People's Parking Lot

Community Over Capital

2012-01-11T13:03:00.000-08:00

I recently received the following invitation to a meeting -- open to all -- for Community Over Capital. Their project is certainly in the spirit of this blog but with an already proven record of direct action. I'm already humbled by their willingness to put their ideas/ideals into practice. There's a lot of talk in the academic world -- where I'm spending most of my time -- about democracy and this appears to be an example of it at work:

This Sunday at 1 pm we will be meeting at Caffe Vita on 10th and Pike!

What Community Over Capital seeks to accomplish is open to change as we all meet and discuss. Its just important to start with a little structure or foundation, a place from which we can keep building.

The Community Over Capital working group continues the revolutionary spirit of the 10th and Union Warehouse Occupation wherein 16 activists, the UCC 16 [ed: see CHS story here], were arrested. In the face of the recent slew of closures and cuts to libraries, community centers, and other public spaces, we sought to restore the warehouse, formerly the site of the Union Cultural Center, to its use as a "supportive educational space for teaching, sharing and creating vibrant culture."

What does community over capital seek to accomplish?
- to turn the 10th and Union Warehouse back into a community center
- to end Seattle City Council's corrupt tax give aways to property developers (Multi-Family Tax Exemption Program) http://www.zipcon.net/~jvf4119/taxbreaks.htm
- to demand housing for people not for profit
- to discuss "how" and "why" the existence of community spaces is vital to building solidarity
- to make decisions regarding the way we want OUR space to be developed

Upon more research we discovered that the high-end apartments replacing our beloved warehouse would be a part of the corrupt Multi-Family Tax Exemption Program. According to the Multi-Family Tax Exemption Plan, developers will be exempt from paying property taxes for 12 years if 20% of their units are set aside as “affordable” at rents between $1000-1600/month. The "affordable" units are only accessible to tenants who make 65-85% of the Seattle Median Income, for whom a surplus of housing already exists on the market. Under this program, approximately 25 developers in the past year have received 75 million dollars in tax breaks for absolutely no public benefit. Since 2004, a handful of developers have received approximately 140 million dollars in tax breaks for absolutely no public benefit. The money developers make helps put City Council Members back in office guaranteeing the vicious cycle of "building capital" and "destroying community" continues.

The extremely accelerated rates of growth occurring in Seattle, have served only to drive up the cost of housing and cause more poverty, displacement, and homelessness in our city. This can only be a case of the disease we all know as gentrification which hits working class people and people of color the hardest. Soon our city will no longer be a place where people can gather and build communities; rather, it will be a graveyard whose tombstones are empty condos and luxury apartments.

Community Benefits Agreement

2011-06-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this blog is still on hiatus, but after reading Ed Soja's Seeking Spatial Justice and reading a post on CHS about a new mixed use development on Capitol Hill, I got an idea. Here's what I wrote on CHS:

i just finished reading 'seeking spatial justice' by the UCLA geographer/urban planner ed soja and then saw this thread. first, i'm with everyone that thinks this style of building which is colonizing the neighborhood is repetitive, boring, and eyesore, etc. and though i admittedly, and embarrassingly, have never taken part in any of the dpd reviews, i have been curious about ways to resist this sort redevelopment.

anyhow, soja describes a community benefits agreements as 'a legally binding document negotiated by a defined labor-community coalition and developer' and explains how they can be used to require a developer to provide such things as affordable housing, child care facilities, space for local businesses, etc. in the case of this building, the way a cba might have worked would be that the community coalition would have ultimately approved the building and allowed it pass quickly through the review process, but only in exchange for, say, 25% affordable housing and 50% of the ground level retail dedicated to small and local business (or whatever, i'm making this up).

when i started my people's parking lot blog two years back, i had a similar idea, but had no idea such organizations actually existed (in los angeles, for example). it looks like it's too late in some cases, but i can't help but think that creating such a group might be the first step to exercising some sort of influence over development in the neighborhood. considering the strong reactions to these projects, this seems like something we could get started.

indefinite hiatus

2011-04-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

i gotta be honest: i haven't even walked down pine past what used to be the lot in probably a month, so i'm not sure what's going on there, but i've seen the crane.

the question, then, seems to be: what should i do with this site? people still come to it (many of whom are from the midwest and are looking for info on lot lizards; i'll have you know that ppl is proudly the fifth highest hit on google for lot lizards...). i'm tired and busy like everyone else but if anyone wants to take the helm here, let me know.

