"No one plundered before the way that it is happening now," he says. "I'm not sure who can afford to live here anymore."
Skolnik, the first manager of the Pioneer Square National Historic District in the 1970s, says he is concerned as well, principally that the city and developers don't realize what a jewel they have, rather that they see it more as a disconnected, quasi–red light district. Pioneer Square is locally protected as a preservation district.
Kevin P. Casey
Pioneer Square: still more growth to come.
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"They don't look at the Square as having a theme," he says, poking at the old idea that Pioneer Square should be the city's arts district. "I would reinforce that theme and run with it."
Like others, he notes that in recent years, artists have been chased from their studios and galleries from their spaces by dramatically increasing rents in the neighborhood (see "Occidental Exodus," March 29).
Skolnik has concerns about the proposed North Parking Lot development as well.
"If you just fill it with housing, it's not unique to the Square, and it ain't going to be cheap," he says. "And Pioneer Square is still left with, 'Who am I?'"
City says growth will balance the population.
That's the big question that has always hovered over Pioneer Square. Is it a dumping ground for the homeless? An incubator for small businesses? An arts district? A tourist destination for out-of-towners to take the Underground Tour?
Crosier, the departing general manager of Doc Maynard's, says that all the expensive new housing may be the last best hope for the neighborhood in a raw economic sense, but everyone should be careful what they wish for.
"The people in those expensive condos may call the cops cuz they don't like the noise," he says. "But these people have got to want to do something at night. If they don't want nightclubs, then those places will convert to sports bars and lounges. The hottest club in the Square right now is Cowgirls. It's just not Pioneer Square." He means it's a club that might be better suited to Bellevue.
But then, there are some things that will always be Pioneer Square.
One night on Memorial Day weekend, an employee at Fenix Tattoo on First Avenue South chased a man from the store and followed him a few doors south to where he had a small foam mattress in an alcove.
"You want to know why I'm kicking you out?" said the store employee. "Because I've got fucking standards. That's why."
The homeless man crouched on his mattress. It was then that the skies opened and a deluge of rain came down amidst the grand old buildings that will always be there to somehow moderate the character of the neighborhood, no matter how much change comes as the city tries to fit 2,000 more urbanities into Seattle's original urban village.
Pioneer Square Projects
1. Alaska Building, Second Avenue and Cherry Street. City offices being rehabbed into apartments and retail.
2. Yesler Way and Second Avenue. 13 story building under construction now.
3. Yesler Way and Second Avenue. Rehab above Lazarus Center.
4. Occidental Avenue and Washington Street. Greg Smith/Urban Visions project. 12 floors.
5. North Parking Lot. Two towers, 400-plus units.
6. Seattle Plumbing building. First Avenue and Railroad Way. Five stories, 69 units.
7. WOSCA site. Tentative for the more distant future.
8. Commercial/retail/residential possible over tracks along Fourth Avenue South.
pdawdy@seattleweekly.com
