“What can we learn from the people of Washington State about how we as individuals learn, how we pursue our greatest passions, how we support learning in our community and therefore how we can move civilization forward into the next 50 years?” These are the questions at the forefront of the Seattle Center and The Next Fifty‘s latest project: People * Passion * Purpose (P3): A Learning Odyssey.
P3 is the latest of many new endeavors at Seattle Center to both commend its 50th anniversary, and lay the groundwork for social and intellectual investment in our region’s creative energy over the next 50 years. The project will follow 25 participants – people from all ages and walks of life across Washington State – as they “identify their deepest passion and work to intentionally pursue it” over the course of nine months.
Participants (Voyagers) will each be paired a mentor (Guide) to support them as they challenge their assumptions, imagine new possibilities, encounter obstacles, and have the courage to expand beyond who they are to learn and grow.
Voyagers and Guides will document their experiences, efforts, struggles, achievements and realizations. This material will be shared publicly on the web and in a documentary film, making the findings widely accessible to outside observers and researchers. The findings and participants will be featured in August 2012 during The Next Fifty month of Learning.
The Next Fifty is looking for participants for the P3 project – people ready to pursue their passions and have others learn from their journey. If you like the idea of having a camera crew follow you around for nine months documenting your every move in pursuit of whatever it is that makes you tick, this might be the gig for you.
We are looking to recruit a group of people to represent the broad demographics of Washington State– participants of all ages, economic and ethnic backgrounds. It is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to apply themselves in new ways, be challenged in a supportive environment, and learn with and among others. Apply yourself, or nominate someone you know!
The deadline to apply to become a P3 ‘Voyager’ is this Friday, August 19. Download an application here (.pdf). For more information on P3 and The Next Fifty, click here or call 206 684-7200.
SIFF plans to reopen the neighborhood theater in October, as it transitions out of its current location in McCaw Hall, in conjunction with the Grand Opening of its own new SIFF Film Center at Seattle Center. SIFF says the new space will provide the organization with increased seating capacity and three additional screens, which will allow it more flexibility for year-round programming.
When the Uptown Theater closed last fall, many in the community were heartbroken to see the longstanding neighborhood cinema house, originally opened in 1926, fall by the wayside. We reached out to SIFF to see if the organization had any interest or intention of taking over the newly vacated space. At the time SIFF representatives told us they were not in a position to take over the theater.
“It really is unfortunate that Uptown theater is closing. I used to go there many times and even when I was growing up so personally it’s a shame that it is closing,” SIFF representative Tod Steward wrote to Queen Anne View back in November. “Maybe Paul Allen or someone like him would finance it to stay open…just like what he did with Cinerama.”
Fortunately for the Queen Anne community, the tides have changed since last fall. In addition to helping expand its year-round programming, SIFF says the reopening of the theater will give it the opportunity to establish first-class educational programs and solidify the future of the organizations and its programs.
Mayor Mike McGinn came out in support of the deal, stating, “SIFF is one of Seattle’s true treasures not only for the work they do in Film and Education, but for being a leader in our community and saving the Uptown Movie Theatre. The leadership that SIFF is demonstrating should not only be recognized but applauded.”
“On behalf of the Greater Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce, we are especially pleased to endorse the acquisition of the Uptown Theater by the Seattle International Film Festival,” Chamber vice president Ann Pearce said in a statement. “We applaud their actions in preserving a valuable part of Seattle’s Uptown neighborhood and creating more opportunities for Queen Anne community businesses. Another wonderful forum for unique entertainment will now be available for residents and tourists alike to enjoy for years to come!”
“We couldn’t have scripted a better opportunity for our organization than to have SIFF Cinema Uptown and the new SIFF Film Center in such close proximity and located in such a vibrant part of the city. Seattle Center and Queen Anne are the perfect locations for us to expand in and we’re excited to be opening our doors in time for Seattle Center’s ‘Next 50’ celebration next year,” SIFF Artistic Director Carl Spence said.
“We are thrilled to welcome SIFF as a new resident here, and we embrace its move to use the former Uptown Theater space as a SIFF screening venue. What a wonderful means to enlivening the neighborhood and further connecting Seattle Center to the Uptown area,” Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams said.
The Seattle Center and future tenant KEXP 90.3 are putting on a number of free concerts at the Mural Ampitheatre every Friday throughout the month of August as part of the Concerts at the Mural summer music series.