Setting up for Construction at Lot

2011-01-26T21:32:00.000-08:00

In case you missed the post I put up on the tweeter, here's a link to a quick CHS report about new developments at the lot today (fencing and a trailer). Photo below from CHS contributor rlfunkadelic.

Call For Submissions

2011-01-18T15:35:00.000-08:00

SHIFT:infrastructure Release and New Call for Submissions!

The inaugural issue of SHIFT: infrastructure suggests that the
integration of natural systems into the built environment provides for
a more sustainable model of landscape architecture in infrastructure
design. However, the skillful employment of ecological principles does
not necessarily ensure a culturally sensitive design. In the 21st
century, Landscape Architecture faces the challenge of not only
creating ecologically regenerative designs, but doing so in a way that
engages the public through education, community mobilization, and
inspiration. This is important not only for the long-term viability of
the design, but also for its economic success.

How can we as students re-imagine the design process that engages
modern culture (such as changes in media, communication technology,
and social networking)? This new process should holistically integrate
the designer, the users, and ecology in the process of design. What
does this process look like? Where does it take place? How do these
processes improve on current techniques?

SHIFT: process calls for submissions from current students from any
discipline, or student work from graduates within the past 2 years.
We are looking for work that encourages debate and discussion of this
important topic through informed and academically rigorous creative
thinking. Each submission will be reviewed by an independent jury,
which is composed of nationally recognized leaders in Landscape
Architecture.

Submissions may be: academic essays (up to 3,000 words), narratives,
project graphics including mixed media, or anything one considers key
in communicating their ideas. We strongly encourage graphics,
photography, diagrams, flash animation, stop motion animation, models,
social networking tools, games, community building art forms, puzzles,
interactive media of any kind, and...you get the idea. Each
submissions must include a concise written abstract with bibliography.

Please make your submissions by January 31st, 2011 Questions? Please
contact mnevans (at) ncsu (dot) edu

Olive 8 Reset

2010-12-27T15:34:00.000-08:00

The developers responsible for (that blue plastic-finned eyesore) Olive 8 are asking for your feedback. They want to know how much you think one of their units is worth. I personally believe that one should be able to get at least two bedrooms for less than $350,000 anywhere on the planet.

Click here to participate.

Here is the email you receive afterward, should you wish to go ahead and call instead of giving them your email address.

Update: I'm proud to announce that this blog post one of the first that comes up when one does a google search for the olive 8 reset. I hope the marketing team is checking up on what people are saying and comes across this post. Here's a personal note to them: "No matter how you try to sell units in that building, there is no way to skirt the fact that it's an eyesore, that it contributes to the further atomization and homogenization of downtown, and that all the work you do is turning Seattle into a place for tourists (however you choose to define the term) rather than actual residents."

Urbnlivn has more info.

The Knight Life

2010-12-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

It probably goes without saying that I don't read the Seattle Times (or take them seriously, or approve of their political endorsements, etc.) but I've been known to flip through the paper when coming across one abandoned on a coffee shop table. However, I admit that I was amazed and impressed a few years ago when I came across Keith Knight's comic "The Knight Life" in it. I had been a fan of the cartoonist ever since discovering his K-Chronicles in 2003, back when it was published on Salon.com.

Today Keith's facebook page announced that the Times has dropped "The Knight Life."

Seattle Times drops "the Knight Life" whilst the artist is in town!! Email timescomics@seattletimes.com to (politely) voice displeasure!

Keith Knight is holding an impromptu protest in front of the Seattle Times offices (1120 John St.) at 12:30pm for dropping "the Knight Life". Come on by and join the fun!!

I felt it was appropriate to post here because his work focuses on the minutia of life, in a similar way that I've been focused on something as common as a vacant lot.

Here's a quick sample of his work. If you think it's important, please send an email on his behalf. If you're mad as hell, come down to the Seattle Times offices @ 12:30.

[images from http://www.knightlifecomic.com]

REMINDER: JT Hooker on Hollow Earth Radio tonight!

2010-11-29T11:46:00.000-08:00

From the facebook announcement:

...the music will compliment some engaging discussions around our often rocky marriages between the local musical, political, economic, and social scenes... specifically touching on urban gentrification and what that means to the artist community who helped make those same neighborhoods so attractive/expensive...

Jt Hooker on Hollow Earth Radio!

2010-11-20T14:29:00.001-08:00

If you made it to Park(ing) Day Central Park back in September -- or any other event we've hosted recently -- you probably heard JT Hooker and friends providing the music from his mobile DJ rig. This year, the judges awarded him the prize donated by Hollow Earth Radio, which consisted of an on air show. He'll be performing from 8-10 pm on Monday night, 11/29; here is the facebook announcement.

