Factors such as perks, pay rates and job openings were considered.

Four sites considered for farmers market   
My Wallingford
As the Wallingford community searches for a new farmers market location, OED provided assistance in narrowing the search and tackling logistical issues such as talking to nearby businesses. Currently, four different sites have been chosen for further consideration.

Top 10 reasons to run your own business   
Inc.
Inc. conducted a survey asking small business owners to sight some reasons on why they prefer to own their own business as opposed to working as an employee for a larger company. Their suggested reasons dives deeper into why nearly 600,000 new businesses are founded each year.

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As a service to the Seattle business community, the Office of Economic Development curates a daily business news blast, Daily Digest. As a feature on Bottom Line, we’re posting a handful of stories from the Daily Digest every day.  Find the stories informative or helpful? Keep checking Bottom Line or sign up for Daily Digest to receive the full version in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Daily Digest here.