A 2016 temporary activation on 11th Ave created the V2 dance and arts venue

By Hannah Saunders

A City of Seattle program created to fill in the city’s commercial spaces left empty by the economic ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic is looking for locations to activate on Capitol Hill — but it might not be needed.

After finding success with Phase 1 of the Seattle Restored program, which works to activate vacant commercial storefronts following COVID-19 related closures, Mayor Bruce Harrell and the Office of Economic Development announced the expansion of the program. The goal of the expansion is to activate 45 vacant commercial storefronts beyond the downtown neighborhoods.

Karissa Braxton, communications director for the City of Seattle, said the program was a success downtown and is hoped to move into other neighborhoods of the city.

But commercial real estate pros say Capitol Hill might not have room for temporary popups and art projects.

Jill Cronauer of Hunters Capital, a boutique real estate company committed to historic preservation and development and owner of nine properties on Capitol Hill, said that demand is strong for space in the neighborhood.

“We’re a lot more open than we were two years ago,” said Cronauer. “I think that Capitol Hill, for all the trauma it endured during the last two years, it was one of the quickest ones [neighborhoods] to bounce back.”

Others apparently agree. The Puget Sound Business Journal reports Seattle brokers are calling competition for Capitol Hill retail space “arguably the fiercest in Seattle.”

Cronauer said the COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted many businesses but landlords and assistance programs helped commercial tenants keep the Capitol Hill commercial landscape intact.

As for the Seattle Restored program expansion, Cronauer said Hunters Capital has not yet become involved, although they’ve been keeping tabs on the 15th Ave E building left open by the abrupt 2021 exit of QFC.

“We would love to see that space activated, but they still hold that lease,” Cronauer said.

Temporary activations and pop-ups have helped keep important stretches of Capitol Hill from turning into boarded-up blocks in the past and have created some interesting opportunities for events and activities over the years.

An ambitious program activated commercial properties being prepared for demolition — including the old Broadway Jack in the Box — as art spaces during construction of Capitol Hill Station in the late 2000s.

Another example is the creation of V2, a temporary dance and arts space led by Velocity Dance that kept the old Value Village building alive as a temporary performance venue before its redevelopment.

The first phase of Seattle Restored supported the activation of 35 vacant storefronts with pop-up shops and art installations, but Phase 2 of the program will allow for additional types of activations with not only pop-up shops and art installations, but also QR code window shopping, collective pop-up shops and restaurant pop-up residency.

“Every vacancy has its own story and own solution, but this is an opportunity to activate some of those vacant spaces,” said Braxton. “We’re looking forward to see what may be able to happen in Phase 2.”

Braxton says the program is hoped to benefit BIPOC, woman-owned, and LGBTQ+-owned businesses that tend to come across greater barriers when accessing commercial space, she said.

“If you’re a new business or a start-up, or operating from a home where you haven’t had that high overhead, it can be particularly difficult to get into some of these commercial spaces,” said Braxton. “By matching with these vacant properties, the Seattle Restored program is actually helping to pay the rent.”

Phase 2 program participants will receive $2,500 in working capital to assist with setting up the commercial space and support including commercial space development, marketing strategy development and execution, and other forms of technical assistance such as product inventory management. Participants selected for collective pop-up shops will receive $1,500 as a direct payment.

Phase 2 activation emphasis will be on neighborhoods such as Little Saigon, Ballard and Southeast Seattle, in addition to Downtown, Pioneer Square, Belltown and Chinatown-International District.

“We do not currently have any Capitol Hill locations confirmed, but it is one of the neighborhoods into which we are looking to expand,” said Andrea Porter, Program Manager for Seattle Restored. “We are contacting various groups and individual property owners to gauge interest. We feel confident we will find some partners.”

Porter said Phase 2 will feature 45 activations. Several of the venues from Phase 1 have been extended beyond the initial three month terms, with anywhere from six to nine months of total activation, she said.

“These extensions are decided on a case-by-case basis, pending interest from participants and property owners,” said Porter. “The hope is that many will return into long-term leases and become permanent brick and mortar locations.”

Competition could be substantial. Shunpike, which helps coordinate and administrate the program, says the first phase received more than 270 applications. It expects even more to roll in before the second phase’s August 26th deadline.

By mid-October, the new activations will be placed. For more information or to apply visit seattlerestored.org.

$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE

Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 🖤