[performing @ Park(ing) Day 2009]

Community Kitchen?

2010-11-19T11:25:00.001-08:00

You may have noticed that here at People's Parking Lot, we bring up urban agriculture from time to time. Also, you probably notice that small businesses get some screen time. One idea that I've been discussing with different neighborhood folks over the last year is creating a community kitchen: one that could serve as preparation space for groups working in urban agriculture (Food Not Bombs, Alleycat Acres, etc), and for small businesses like Mini Empire Bakery, while even possibly serving as education space for classes connected with stores like Madison Market.

We have recently heard that a catering company is leaving the neighborhood and are considering approaching the building owners to see if this is a possibility. Thoughts? Would you have use for such a space? Want to help explore the possibility of creating such a space?

John Boylan's Conversation on Honor

2010-11-15T23:53:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, November 16th, from 7 to 9 pm @ Vermillion.

From John's website:

The quick summary: This time we’re talking about honor, the fine art of doing the right thing.

The Guests

There are no guests this time, except for you and me. See below for an explanation.

The Story

I’ve been thinking lately about honor. Honor seems on its face to be about doing the right thing. But is the right thing always the good thing, the best thing? We grow up thinking that honor is about adhering to a code, a samurai’s bushido, the knight’s chivalry, or the unbreakable principles of a noir detective. But is honor even possible when one has embraced without exception a fixed set of rules?

Most of us have lived with a lie or two or three, even small ones, at some point in our lives. Is there honor in those lies? Is telling the truth sometimes the least honorable course? Can we have honor without faith? Can there be honor without courage and sacrifice, or at the least, without a generosity of spirit?

We’ve just come through a long season of politics where honor seemed to take a holiday. I’ve been wondering whether or not the courageous politics that our future requires is possible without a deep dose of honor. Can that happen? And where does honor fit in the art and culture of our time? Do the insights of the best theater, the contradictions of a fine novel, or the rigorous prodding of a great painting have a role to play in fostering honor in our lives? Or not?

I haven’t asked any guests this time, except for you. I might have brought in a theologian, a philosopher, or an ethicist. But I think that all of us have the deepest knowledge of honor—or a lack of it—in the world of our everyday lives. The call to honor, and the temptation to refuse that call, happen around us all the time, at work, on the highway, with our families. I’m hoping to hear more about those calls this Tuesday evening, and what they mean to you.

Note: I had listed “The Street” as the topic for this month. I’d had a couple of people in mind for that, and when they were not available, I decided to hold off on that one.

Hope to see you there.

[stories]... on November 18th at Office Nomads

2010-11-12T12:55:00.000-08:00

From [stories from] the table at the corner of belmont and pine's Facebook page.

Please join us next Thursday the 18th for more stories, thoughts and ideas around public space, community, livability, wellness, art, urban design, city planning, hyper-local/grass roots organizing, open public conversation, new media, learning, social creativity and innovation, 'making', having a voice, developing an ...idea, marketplaces, architecture, our future together, sustainability, civic engagement, empowerment and furry cats.

It's a potluck so bring something to eat or drink and even if you can't just come. Come meet some of your neighbors, share your latest thoughts and aspirations for change, for community and a voice in the future of this part of the city....5-7.30pm, Office Nomads, 1617 Boylston, 2nd Floor.

Some of the organizers will be heading up to the Capitol Hill Community Council meeting -- at the Cal Anderson Park shelter house -- after the potluck.

Construction to begin by March?

2010-11-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

That's the story, according the Stranger. My correspondence with owner resulted in a terse, "the building permit is expiring so we are renewing it," but evidently that was not the whole story.

The whole point of this blog (see the first post here) was to serve as a 'meeting place' so that when the time for construction came, we might have the mass and momentum to influence what happens on the space. I'm not sure I've succeeded in building that base, but I feel like a decent amount of people read these posts and have participated in the events we've hosted. The question is, though, if a project really is going to begin, can we do anything about it? Does anyone have the time and energy?

Alex Steffen @ Town Hall, Wednesday Night

2010-11-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

From Worldchanging.com:

THE STATE OF THE FUTURE | Wednesday, November 3, 2010 | 7:30pm: An evening lecture in which Worldchanging Executive Editor Alex Steffen returns to Town Hall to present his new ideas about global sustainability and planetary futurism, which have grown from over seven years of research on global solutions and twenty years of environmental journalism. Alex is a recognized global thought-leader in the field of sustainability; he is a featured speaker on TED talks and author of the best-selling book "Worldchanging: A Users Guide to the 21st Century," which has a forward by Al Gore. Join us for an evening on "The State of the Future" and find out what is the critical next step in global thinking on innovation and how it applies to work being done in our region. Last year's talk led to Seattle adopting the goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. What will this year's event lead to?

