Tag Archives: chamber

A call for more — and more community-aware — cops following Capitol Hill shooting

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Seattle Police want people on Capitol Hill concerned about Sunday’s shooting at 13th and Olive to know that the department’s investigation of gun violence can be methodical but that the issues are known, the crime problems are being addressed, and detectives are working to make sure there is eventual justice.

SPD spokesperson Sergeant Sean Whitcomb said the department’s detectives are “actively tracking this investigation” and that gang units are “aware of recent incidents in the city” including a recent string of shootings across Capitol Hill and the Central District. According to the latest SPD statistical report on city crime for November, gunfire incidents continue to plague East Precinct and South Precinct despite a continued drop in overall crime across the city.

seastat_2016nov9_shots Continue reading →

Capitol Hill Housing’s annual forum: 5 projects to ‘gearshift’ the Hill

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Imagine the CHS comments section come to life. You know… a deep, well-informed conversation about the most important issues and opportunities facing Capitol Hill and the people of Central Seattle. With fewer trolls and people complaining about my tiptoes typos.

Capitol Hill Housing’s annual community forum is Thursday night, the location is Hill-convenient at E Pike’s Summit Event Space, the tickets are free and still available. The theme? Gearshift:

When people talk about “shifting gears” they often mean abruptly changing direction or the topic of conversation. This idiom is confusing. On a bicycle, shifting gears has little to do with changing direction. Rather, shifting gears on a bike is about maintaining an optimal effort for maximum efficiency. It’s about making on-the-fly adjustments to keep moving over uneven terrain without getting exhausted. Shifting gears is more appropriately a metaphor for resilience.

Some important and smart people will be there:

On May 26th, five professional urban planners and passionate community organizers will introduce these ambitious projects in a rapid-fire series of Pecha Kucha-style presentations followed by an opportunity for each guest to participate in a facilitated discussion about one of the five projects. Presenters include Sierra Hansen of the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce, Scott Bonjukian of Lid I-5, Alex Brennan from Capitol Hill Housing, Zachary Pullin of the Capitol Hill Community Council and Tonya Lockyer of Velocity Dance Center.  Civic leaders (City Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Mike O’Brien are confirmed) will be there to listen and respond to your comments.

This year’s forum will be a little different with multiple presentations on a set of hot topics undoubtedly culled from recent CHS archives:

The evening will feature five projects with the potential to increase the resilience of the neighborhood. The five projects:

The annual forum — CHH says this is the 9th edition — has been out in front on a variety of important initiatives and issues around the area while foreshadowing big projects to come from the city and the nonprofit developer. In 2015, the forum discussed gentrification and development in the Central District. In the year since, we’ve followed as massive projects have taken shape, more are coming, and the challenges of change have taken new forms in the community that CHH is slated to become an important new part of.

Capitol Hill Housing’s work around Capitol Hill, meanwhile, continues as the nonprofit developer of affordable housing enters its 40th year. It has been selected to be part of the Capitol Hill Station development to operate an 86-unit affordable apartment building at the site. As part of its mission to build “vibrant, engaged communities,” the 40-year-old community development corporation has frequently found itself outside the traditional role of housing developer. Through the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, CHH organized the pedestrian zone pilot project and will launch a transit pass program for tenants, and a shared parking pilot.

Gearshift: Capitol Hill Housing’s Community Forum 2016 is Thursday, May 26 starting at 5:00 PM at The Summit, 420 E Pike. Free tickets are available here.

Chamber sets vision for 2016: a greatly expanded Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area

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Grim's hosted the chamber's 2016 State of the Hill event Wednesday night (Image: CHS)

Grim’s hosted the chamber’s 2016 State of the Hill event Wednesday night (Image: CHS)


Longtime Capitol Hill lawyer and a godfather of the Pike/Pine entertainment district Jerry Everard was awarded the chamber's 2016 Spirit of the Hill award Wednesday night.

Longtime Capitol Hill lawyer, developer, and a godfather of the Pike/Pine entertainment district Jerry Everard was awarded the chamber’s 2016 Spirit of the Hill award Wednesday night. In his brief acceptance speech, Everard cited respect for past winners, and recalled chamber meeting minutes from 20 years ago where he was meeting with E Precinct representatives about nightlife issues. “It’s all of those people who do all of that work for no recognition -— not looking for recognition —- that really keep making the great neighborhood what it is,” Everard said.The 2016 nominees are listed here.

