Draft Big Ideas are Here!

We are imagining what the heart of Seattle could look like in 20 years. We collected your visions for Greater Downtown both big and small, and crafted a set of Big Ideas to inspire the future of public places, shared streets, and better ways to get around Seattle’s 10 greater downtown neighborhoods! Let’s imagine the future together.

Over the last six months, you’ve shared your experiences and creative ideas online, at our public open houses, via our community Advisory Group, and through pop-up events and focused conversations. View a full list of all the community events we’ve held so far. We’ve taken what we heard from you to create our project Vision and Values, which guide the project.

View our Big Ideas above, using the photo slider! These Big Ideas will be further refined and included in the vision plan for the future of greater downtown, which we plan to finalize by this summer.

What’s next?

We’re close to finalizing a set of Big Ideas to shape the future of public space in Seattle’s 10 greater downtown neighborhoods. We plan to publish the final Imagine Greater Downtown vision plan this summer. That’s just the beginning – this vision will serve as a guide for inclusive public places, and ways to get there, over the next 20 years.

Thanks to the members of the Advisory Group who offered thorough feedback, amazing support, and helpful guidance throughout the entire process. We are grateful for your time, commitment, and dedication for creating a vision for our streets—both as places for movement and public life—to ensure that the future heart of Seattle is a place we all love.

Learn

Imagine Greater Downtown is all about people

Today there are more than 90,000 people living and almost 300,000 people working in Seattle’s 10 greater downtown neighborhoods. By 2035 there will be close to 138,000 residents and 320,000 jobs.

Within greater downtown 40% of land is used for streets and sidewalks and 6% is public park space – the rest supports buildings or other functions.

As we continue to grow, how will we use our streets, sidewalks and public spaces to create great places for people of all ages and cultures to play, interact or just hang out? How will people get to where they need to go, and what will our streets look like? We need your help in coming up with ideas big and small.

Illustration showing trees and a bench representing 6 percent of public park space and an illustration of a person walking on a sidewalk with a car driving by representing 40 percent street and sidewalks.

Today

RESIDENTS

JOBS

2035

RESIDENTS

JOBS

Job source: Washington State Employment Security Department Covered Employment, then adjusted to include ‘non-covered’ jobs.
Population source: Washington State Office of Financial Management, Small Area

Project and outreach timeline

2018

Summer

Project begins and website launchesheart icon

Find key issues and opportunities

Community outreach

  • Education about the project
  • Idea collection
  • Identify opportunities for participation

Fall - Winter

Identify and refine Big Ideas and Transformative Movesheart icon

Community outreach

  • Pop-up field outreach
  • Targeted engagement
  • Public workshops
  • Feedback on big ideas and transformative moves

2019

Winter

Prioritize big ideas and key movesheart icon

Community outreach

  • Pop-up field outreach
  • Targeted engagement
  • Public workshops
  • Feedback on big ideas and key moves

Spring

Imagine Greater Downtown Vision Draftedheart icon

Summer

Website updatecomment bubble icon

Post Vision Plan

Imagining the Big Ideas

Curious to learn what the public has shared so far that has helped shape the Big Ideas? Review comments submitted through our Imagination Map and Gallery below!

map pin icon

Imagination Map

Thank you to everyone who shared ideas via our imagination map. We used these suggestions to help create our draft Big Ideas for greater downtown. Click on the bubbles on the map below to read many of the suggestions that were submitted and share your feedback on the Big Ideas they informed!

For a better mobile experience, visit the map at Social Pinpoint to share your ideas.

Connect

Imagine Greater Downtown is a partnership between the City of Seattle, King County Metro, Downtown Seattle Association and Sound Transit, in collaboration with the Port of Seattle and the Washington State Department of Transportation. Sign up for the mailing list to receive project updates.

Past events

Open House

Thursday, February 28, 2019 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room plumbed and fitted by https://www.drpipes.com/wa/king/seattle.html
Missed the open house? View the display boards here.

Open House

Thursday, October 18, 5:30-7:30 PM
Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room
Missed the open house? View the display boards here.

Advisory Group Meetings

Thursday, November 8, 6-8 PM
Waterfront Space

Thursday, September 20, 6-8 PM
Waterfront Space

Thursday, July 26, 6-8 PM
City Hall

Advisory Group

The Imagine Greater Downtown Advisory Group is made up of nearly 30 community members. Advisory Group participants were selected based upon the unique interests, backgrounds, and perspectives they bring to the conversation. The Advisory Group is working with the partner agencies to make sure that Imagine Greater Downtown considers and reflects the many communities that live, work, and play in downtown Seattle.

Previous Meeting Materials

Contact us

Email: [email protected]

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