Construction Rumor?

2010-11-01T11:05:00.001-07:00

I received an email this morning from a gentleman who had heard a rumor that construction might be starting on the lot in December. Has anyone else heard anything? I'll ask the developer and see if he'll tell me anything, though I doubt he will...

McDonald's "Food" is Immortal!

2010-10-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer I spent a little time writing about McDonald's localwashing campaign and writing a few emails to the local folks behind the billboards. It turns out what what McDonald's is making isn't really "food" anyway (it doesn't seem to decompose after six months on a kitchen counter), so maybe arguing that it isn't "local" is beside the point?

Scenic Drive Factory

2010-10-09T08:14:00.001-07:00

Somewhere on this site I wrote something about needing more production in the neighborhood, more workshops to go along with the bars, restaurants, stores, etc. When I said it (or thought it; I can't seem to find where I posted it), I was thinking places where people could be employed to create things that everyone needed, like furniture and clothing. Metrix opened last year, and I hear its fantastic, but I'm not really a laser/robot/technology type (though I was quite the Autocad drafter in high school); its DIY approach certainly piques my interest, but I have not really been able to envision how what people create there can be used as widely as, say, a chair. And I'm definitely not saying there is anything wrong with techno-centric tinkering; it's just not what I'm talking about here.

What I am talking about is the production of everyday objects, and the soon-to-be-opening Scenic Drive Factory combines the DIY ethic of Metrix, but is oriented toward producing such objects, namely those that can be created with sewing machines. Based on the photos they have posted on their site, the owners appear to be in the bicycle fashion and accessory biz (check out a NYT article on Bicycle Chic here), which is great, especially for someone like myself who ride bikes but isn't a cyclist, but they also will be renting their equipment out on an hourly basis to others in need.

[Photo from Scenic Drive Factory]

So if you've been looking to hone your sewing skills, create objects for personal consumption or resale, and do not want to invest in your own equipment, check out 'em out. It's like Office Nomads-style coworking for the material world.

The 1212 Project

2010-10-08T00:32:00.000-07:00

If you've been paying much attention to this site, you know that Sean from Alleycat Acres is one of my favorite people here in Seattle. I turn one way, he's writing for Worldchanging.com, then look the other and he's speaking at City Council hearings; his group has started several farms around the city and now he has a new goal for 2011: to start 12 new farms, in 12 cities, over the 12 months of the year. His goal here is "to use urban agriculture to empower and inspire queer inner-city youth." A damn fine plan and, to repeat what I wrote earlier in a Facebook exchange, I can't wait for the new year so I can watch him knock this out of the fucking park.

Blog:
http://the1212project.blogspot.com/

Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-1212-Project/140161376029892

NOW Urbanism, NOW Seattle

2010-10-07T09:28:00.001-07:00

The first NOW Urbanism lecture of the 2010-2011 series is tonight at 6:30 in room ~~120~~ 210 of Kane Hall on the UW campus. It will be "a conversation about the connections between past and present, built and human, local and global - in Seattle and beyond." The panelists are Lisa Graumlich (Dean, UW College of the Environment), William Rees Morrish (Dean, Parsons The New School for Design, New York City), and Phillip J. Ethington (History & Political Science, University of Southern California). The panel will be moderated by Ray Gastil (Gastilworks, former DPD Director of Planning). Though its unfortunate that Tim Gunn couldn't make it to represent Parsons, it promises to be a good event, and is put on by great people.

Rush Hour in Copenhagen

2010-10-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Seattle Bike Blog for sharing this!

October 15th is Movie Night

2010-10-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

In the past 24 hours I've received invitations to two great film-related events on October 15th. Both are political in nature, but one focuses more on built space while the other is essentially cultural criticism. Lucky for you they are not happening at the same time, so it would be easy to attend both!