There was a new Spirit of the Hill announced Wednesday night — and we’re not just talking about attorney and developer Jerry Everard’s award from the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce.

In her first State of the Hill event as the director of the chamber, Sierra Hansen for the first time publicly announced a new Business Improvement Area as the pro-business group’s focus for the year ahead.

“This year the chamber is going to do probably the most important thing we’ve done in this neighborhood. And that is put in place a new Business Improvement Area that’s going to have a longterm, sustainable funding source and that is going to address the challenges and the opportunities that the growth in this neighborhood has seen over the last few decades,” Hansen said Wednesday. She cited BIAs formed in Pioneer Square, downtown, and West Seattle as examples for what the Capitol Hill group will try to achieve by the end of the year. Continue reading →

Who should CHS nominate for the 2016 ‘Spirit of the Hill’ award?

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Our favorite paperweight in the whole world

Our favorite paperweight in the whole world

The Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce is taking nominations this year for its annual Spirit of the Hill award. Last year’s winner was a questionable choice. More worthy past award recipients include light rail station development community advocate Catherine Hillenbrand, Cal Anderson Park champion Kay Rood, and preservation-minded developer Michael Malone.

But who — in 2016! — best exemplifies Capitol Hill through “community service, excellence, and passion for the neighborhood?” Sorry, the nominations are for chamber members only. But you can let us know who CHS should put on the list in the comment below. Continue reading →

Study recommends $780K+ investment to improve Cal Anderson Park lighting

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Cal Anderson Park

Screen Shot 2015-12-22 at 12.10.11 PMNight time lighting at Cal Anderson Park has been a bit of a Goldilocks dilemma for Capitol Hill. Too little creates the potential for more crime and the perception the park is unsafe, while too much may actually have a similar effect and has been a nuisance for neighbors in the past.

To help guide the way, the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce commissioned a grant-funded study earlier this year to analyze the current lighting situation and recommend improvements. The report from dark | light design released Monday recommends $780,000 to $960,000 worth of lighting improvements to make the park safer by making it more inviting.

CHCC executive director Sierra Hansen said getting more people to cross through the park at night is a top priority. “We want to use lighting to create more movement,” Hansen said.

Among the recommendations is an idea to mount LED lights on the park’s gatehouse to “softly illuminate the architecture of the gatehouse without creating an overwhelming visual element.” The study notes that the high contrast light around the shelter house plaza should be reduced by fully illuminating the plaza’s columns. The study also warns against over-lighting, especially with omnidirectional globes that shield views of the night sky.

Other recommendations include:Screen Shot 2015-12-22 at 11.23.35 AM

  • Increase lighting along 11th Ave
  • Increase lighting on paths while decreasing visual glare
  • Light plants and trees throughout the park
  • Enhance park entrance lighting

Now the CHCC and groups like the Cal Anderson Park Alliance have to come up with the money to fund the plan. Hansen said the CHCC will lead an effort to seek a combination of private and public funding. Beyond lighting, the CHCC is also exploring improvements to the park’s landscaping to create a safer environment.

“There are some real challenging areas,” Hansen said. “Lighting can help, but it’s not going to be the silver bullet.”

Cal Anderson Park Lighting Study

Now hiring: A new de facto Mayor of Capitol Hill

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The mayor with the mayor (Image: CHS)

The mayor with the mayor (Image: CHS)

Michael Wells is barely out the door but it’s time to start seeking his replacement to lead the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce — a role that basically makes you the Mayor of Capitol Hill:

The Executive Director will lead the development, management, and execution of all Chamber programs and projects including and especially the creation of a new Business Improvement Area (BIA). This includes managing all staff, budgets, and contracts for the organization. The Board of Directors will provide strategic leadership in identifying the Capitol Hill community priorities and oversight of the finances of the organization. The Executive Director must work effectively with city leaders, multiple city departments, and local business & community leaders.

That whole “work effectively” part leaves CHS out. Continue reading →