Downtown is the commercial engine for our city. How can we ensure the future of Downtown Seattle creates economic and educational opportunities for all Seattleites? We envision a space where students, entrepreneurs, educators, and large and small businesses can work together to “make” the future of our city a reality. This Makers Campus could bring the worlds of work and education together in a multidisciplinary facility where students could earn their degrees, participate in paid training, learn about career opportunities in Downtown, and start their own businesses. The Makers Campus would create an opportunity to bring Seattle’s flagship educational institutions into Downtown Seattle where they could prepare their students for the jobs of the future with Downtown employers.

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This initiative could start with a fund to support small community-based organizations owned by, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color over the next four years to develop brick-and-mortar mercados. These mercados will create physical spaces, visibility, and shared resources such as commercial kitchens for small businesses, bringing life and culture to all of Seattle.

There’s nothing like Seattle summers with 10 p.m. sunsets over the Sound and the massive trees changing color every fall all over the city. That’s what makes us the Emerald City – a city that is committed to taking care of and enjoying the natural world around us. We can reach the City’s goal of 30% canopy coverage by maximizing the trees and greenery Downtown. The City is also exploring lidding I-5 which would create an unparalleled opportunity to grow green spaces Downtown. Not only could this prepare our Downtown to be more resilient and withstand impacts of climate change, it would provide multiple spaces for people to be surrounded by nature and greenery, even in the middle of the city.

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While Downtown has historically been the center of business and commerce, it's time to invest in Downtown’s identity as a neighborhood. Changes to zoning would allow for the development of residential neighborhoods that could be built upwards within buildings including the amenities and resources that make a neighborhood. This would incentivize mixed-use buildings with street-level spaces dedicated to community assets such as schools, childcare facilities, community gathering spaces, family services, and mixed-income residential options. Together, these buildings in close proximity could comprise a compact neighborhood.

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What connects neighborhoods across Seattle? Before the Link Light Rail, it was the bus tunnel that brought commuters, visitors and residents to Downtown’s central gathering place – Westlake Center. We have a new opportunity to reimagine Westlake as the “Heart of the City,” making it a world-class plaza that could reinvigorate Downtown Seattle's community commons and connect people to Seattle Center. Westlake could once again become the central gathering place for Seattleites, brought to life with interactive art installations, state of the art technology, and formalized year-round programming in Downtown for workers, visitors, and families who want to be able to socialize and relax without spending money.

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What if you could play a pickup game of basketball with your favorite Storm player? Or learn some cool soccer tricks from the Sounders? With a state-of-the-art sports and recreation facility based in Downtown, we could bring people of all ages, families of all types, professional and amateur players alike, to keep loving the game – no matter the season. This could look like a massive new indoor/outdoor area for family play, a new recreation center, world class courts for tournament play, or an exciting combination of these. Spaces like this can build community while providing free or low-cost opportunities for adults and families with children when they’re Downtown.

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