The eclectic concerts will showcase some of KEXP’s favorite artists and local bands. All shows are free, all-ages and “tailored to the culturally curious who seek to discover the best of the area’s independent music scene.” KEXP DJs will be on hand to entertain between sets, and there will also be a beer/wine garden for music lovers 21 and up.
The first live show kicks off today at 6 p.m. with Seattle-based bands The Maldives, Hey Marseilles and Black Whales. Check out the lineup for the whole month:
Friday, August 5, 6pm The Maldives
Hey Marseilles
Black Whales
Saturday, August 6, 3 – 9pm KEXP BBQ Fool’s Gold
Rainbow Arabia
Capsula
School of Rock
Virgin Islands
Mad Rad Friday, August 12, 6pm Seapony
Gold Leaves
Math and Physics Club
Friday, August 19, 6pm Black Mountain
My Goodness
Whalebones (Record Release)
Friday, August 26, 6pm NO DEPRESSION NIGHT Shane Tutmarc
Ravenna Woods
Pickwick
Drew Grow & the Pastors’ Wives
Good thing there’s decent weather on the horizon because this weekend is packed with fun outdoor events in and around Queen Anne. There are not just one, but two opportunities to run through the neighborhood – one for charity, the other for kicks. Plus Seattle’s biggest outdoor yoga event, and the annual Queen Anne Sidewalk Sale. Check out Queen Anne’s weekend calendar:
Saturday, July 9
Crown of Queen Anne Fun Run – Help support the Queen Anne Helpline by participating in the annual QA Fun Run. The 5k (3.3 mile) run/walk of beautiful streets on Queen Anne hill kicks off at 8 a.m. (walkers) and 8:20 a.m. (runners). If you haven’t yet registered, you may do so between 6:45 and 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Day of registration is $35. Participants should gather at the Queen Anne Lutheran Church, located at 2400 8th Ave West. The Fun Run/walk will start at 5th and Halladay, and finish at Coe Elementary School. After the run/walk participants should reassemble at the Queen Anne Lutheran Church for awards, coffee, water, snacks and random drawings for prizes. Details here.
3rd Annual Yoga for Hope Event – Join hundreds of other yogis at the International Fountain North Lawn at Seattle Center for the city’s annual outdoor yoga event for charity: Yoga for Hope is an outdoor yoga event for yoga beginners and experts alike to bring awareness to the benefits of yoga practice for patients with life-threatening illnesses. Four of Seattle’s top yoga instructors will lead hundreds of participants in a two-hour class at the Seattle Center. The proceeds from the event will benefit research, treatment and education programs at City of Hope, aiding the treatment and research center’s efforts to expand awareness of the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection when battling cancer, diabetes or HIV/AIDS. The Yoga for Hope event was born out of City of Hope’s efforts to expand awareness of the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection and the hospital’s unique approach to utilizing complimentary and integrative therapies such as yoga and meditation in the patient treatment programs. Instructors from Queen Anne’s own Haute Yoga will be joining other teachers at the event this year. Registration $35 if done online by midnight tonight (register here), or $45 day of. Registration and vendor booths open at 9 a.m., with classes taking place between 10:30 a.m. and noon.Details here.
2nd Annual Queen Anne Running of the Bulls – In case walking/running it out over 3.3 miles of Queen Anne streets during the Fun Run isn’t enough, Queen Anne’s own self-proclaimed “division of the Queen Anne mafia,” The Comstock Commission, is putting on the second neighborhood Running of the Bulls on the very same day. Swing by Paragon Bar & Grill at 1 p.m. to join in the fun or just watch it unfold. And don’t forget to wear the Comstock uniform–white shirts and pants, a red scarf and “fast shoes”. Details here.
Queen Anne Sidewalk Sale – If you feel like shopping in the sunshine, don’t miss Queen Anne’s annual summer Sidewalk Sale, which will be happening all day at stores up and down Queen Anne Ave N. We don’t have a full list of participating vendors, but many stores have planned sales and special events in years past. Many vendors also often extend the sales for the whole weekend, so if you can’t make it Saturday, you’ll have another chance on Sunday, July 9. Just look for balloons and big crowds!
Know of more events happening on the hill this weekend? Email us at tips@queenanneview.com or comment below and we’ll add the event to our weekend calendar.
One of the greatest things about Seattle in the summer is that it’s much easier to take advantage of all of the fun – and often free – events and activities taking place all over the city, when the weather is cooperating at least. One popular summer series is back at Seattle Center starting today – free summer fitness classes!
