Top Developer - Washington

Local Landowners Band Together for New Vision

by Brian Libby

Seattle developers Greg Smith of Gregory Broderick Smith Real Estate, William Justen of Samis Land Co. and Frank Stagen of Nitze-Stagen know that, besides financial resources, it takes vision to develop properties.

And now this trio and various other local landholders have joined to create a new vision for Seattle's historic Pioneer Square neighborhood and the areas around it. Their plan calls for higher density and better connectivity.

"We recognize we're competitors, but we thought this is good for the city," Justen said. "And if it's good for the city, it's ultimately good for all of us."

The Seattle South Downtown Urban Village Vision includes plans to redevelop the Occidental Mall area in Pioneer Square. Rendering courtesy of Gregory Broderick Smith Real Estate

The Seattle South Downtown Urban Village Vision aspires to add 10,500 housing units and 3.2 million sq. ft. of office space in Pioneer Square and its surrounding areas.

The plan also calls for housing in areas such as the north end of Seahawk Stadium's parking lot. "There's actually room for a lot more than that," Justen added. "(Developer) Vulcan would still like to do that but is having some challenges in negotiating with some of the public agencies."

Stagen said the needs of South Downtown can be met by what he calls a "new urbanism, which really translates into increased density done thoughtfully, but it can't be done haphazardly. I think that's what brought us together."

Pioneer Square "used to be the heart of the city but was largely abandoned when downtown expanded north, Justen said. "Then it was infilled by artists and galleries," he added. "Our challenge now is to keep that arts community here, especially the galleries, to keep that special character, but to infill it with people that can support retail."

Smith called the area a "fabulous collection of buildings with charm and spirit. It really should be Seattle's showpiece."

Creating a Balance

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Pioneer Square's prime location near the city's office building core, the stadium district and the Elliott Bay waterfront means it has a lot of potential. But in recent decades, it has faced diminishing fortunes and increased crime.

Developers have long individually sought to revitalize the area, but have experienced frustration going at it alone.

"My family's been in real estate in the Pioneer Square area for over 50 years, and the battle hadn't changed," Smith said.

The new plan starts with housing. Currently, Pioneer Square has a sizeable quantity of affordable housing, and the developers behind the Seattle South Downtown Urban Village Vision say that's good. But the neighborhood needs to be more balanced, with middle- and upper-income residences as part of the mix, they say.

In light of the protection given its historic buildings, however, Pioneer Square itself does not have room to add the scores of new residences and so Smith, Justen and Stagen and company began looking beyond Pioneer Square.

That led to a more comprehensive look at the entire area.

"This plan is really much bigger than Pioneer Square," Smith said. "We've got two giant new stadiums. We've got an urban transportation center in Union Station. We've got fantastic neighborhoods in Pioneer Square and the International District that really suffer from bad connectivity, either with the financial district or the waterfront or with each other."

Besides adding housing and office space to Pioneer Square and the region that surrounds it, the plan identifies the area west of the Alaskan Way viaduct, particularly the Pier 46 industrial site, for future development with retail and residential structures.

"There are members of the marine community who would like to see it remain for marine and industrial use in perpetuity, but I feel if we accommodate that within another location within the harbor, the plan has to go forward," Stagen said.

"Millions and millions of dollars and thousands of jobs will come out of it, and it'll be a great place. It should be enjoyed by everyone, not just a few shippers."

Of course none of this will happen overnight.

"We call it a vision more than a plan," Justen said. "We want to show people what can happen. But if enough people start believing, it will start happening."