In chronological order:

Event 1 -- Hollywood Film in the Era of Bush/Cheney:
A Contested Terrain

Dr. Douglas Kellner (UCLA)

Friday, October 15 at 4:00PM
BANNAN 102 (on the Seattle University campus)

Dr. Kellner’s talk will present some motifs from his recent book, Cinema Wars: Hollywood Film and Politics in the Bush/Cheney Era, which provides an exploration of contemporary Hollywood film in the 2000s. His thesis is that during an era of unparalleled socio-political turbulence and conflict, Hollywood film can be seen as a contested terrain between conservative and liberal forces. Examining a wide range of films, genres, and filmmakers, he documents how many popular films reproduce conservative and militarist discourses that replicate the positions of the Bush-Cheney regime, while other films criticize or satirize the conservative administration. He will engage both fictional entertainment films and documentary films in what he calls, “The Golden Age of Documentary.” In sum, he wants to document how Hollywood film in the 2000s has been a vibrant force of social protest, which helped create cultural conditions to elect Barack Obama. His talk will also address themes that will structure a second volume of his Cinema Wars studies that engage cultural wars over gender, sexuality, race, and class in contemporary cinema and that updates the first volume by engaging Hollywood cinema in the Obama Era.

Dr. Douglas Kellner is George Kneller Chair in the Philosophy of Education at UCLA and is author of many books on social theory, politics, history, and culture. Author of Herbert Marcuse and the Crisis of Marxism, Kellner is editing the collected papers of Herbert Marcuse, four volumes of which have appeared with Routledge. Kellner’s Guys and Guns Amok: Domestic Terrorism and School Shootings from the Oklahoma City Bombings to the Virginia Tech Massacre won the 2008 AESA award as the best book on education. Blackwell published Kellner’s newest book, Cinema Wars: Hollywood Film and Politics in the Bush/Cheney Era, earlier this year. His website is at:
http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/kellner.html

Copies of Cinema Wars will be available for sale. The talk is proudly made possible by the Seattle University Philosophy Fellowship and is free and open to the public.

Event 2 -- You Cannot Kill Us, We Are a Part of You

Two sneak preview screenings of
You Cannot Kill Us, We Are a Part of You

Friday, October 15, 2010 7:00pm and 9:00pm
The AV Club in Georgetown, Seattle
$10.00 suggested donation, at the door

60 minutes, in English. Directed by Richard Jackman and Robert Lawson. A brief discussion will follow each screening. The 7:00pm screening will be captioned, with ASL interpreted discussion following the screening.

This screening of You Cannot Kill Us, We Are a Part You is funded by the City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs.

You Cannot Kill Us, We Are a Part of You tells the story of the "free state" of Christiania, a 39-year-old anarchist squatter community occupying an abandoned military base in the heart of Denmark's capital, Copenhagen.

Christiania was born in 1971 when youthful idealism and a severe housing shortage incited hundreds of young people to "storm the gates" and claim 85 acres of deserted brick buildings, woods, ramparts and canals as their home. Finding it politically unpopular to evict the young settlers, the Danish government declared Christiania a short-term "social experiment."

With the freedom to experiment, the Christianites built a distinct culture based on group consensus, and a thriving economy of restaurants, bars, cottage industries, and an open hashish trade. In every respect, Christiania became an alternative that challenged, inspired, and frightened the society outside.

39 years later, Christiania is still alive, despite increasingly uneasy relations with the Danish government, which plans to "normalize" Christiania. After years of struggle and compromise, many say that the end is near for this famous "social experiment."

The AV Club will also feature Laura Wright’s multimedia installation Ohio, funded by the City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, simulating the sounds and landscape of Ohio on a summer night. Several films will be screened at the AV Club this fall. Email lauracwright@hotmail.com for more information.

Getting there

The AV Club is a metal building behind Georgetown’s Tacoma Screw Store in the alley between Flora Ave and Ellis Ave S. It is located behind the house at 6225 Ellis Ave S., Seattle, WA 98108. Please enter through the alley, there is no access from the front of the house. There is street parking on Ellis Ave, Flora Ave, 12th Ave South, and S Angelo St. Busses 60, 106 and 134 will take you to Georgetown.

For driving directions and further information about the screening, please visit www.busno8.com

NOW Urbanism at UW

2010-10-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

Check out the NOW Urbanism lecture series at UW that will be happening throughout the academic school year.

Park(ing) Day Video

2010-10-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Shared by the good folks from Undriving.