Every Tuesday starting today, June 21, the Seattle Center will be offering a free evening Zumba class from 6 to 7 p.m. on the Fisher Pavilion rooftop. The class will be taught by Brooklyn Dicent of Brooklyn Zumba. From the press release:
Zumba® Fitness is a dance-based class that fuses Latin and world music in order to inspire 60 heart healthy movements. Absolutely no prior dance experience is necessary. The steps are easy to learn and continuously repeated. Water, a towel, workout clothes, and wear comfortable sneakers are suggested.
Every Wednesday starting tomorrow, June 22 the Center will be offering a free lunchtime Gentle Yoga class from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the Exhibition Hall lawn. This class will be taught by teachers from Queen Anne’s own Home Yoga and Wellness Center. Attendees are asked to bring their own mat. From the press release:
Gentle Yoga allows participants to gently stretch their bodies and breathe stress away while enjoying lots of fresh air. The class focuses on fluid movements to increase range of motion and joint and muscle flexibility. A yoga mat is required.
Each series will run every Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, through Tuesday, August 23 (for Zumba), and Wednesday, August 24 (for yoga).
For more information on other events happening at Seattle Center this summer, check out the Center’s events page.
*Photo courtesy of Seattle Center Director of Communications Deborah Daoust.
The Northwest Native Cultural Center initiative is continuing plans to bring a native peoples cultural center to Seattle Center, despite not being picked in the first round of south Fun Forest replacement project proposals last year. After redesigning the conceptual drawings for the new venue and reaching out to the Center, Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams responded with a letter of intent directed at members of the NNCC earlier this month, pledging his commitment to working with them to help “the historic vision [of a Northwest Native Cultural Center] come true and … building a long-term partnership.”
“This truly has the potential to be a huge win-win for the Native American community, Seattle Center and the public at large,” Nellams said in a statement, concurring with the NNCC that there should be a greater representation of “Seattle’s heritage and the Native people from whom its name comes” at Seattle Center.
Preliminary drawing by architectural firm Jones + Jonesvia the NNCC Facebook page.
The current incarnation of the venue design will be a 14,800-square-foot longhouse-style building with three levels, incorporating a historical introduction to the region’s Coast Salish people, a gallery featuring Northwest Coast artwork, a special event space with a stage and seating area, a gift shop, classrooms, and Seattle’s first cafe featuring Northwest Native food. The building will also include a landscaped terrace with a teaching garden where people can learn about the Northwest’s indigenous plants and trees. The design drawings were developed by project architect Johnpaul Jones, whose firm Jones + Jones, designed the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
“We are encouraged by Mr. Nellams’ interest in exploring a Native cultural venue at Seattle Center,” said NNCC president Roger Fernandes (Lower Elwha Klallam), a Native artist and storyteller. “We believe the Cultural Center will be a unique place for all the Coast Salish people, where they can present and interpret their own stories through a multimedia experience. The facility will also help fulfill Seattle Center’s mission to provide attractions for people of every heritage and background.”
According to Nellams, the NNCC’s core values are ones that fit in with that of Seattle Center, and can and will be embraced together:
To provide a facility open to all
To offer an authentic cultural experience
To enrich Seattle’s legacy
To provide meaningful green space and environmental education
To link Seattle’s past and future.
For more information on the project and to follow updates, check out the NNCC Facebook page.
But the Needle caught some flack this month after rumors circulated that the organization did not plan to raise the flag again this year, catching the attention of national progressive organization Change.org, as well as a number of local and national media outlets. With Seattle Pride fast approaching at the end of the month, many in the community spoke out, urging the Needle to again raise the flag.
After an outpouring of support for the flag over the last two weeks, the Space Needle changed its stance this week, announcing that it would raise the flag again, if the greater Seattle community agreed to take on a fundraising challenge: “If the community can raise $50,000 for 4 local charities, the Space Needle will raise the Rainbow Flag on Sunday of Seattle Pride weekend in Seattle,” the Needle wrote in a press release Monday (.pdf).
“We want to harness the enthusiasm that has built up to raise the flag for the encore performance. Our entire community gets involved in whatever issue is at hand and we think that is what makes us so strong. This challenge can reap great benefits for these worthwhile organizations,” said Space Needle LLC Chairman Jeff Wright in the statement.
