All gone on 11th Ave (Image: CHS)
By Ryan Packer
With Capitol Hill currently living with a new Cafe Pettirosso-shaped hole, also gone is the largest-scale experiment in how to reallocate street space in the Pike Pine Corridor, a full half block closure of 11th Ave in front of Chophouse Row for outdoor dining. While parking stalls all over the neighborhood are still hosting outdoor restaurant space, the 11th Ave closure was one of a few in the entire city that took over a vehicle travel lane, with space not taken up by covered seating available for pedestrians to cut through.
The reversion on 11th Ave comes as the City Council Tuesday afternoon extended Seattle’s street dining tents and sidewalk patio program into 2023.
The 11th Ave closure was just the latest attempt to rethink how the side streets function in the small neighborhood between 12th Ave and Broadway, where pre-pandemic crowds spilled off the sidewalks on weekend nights and delivery trucks unload in the center of the street during the day.
In 2015, a “Pike People Street” experiment closed the three block stretch of Pike Street to vehicles, with allowances to access the off-street parking in that area. Seattle Police cruisers blocked the entrances, not exactly inviting pedestrians to take ownership of the full streetscape. While reattempted in 2016, it was not a resounding success and as the pandemic took hold and the city took steps to create extra walking space via “Stay Healthy Streets”, dense neighborhoods like Pike/Pine were largely left out. Creating additional dining space was just about the only avenue available to turn streets over for other uses.
2015 on E Pike
Pettirosso’s landlord, Liz Dunn, who owns both the Baker Linen building and Chophouse Row buildings, spoke positively of the street cafe but noted some difficulties with its day-to-day operation.
“It was a worthwhile experiment but a lot harder to implement than might meet the eye,” Dunn said. “I think my conclusion from this is that the nature of a half-block closure is actually a lot more complicated than closing a full block. At least with a full block it’s obvious that no vehicles of any kind are allowed.”
If it was tried again, Dunn recommends clear signage, enforcement around people using vehicles in ways they aren’t supposed to, and a way for larger delivery vehicles to be able to override any restrictions on a pedestrian street at off-hours.
The 11th Ave setup, now removed
Dunn also expressed a desire for a longer-term permit, so they know how long the structures they invest in will be around for. The City Council has now approved an extension of free “Safe Starts” permits until January 31, 2023 as the city works on establishing a “path to permanence” for expanded outdoor dining structures. Business owners across town on Ballard Ave NW, the street District 6 Councilmember Dan Strauss is promoting as a prototype for cafe streets, business owners paid around $6,000 for permanent pergolas, which could have to come down if the the path to permanence isn’t found.
David Reeves, a resident who lives on the block where the Pettirosso street cafe once stood, echoed Dunn’s assessment of that street closure’s benefits and challenges. “It’s great we tried it, without having to go through a big process,” he said. “This is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city, but the streets are a relic of an industrial age…what’s the vision for Pike/Pine?,” he said. “It seems wrong that only businesses should be deciding these things.” In other neighborhoods, most recently the districts adjacent to Climate Pledge Arena, the city has coordinated a vision process to determine community goals for public space improvements. But so far in the area where Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda has called for a Barcelona-style Super Block, a process like that hasn’t emerged.
The Seattle Department of Transportation, meanwhile, says it’s down to approve a new permit if a business steps up. “Although the Safe Start closure permitted to the owners of Pettirosso is no longer active, we’d be delighted to work with businesses in the neighborhood interested in creating their own space,” SDOT’s Mariam Ali told CHS.
As businesses see pandemic health precautions loosened, demand for outdoor dining may continue to be especially strong as Seattle heads into months of warmer weather. What is clear is that most of the street dining spaces around the hill certainly won’t be converted back to street parking anytime soon, and the next stage of examining the space between the city’s curbs is nearly inevitable.
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Opening streets to people is the easiest, cheapest and best urban planning idea that’s been tried around here in a long time. Capitol hill and First Hill are the best parts of town for this. There is a lot of talk about climate action, but that is it. Deep down most don’t even believe their own rhetoric. People fly every year, drive bigger suvs every year, their tesla is just a status symbol greenwashing gimmick, and young people now are too lazy to walk or bike so they take an e-scooter or e-bike. They live in new construction that required enormous energy materials and carbon. We excavate out the native earth historic homes sit upon and replace with concrete retaining walls. Then we pretend we’re green because most vote for sanctimonious politicians who ban natural gas from homes and the hockey arena is called ‘climate pledge’.
+1
The street closure was great! I drive and live in the neighborhood, and closing this little bit of street was a huge benefit for pedestrians and bikes too. Delivery trucks and long-term permitting to allow for investment in seating/heating structures seem like very basic issues in the scheme of city living.
More outdoor seating options and bits of closed streets, please! Cars needn’t always dominate.
+1 to this
Close streets if the blocks have alleys and it isn’t some goofy halfway thing. But it makes no sense for businesses to profit off of public space without paying fees.
Gift of public funds.
Yeah agreed. Let’s give our streets to rich business owners to profit off of and we act like that is for the public good.
I’d love to see those public spaces be used for something truly public, not just businesses, but let’s not pretend that when it’s streets and parking it’s not just car owners profiting off public spaces without paying the cost of such space. Personally, I’m happier with businesses using it than cars, but I’m with you we should think about other options for walkable, publicly accessible spaces.
car owners pay for the streets through vehicle registration and gas taxes. then they pay again for parking. how do they profit off of this?
Ani, that’s a common misconception. city streets are owned by the city and are largely paid for by property taxes. car owners have no special claim to them.
largely, ok. but the comment said car owners pay nothing, which also isnt true and i never said car owners have a special claim on roads.
I loved having that particular half street closed. It created a community atmosphere and anytime drivers are made to think twice it’s a good thing. I agree with Dunn about better signage and ways to keep folks from using it as free parking at night (thinking especially about the nutty car circles video from a while back – why is that even a thing?), as well as delivery access. Perhaps if that half block were closed permanently, those issues could be well ironed out.