Park(ing) Day at Salmon Bay School

2010-09-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

When most people think of Park(ing) Day, they think of adults reclaiming the street and other spaces devoted to automobiles. But a group of fourth graders at Salmon Bay School in Ballard participated this year, and had a blast doing so. A report from the classroom:

At 9:15 Friday, September 17, just seven school days after the school year began, 27 fourth graders, teacher Marian, and ample chaperones headed out of Salmon Bay School on a mission. We were not going on any ordinary field trip. We were toting red wagons loaded with our temporary park features to erect a park on Park(ing) Day in our reserved parking spots in front of Ballard Public Library. In our red wagons we carried native plants (6 large snowberry bushes, 10 salal plants, 10 evergreen huckleberry plants) on loan from our favorite, friendly local nursery: Swanson's Nursery. Thanks Swanson's! We had turf rolls, a good investment to reuse for future temporary parks and plays. We had a fish bowl "pond" with real guppies that students were in charge of planning and caring for; though we had some close calls with maintaining a healthy habitat for the fish on their transport via the bumpy wagon train, they all survived!

We brought our dream neighborhood maps to share our neighborhood dreams with the public, as well as demonstrate our mathematical skills using ordered pairs on coordinate grids used to map our neighborhoods. Students also brought their written and prepared speeches about what we were doing to share with curious passers-by and the class of 3rd graders from our school that took a field trip to visit our park. For our recreational use of our park, we brought origami materials, chess, and math games. Half of the class recreated and educated people about our park, while the other half was taken on a tour of Ballard Public Library to learn about green features of the library, and then groups rotated, and afterwards we all lunched in our park as a group of students performed a reader's theater play. Yay for street theater!!! And when it was time to leave, we picked up our park to the tune of musician-parent extraordinaire Jen Busch playing "This Land is Your Land" on traveling guitar, and we left two parking spots where our park once was.

It's great to see such a fantastic park being organized by a smart group of kids and their wonderful teachers and chaperones. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for these amazing young citizens.

Worldchanging Future City, Call for Artists

2010-09-22T10:29:00.001-07:00

You probably know about Worldchanging's upcoming fundraiser, Future City, which features a discussion between our own mayor, Mike McGinn, and Sam Adams, the mayor Portland, that will be moderated by Alex Steffen, the Executive director of Worldchanging; but did you know they are looking for artists to decorate tablecloths? From an email I received yesterday:

Dear friends,

Worldchanging is celebrating another year with a fundraiser called "Future City" on Oct 1st.

http://www.worldchanging.com/events/

As part of the event design, we are searching for artists to work their magic on the plain, white circular tablecloths that will drape 15+ tables. They can be painted, or what not, as long as the colors are drawn from those on the book and shades and tints of grey. We hope that you would illustrate "growth" and/or "future cities" in your art.

We will be distributing the cloths by Saturday at the latest and hope to have them completed by next Wed. You can design one or a couple. If you have friends that would like to design one, let us know.

If you sign up by Friday, we will credit you in the program as well.

Please forward this on to anyone else you think may want to participate.

Feel free to contact me with any questions!

Thank you,
Morgan Greenseth

Let me know if you're interested and I'd be happy to put you in touch with Morgan.

Great City Brown Bag: Building Broadway Station

2010-09-21T14:32:00.001-07:00

On the heels of another successful Park(ing) Day, I thought I'd pass along Great City's invitation to this Thursday's Brown Bag meeting where the Broadway light rail station will be discussed. My involvement with this project has been limited to attending the community design charrette last summer, so I'm not totally up to speed on what will be discussed, but if previous brown bags are any indication, this one will be informative.

Thursday's Brown Bag: Building Broadway Station

Where: GGLO Space at the Steps, 1301 First Ave., Level A
Date: Thursday, September 23, 2010
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Enter through door located about 1/4 of the way down the Harbor Steps (click for map)

The planned multi-modal transit station at Broadway and John in Capitol Hill is one of Seattle’s best opportunities to realize the full benefits of equitable transit oriented development. The neighborhood is among the densest residential neighborhoods in the city and is home to a diverse and engaged community, eager for improved transit access and revitalization in the commercial districts of Broadway, 12th Avenue, and the Pike and Pine corridors. In the coming years, Sound Transit and the City of Seattle will extend link light rail to Broadway and the University of Washington, and build a new streetcar line from the International District to Capitol Hill. These investments will in turn create significant redevelopment opportunities in the Broadway Station Area.

The Capitol Hill community has been engaged throughout the planning process for these projects, effectively advancing the community’s vision for the equitable and vibrant development that reflects the culture and character of the neighborhood. This presentation will provide an overview of the planned transit investments, the ongoing planning process, as well as development opportunities and community priorities.

Presenters:

Scott Kirkpatrick is TOD Program Manager at Sound Transit and is leading the design and planning process for the private development of 4 Sound Transit-owned sites above the Broadway Station. Private developers for these sites will be selected through and RFQ/RFP process in 2012-2013.