The $50,000 raised, assuming the challenge is met, will be divided equally between four local charities: The Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) Scholarship Program, Lambda Legal, It Gets Better for the Trevor Project and Mary’s Place, a homeless shelter for women and children. The Space Needle has kicked off the challenge by offering an inaugural donation of $5,000. From the press release:
The Rainbow Flag, flown last year on the Space Needle, will lead the Seattle Pride Parade this year and, if the community challenge is met, it will be raised on the Space Needle when the Parade ends at Seattle Center on Sunday, June 26th. The Seattle Parade has grown in stature for several years now and holds a prominent position on the national scene.
Seattle Out and Proud, the organization behind Seattle Pride weekend, has already responded to the Space Needle’s challenge, partnering with the organization to help raise the funds. [Read more →]
You may have noticed a few more people wearing pink around Lower Queen Anne than usual last weekend. More than 13,000 people gathered at Seattle Center on Sunday, June 5 to help fight breast cancer at the Susan G. Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure.
The daylong 5K run/walk was a big success, according to spokesperson Kaitlin Sandblom. The efforts of thousands of survivors, supporters, educators,
health care providers, and Puget Sound area companies combined to raise over $1.6 million to help spread awareness, prevent, treat and ultimately eliminate breast cancer.
The Puget Sound Susan G. Komen affiliate is one of the country’s largest, and the Race for the Cure is its largest fundraiser. In 2011 alone the foundation awarded nearly $3 million to local organizations and global research to find a cure for breast cancer. On average, 75 percent of its net funds go toward local breast health education, screening and treatment support, and the remaining 25 percent are earmarked for scientific research. From the press release:
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women ages 40 to 59, but the disease can strike anyone, at any time. As women age, their risk factors increase. Early detection is the key to survival, as well as following three easy steps: 1) regular mammograms, 2) clinical breast exams, and 3) breast self-awareness.
Two women were robbed at gunpoint while walking near Seattle Center last week. Just after 2 a.m. on Tuesday, May 31, two women were reportedly walking to their car, in the 2700 block of 4th Ave, where they had turned from Cedar Street, when one of two suspects walking behind them moved in front of them and demanded they give him their money, according to the police report.
At first the two victims didn’t believe the suspects were actually robbing them, the report states, asking “Are you serious?” At this point the second suspect responded “Yes, give me your money. He has a gun,” and the first suspect displayed a handgun. Both women then gave their purses to the suspects, who ran off to the north toward Seattle Center.
The victims immediately left the area and called police. Neither victim were able to describe the first suspect in much detail. The second suspect was described as a “light skin male” wearing a dark hoody. SPD officers conducted an area check with little success. Officers checked the block for potential security cameras – none appeared at surrounding apartment buildings, and those from the Fisher Interactive Network building across the street appeared to have a blocked view.
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is hosting an open house on the Mercer West Project from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8 at Seattle Center’s Rainier Room, located within the Northwest Rooms Plaza.
At the meeting representatives from SDOT will discuss the preliminary designs for the project, including information on the underpass at Aurora Ave and the two-way conversion of Roy and Mercer streets between 5th Ave N and Queen Anne Ave N. SDOT will also present recommendations for West Mercer Place and West Mercer Street, based on evaluation of the alternatives and input from stakeholders.
The SDOT project team will be availableto solicit ideas from the public and answer questions attendees may have about current preliminary design concepts for the following:
A wider Mercer Underpass at Aurora Avenue North;
Converting Mercer and Roy Streets from one‐way to two‐way operation;
And improving intersections, street connections and bike access.
From SDOT:
The Mercer West Project would complete the City’s vision for a direct, two‐way connection between I‐5 and Elliott Avenue West, continuing where the Mercer East Project leaves off. The proposed improvements include:
Widening Mercer between Dexter Avenue N and Fifth Avenue N, including the underpass at Aurora to provide three lanes in each direction, left‐turn lanes, wider sidewalks, and a bicycle path;
Converting Mercer Street to two‐way operation with two lanes in each direction and turn pockets between Fifth Avenue N and Queen Anne Avenue N;
Converting Roy Street to a two‐way street with one lane in each direction and bicycle lanes between Fifth Avenue N and Queen Anne Avenue N;
Creating a new Sixth Avenue N connection between Mercer and Harrison Streets; and;
Closing Broad Street to re‐connect the street grid between Ninth Ave N and Fifth Ave N.
The Gates Foundation‘s new Lower Queen Anne campus opened to the public on Saturday, welcoming the community to the headquarters of one of the world’s largest charitable organizations.
