posted 02/27/09 12:50 PM
Views: 1192 | Comments : 13 | News, etc.

What would you do with 3 acres of open asphalt on Broadway?

By jseattle
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Demolition of the city block of Broadway between John and Denny is scheduled to begin on March 9, Sound Transit tell us. They also told us something about the project we hadn't thought to ask about earlier. After they tear down all the buildings, what will the area be like in the time between demolition and the start of construction on the station? The answer: one very large, 3-acre+ patch of asphalt.

The construction area will be capped with a layer of pavement to help control runoff and dust until station excavation begins sometime in 2010.


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Which leads to the next obvious question for a creative neighborhood like Capitol Hill Seattle?

What can the community do with 3 acres of asphalt?

Spokesperson Jeff Munnoch says Sound Transit is open to doing more than simply fencing the area off. One idea that has been discussed is the possiblity of the Three Dollar Bill Cinema summer series utilizing the large lot for its free movie screenings. But executive director Rachael Brister said it's too early to make any plans -- for one, Sound Transit doesn't know when the asphalt work will be complete.

So, for now, we get to play the 'what should we do game.' What's the best possible use for 3 acres of mostly flat asphalt (with a slight slope on the south end)?

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the obvious stuff
Swap meets, community garage sales, farmers' markets, classic car or bike shows, go cart races...
Comment by linder seattle
February 27, 2009
Farmer's market!
Moveit there, make it start sooner, and make it bigger and better :-)
Comment by Lu
February 27, 2009
3-acres of asphalt
Put a fence around it and make it North America's largest dodge-ball court.
Comment by Slothrop
February 27, 2009
farmers market
Sounds like a nice place to put a (insert time frame here) farmers market.
Comment by BenG
February 27, 2009
3 acres
I bet it becomes 3 acres of blight.
Comment by chainsaw riggins
February 27, 2009
Ironic no?
Can I just say that the title of this post is incredibly ironic because of this:

http://www.greatcity.org/2009/02/26/nyc-brings-livable-stree

New York City will also be opening 3 acres of asphalt on Broadway .
Comment by JoshMahar
February 27, 2009
RE: Ironic no?
Wow. Nice juxtaposition. Love that ours is construction byproduct, NY's urban planning.
Comment by jseattle
February 28, 2009
can they plant some grass there?
it would be a ton nicer...
also, will people be able to park on the asphalt? will it be a parking lot or just asphalt?
Comment by broadwayanddenny
February 28, 2009
a track
I'd like to see a portion of it turned an onroad RC car track. There's a club forming right now, Seattle RC Racers, racing in Hanger 30 at Magnuson every other Wednesday evening. This space could be perfect for some outdoor summertime fun with toy cars when the Hanger 30 setup stops for the season.
Comment by sportsracer-5
February 28, 2009
farmers market / dodgeball
The farmers market is an obvious choice. Also didn't dodgeball get kicked out of the park nearby? Maybe the fences needed for a dodgeball court could get put up.

In other news, why the heck would sound transit demolish everything a year before they needed to? Why not let the businesses stay another year, etc then leave 3 blocks vacant an extra year?
Comment by Mathew
March 01, 2009
RE: farmers market / dodgeball
cause the plan said tear it all down now :)
or maybe the idea is to tear down all the stuff that is there, leave it bland and barren for a year, then a construction zone for 4+ years, and then whatever gets put there afterwards will be welcomed into the neighborhood as it would be a heck of a lot better than what it was for the last 5 years? The tactic the guy that tore down Pine/Belmont/Summit block is employing.
Comment by Wes
March 02, 2009
Food Truck Mall
It would be great if Skillet and some food trucks could set up a market in the space - some cheap eats and more ethnic food on the hill
Comment by seadevi
March 03, 2009
Blacktop Dreams
Before anything, paint it white. Ask our current Energy Sec why.

Uhm, SkatePark, anyone? Tent City? or invite CAPTAIN FUNTASTIC to set up for a month. Please! (Doesn't DICK'S look like it WANTs a SKY DIVER and TILTAWHIRL across the street from it?)

@denny&broadway : Seems like the asphalt and drain are a specific plan to dry out / protect the ground underneath before the dig.

Food truck mall would be great in one corner - top it off by having one acre go to a NicklesVille Tent city, please.

Go carts would be a terribly profitable summer endeavor - too bad most go-kart companies already do well in summer in their usual digs.
RC cars on the other hand, they'd love a patch of asphalt like this. How's RF interference on the hill, though? Any kind of race would be fine though - how bout the Rat City ROller Girls?

All for the farmers market idea and the outdoor cinema, but they'll hardly make a dent in the acreage there. Just please god just no more Cornish student Artist sculptures. Please.
Comment by Rev. Smith
August 13, 2009