Ethan Melone, Rail Transit Manager at Seattle Department of Transportation, is the lead planner for the First Hill Streetcar which will connect the diverse and vibrant neighborhoods on Capitol Hill, First Hill, and in the Chinatown/International District, while serving medical centers (Harborview, Swedish, and Virginia Mason) and higher education (Seattle Central Community College and Seattle University).

Vanessa Murdock, a senior urban planner for the City of Seattle, is the City project lead for the development of an Urban Design Framework for the Sound Transit owned sites on Capitol Hill. The UDF will bridge the City’s planning policies, design guidelines and zoning regulations, laying out more specific design and development criteria for the development of the Broadway Station Area.

Cathy Hillenbrand chairs the Capitol Hill Champions, a joint effort of the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce and the Capitol Hill Community Council to advocate for community priorities in the redevelopment of the Broadway Station area. Primary community objectives include a permanent home for the farmers market, affordable housing, community cultural space and affordable space for small businesses.

Park(ing) Day Press

2010-09-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

Bootlegged from an email sent out by Max at Feet First.

Media Coverage:

http://mynorthwest.com/category/local_news_articles/20100917/Park(ing)-day-makes-alternative-use-of-spaces/

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Seattle-parking-spaces-turned-into-mini-parks-today-103135239.html

http://www.publicola.net/2010/09/17/parking-day-parks-reclaim-seattle-streets/

http://mayormcginn.seattle.gov/parking-day/

http://seattletransitblog.com/2010/09/17/today-is-parking-day/

http://jackseattle.radio.com/2010/09/16/parking-day-in-seattle/

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-091809-parkday,0,5093038.story

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/09/why_it_was_so_damn_hard_to_fin.php

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/09/17/news/parking-day-today-see-it-junction

http://westseattleblog.com/2010/09/parking-day-west-seattle-free-speech-garden-in-the-junction

http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2010/09/16/parking-day-on-hiawatha-place-jackson-place-neighborhood

http://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2010/09/17/its-parking-day/

http://seattlebikeblog.com/2010/09/17/stop-riding-with-a-squeaky-bike-come-by-the-peoples-parking-lot/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/espressobuzz/sets/72157624977661146/

http://www.djc.com/news/en/12021889.html

Thanks and Congrats!

2010-09-18T14:19:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in Park(ing) Day and came out to our Central Park yesterday, despite the gray skies, and congrats to the winners of our design competition. As previously noted, we sent out three judges (plus myself, though I wasn't judging) in a donated Zipcar to take notes on the parks around the city. We made it to almost all the parks but due to a technical difficulty getting out on time, we were not able to make it to quite all the parks. One gentleman was offended by this, and we do apologize, but at the same time want to clarify that the Central Park and awards competition is entirely grassroots, supported by volunteers, and operates on a budget of zero dollars. So if you didn't see us, that's why.

And now to the winners:

Grand Prize: Custom trophy from last year (built by the amazing Web Crowell -- go see his first feature film at NWFF 9/26!) + $200 (in quarters, funded in part by your registration fees for the central park): Olson Kundig Architects.

Best Creative Use of Plants, $100 gift card to Zipcar: Mad Tea Party in the Park, by Mel Burchett and Maureen McGregor.

Best Use of Re-purposed Materials, Intellectual Reading Package from Spine and Crown: ARCADE Journal, Schuchart/Dow, and graypants.

Sportiest Park, Bluebird Ice Cream gift certificate: Alloy Design Group.

Best Ambiance, Hollow Earth Radio T-shirt and On-air Guest Spot: My main man and one of the coolest people I know, JT O'Neill aka JT Hooker from 12hr notice.

Most Contextually Relevant Park, One month of free advertising on Centraldistrictnews.com: Brite Collective.

Best Collaboration, Gift Certificate from Tidbit Bistro and Bike Pad from Caffe Vita: Cascade Land Conservancy

Best Waterfront Reference, Porchlight Coffee gift card: LMN Architects.

Most Low-Impact Park, Gift Certificate from Tidbit Bistro and Bike Pad from Caffe Vita: aLIVe: a Low Impact Vehicle exploration.

Best Costumes, A gift certificate to Emerson Salon for a free haircut: Magic Garden (you might have seen this space across from Vita on Pike...).

Thanks to all the businesses for donating this parade of wonderful prizes and thanks to the builders for making the streets and parking lots of Seattle more interesting for one day. I'll be posting some photos over the next few days too; if you have any you'd like to share, let me know or post them to the facebook group. Thanks!