The $500 million, 12-acre site across from the Seattle Center was designed to resemble arms reaching out to “the world’s most vulnerable people.” The organization has spent more than $24.8 billion on different causes throughout the world, with most of that spent on global health initiatives, according to the Gates Foundation Website.
A private party celebrating the opening of the three-year construction project was held on the evening of June 2, with Bill and Melinda Gates in attendance.
The foundation’s staff was spread out in five leased buildings throughout the South Lake Union area, but they’ve been moving into the new campus since early May. About 1,200 people are currently working at the center.
It’s Memorial Day weekend, which for many Seattleites is synonymous with the city’s annual Northwest Folklife Festival, now in full swing at Seattle Center.
The festival, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, chose to have a Bulgarian theme for the 2011 festival, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find all of your favorite cultural, ethnic, musical and artistic events, alongside a few new ones. One of the elements new to the festival this year is the “Indie Roots” stage, which according to The Seattle Times, intends to highlight “kinship between traditional folk music and Seattle’s burgeoning “neo-folk” indie movement”.
Also new to the festival this year: a Living Green Courtyard, located in the Alki Court on the northeast corner of Seattle Center. For more information watch the following news clip about the garden:
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday. Check out The Seattle Times lineup preview here. The full festival schedule can be found at the Folklife festival website here.
Parking is always packed around the festival, so it’s recommended to carpool or take public transportation when possible. Metro will be offering cash-only shuttle service to and from the festival on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Other routes will operate on holiday schedules on Sunday and Monday. More information on the Folklife shuttle here.
In advance of construction time SDOT is inviting the public to learn more about the project, including information on traffic detours and area impacts throughout the construction period, from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight, Thursday, May 26 in the Elliott Bay Room of Homewood Suites, located at 206 Western Ave W, near the overpass site. From SDOT:
SDOT project staff will be available to explain design and construction details, and answer questions. There will not be a formal presentation, so participants may show up any time between 5 and 7 p.m. Complimentary parking underneath the Homewood Suites building is available by checking in at the front desk and obtaining a key card to enter the secure parking garage.
When the overpass is completed it will provide access over the very busy Elliott Ave W and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad tracks to Myrtle Edwards Park. It will also serve as a connection for bicyclists, part of a future Lake Bay Loop – a planned bicycle route that will run between South Lake Union, Seattle Center and the existing bicycle trail in Myrtle Edwards Park.
The project, part of the Walk, Bike, Ride initiative and funded by the Park Levy I and II, grant funds from the Puget Sound Regional Council and King County, and private donations, is estimated to cost a total of $10 million.
City officials may soon be cracking down on prostitution activities in the stretch of land just east of Seattle Center – the area known as “The Track” along Mercer between 5th Ave N, Lenora, and Westlake, which has become a prime target for gang activity and recruitment into prostitution, according to a report by SeattleCrime.
Documents from the City Attorney’s Office, obtained by SeattleCrime, indicate that officials are interested in creating a new Stay Out of Area of Prostitution (S.O.A.P.) zone in the area. From SeattleCrime:
The S.O.A.P. zones allow courts to require people charged with prostitution to stay out of high-prostitution areas–primarily around downtown–while they await trial or following their release from jail.
The city already has seven S.O.A.P. zones set up around town. According to the report, officials would remove the zone around E Pine to Pike from 10th Ave to 9th Ave., and create a new zone around The Track, where several gang members involved in pimping young women were arrested last year.
Staff from the City Attorney’s Office are scheduled to appear in front of a judge to ask for the S.O.A.P. zone expansion on Friday. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more. You can read the full story at SeattleCrime.
Just after midnight on Saturday, May 14 a 15-year-old girl was stabbed outside the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, according to the Seattle Police Department. A crowd of some 200 people had gathered at the Center for an all city dance, during which police witnessed several disturbances. From the SPD Blotter:
As officers were attempting to disperse the crowd, they were advised of a stabbing incident that occurred inside the large crowd. A juvenile female reportedly got into a fight with another female, who subsequently stabbed her in the abdomen.
Officers were able to locate the victim and call in the Seattle Fire Department, who transported her to Harborview Medical Center where she underwent surgery, according to the report.
The Seattle Police Department also located the knife they believe was used in the attack and submitted it into evidence. No suspects were taken into custody, but SPD detectives say they are currently investigating several leads.
May 21st is Seattle Works Day, in which 1,500 volunteers will be participating in 32 different service projects throughout Seattle from noon to 3:30 p.m. That’s 5,000 hours of service in a single day, organized by the nonprofit Seattle Works.
The volunteers converge at Seattle Center immediately following the projects for an after party hosted by Seattle Works following the service projects. Last year 81% of participants said that they were inspired to do more in the community as a result of Seattle Works Day.
Seattle Works is still accepting teams and individual volunteers – please visit www.seattleworks.org or contact Kathleen Weber (206-324-0808 or kathleen@seattleworks.org) to learn how to get involved!
The exhibit is slated to be built just west of the Space Needle on the site of the Fun Forest pavilion. The plan calls for a glass atrium of about 5,600 square feet to be constructed on the east side of the pavilion, according to the DPD decision. The building will also be renovated to add about 3,350 square feet of floor area for retail and lobby space, and about 250 square feet for an entry vestibule. In addition, a garden and walkways will be constructed in the exhibit’s accompanying outdoor spaces.
The application was approved on the condition that construction activities other than that taking place within enclosed floors will be limited to non-holiday weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to reduce the noise impact of construction on nearby properties.
Any appeals of this decision must be received by the Hearing Examiner no later than May 19. For instructions on how to appeal a land use decision, visit this DPD web page.
Great City Attractions, a British company that operates observation wheels in Asia and Europe and had planned to transport, construct and operate the wheel at Seattle Center has met trouble securing liability insurance for the ride, according to a report by The Seattle Times. This would have been the first wheel the company constructed in the United States. From the Times:
“We’re still talking with Great City, but we’re looking into other options as well,” Dauost said. The Center’s master plan calls for an iconic ride to replace the carnival rides and arcade games that operated at the site.
According to the report, Seattle Center representatives became concerned over Great City’s difficulties in securing arrangements for the wheel over the past couple of month when the company asked to push back the opening from April to July, and later told officials that the wheel would meet further delays due to the royal wedding in London.
Seattle Center officials were hoping to bring the giant observation wheel to the campus as a tribute to the carnival spirit of the original World’s Fair, with a futuristic design that looked to the years ahead for the campus and the city surrounding it. The ride, which was supposed to run through October 2012, was projected to attract half a million visitors per year.
But even if the Seattle Center cancels its plans to bring an observation wheel to the campus, the city may be getting one soon in a different iconic location – Pier 57 owner Hal Griffith is currently in the midst of getting the necessary permits to bring a similar Ferris wheel to the city’s waterfront, according to the Times report. Read the full story here.
The deal will allow Center Art, LLC “to develop, construct and operate an exhibition hall and art garden in the former South Fun Forest site at the Seattle Center,” according to a City Council statement released Monday.
The agreement came after months of back-and-forth and negotiations between city administrators, Chihuly himself, and members of the community. As per the terms of the deal, Center Art, LLC will be privately financing the entire project, as well as donating $1 million for the development of a creative children’s play area north of the Monorail in the former North Fun Forest space.
This project also includes an enhancement of 39,000 square feet of public walkways and landscaping around the exhibition site and a community partnership program with a focus on arts and education.
“The past sixteen months of negotiations have shown that good public process can lead to good public policy,” Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who is chair of the Parks and Seattle Center Committee, said in a statement. “Seattle will have another world class attraction and Seattle Center will be further invigorated through art, music and a creative new family play space.”
“I would like to thank the City Council for their hard work on this issue. Their efforts will make Seattle Center a better place for the public to enjoy,” Mayor Mike McGinn said in a statement.
Just last week Seattle Center marked the one year countdown to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair, “The Next 50.” Currently Center Art, LLC plans to open its exhibition hall on April 21, 2012, to coincide with the 50th anniversary kick-off event.
For more information on the Chihuly exhibition space, and other projects going into Seattle Center in time for the 50th anniversary of the World’s Fair next year, see our past coverage or “The Next 50″ website.
See ratings and reviews of
2nd Annual Queen Anne Running of the Bulls – In case walking/running it out over 3.3 miles of Queen Anne streets during the Fun Run isn’t enough, Queen Anne’s own self-proclaimed “division of the Queen Anne mafia,” 
One of the greatest things about Seattle in the summer is that it’s much easier to take advantage of all of the fun – and often free – events and activities taking place all over the city, when the weather is cooperating at least. One popular summer series is back at Seattle Center starting today – 
The 
May 21st is 