Park #10 -- aLIVe: a Low Impact Vehicle exploration

2010-09-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that Cheryl Dos Remedios -- "a well-placed, well-dressed radical" -- will be bringing her Low Impact Vehicle design exploration to Park(ing) Day Central Park. We are very excited to have her on board and hope the weather cooperates so she can bring the full LIV exploration to our space.

Park(ing) Day Award -- Hollow Earth Radio

2010-09-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

If you made it out to Central Park last year, you probably came across Forrest from Hollow Earth Radio: he was recording your deepest and darkest secrets in his confession tent.

[Image by Scott Sands at Cojourn.]

Unfortunately they can't make it out this year because of a retreat, but being the good neighbors and cool folks they are, they have donated a nice little prize package consisting of a t-shirt and a guest spot on the air!

For Your Viewing Pleasure

2010-09-15T23:43:00.001-07:00

PARK(ing) Day: User-Generated Urbanism from Brandon Bloch on Vimeo.

Park(ing) Day Award -- Spine and Crown

2010-09-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

I just got word that Spine and Crown will be donating a smattering of books again this year as a Park(ing) Day prize.

Last year Kris's contribution was a collection of books on gardening and green living. I expect something in a similar vein this year, but you never know, he might just drop some Deleuze on your ass.

Undriving Licensing Station at Park(ing) Day Central Park

2010-09-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

Come get licensed to Undrive!

The ever-popular Undriver Licensing Station will be at People's Park(ing) Lot from 4pm til dark! We'll be issuing official, personalized Undriver Licenses™ to people who make a pledge to reduce their car use - or car use on the planet - in the coming month. All ages welcome. Get creative about getting around! More info at Undriving.org.

Park(ing) Day Award -- Tidbit Bistro

2010-09-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

How does a little modern Italian and Spanish food sound? It sounds really good to me and the good folks at Tidbit Bistro will help make it a reality for two lucky park-builders with gift certificates for their Capitol Hill location at Broadway and Union. Another reason to participate in this year's Park(ing) Day: the potential to win delicious free food from a small local business.

Park(ing) Day Award -- Emerson Salon

2010-09-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

After spending weeks prepping your park and day in the sun (or rain) utilizing it, you'll probably be due for a little maintenance, don't you think? The good folks at Emerson Salon will be providing a free haircut as an award this year so you can get back to looking sharp for the autumn. They have been supportive of events we have taken part in organizing (most recently the Capitol Hill Garage Sale) and for this we greatly appreciative.

Facebook Invitation

2010-09-15T09:34:00.001-07:00

I now present to you the official Park(ing) Day Central Park facebook invitation, thanks to JT Hooker at 12hr notice!

Award from Porchlight

2010-09-15T09:17:00.001-07:00

Just got word that Porchlight Coffee (which doubles, triples, quadruples, quintuples as a record store, art gallery, performance space, and record label) is donating another award that will be handed out to one of the best spaces for Park(ing) Day. Will the prize be coffee? vinyl? a record deal? Come by Park(ing) Day Central Park on Friday to see.

Park #9 -- Bike Maintenance by Seattle Bike Blog and Belltown Pull-Apart

2010-09-14T18:17:00.000-07:00

Just got word from the good folks at the Seattle Bike Blog and Belltown Pull-Apart that they will be setting up a free minor tuneup station and showcasing a super-suave bike trailer. If you made it out to Earth Day Free Day, you probably saw Chas working on bikes, and if you made it to The Lonely Kazoo's opening show, the Seattle Bike Blog writers and mechanics will look familiar. Another reason to come on down on Friday!

[I'm not endorsing yourcapitolhill.com here; it's one of the bike blog's paid advertisers that showed up when I borrowed their logo.]

Park #8 -- Yoga for Cyclists

2010-09-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

Ride a bike? Need to stretch? Come by the Yoga for Cyclists space at the central park on Friday. The organizer, Kelli Refer, will lead classes throughout the day and also show you how to use your bike as a prop for yoga poses.

There's still time to register to create your own park. Download the registration form here.

Park(ing) Day Registration!

2010-09-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Park(ing) Day is three days away but you still have time to download the quick registration form and get it in by Thursday night. With the park I'm finally getting around to thinking about building and two others people are planning, we should have ten on the lot, plus maybe something else fun by the folks at Undriving. We're still rounding up awards and also have the after party with Streets for all Seattle and Feet First which runs into the night.

Park #7 -- SVR Design and Streets for All Seattle

2010-09-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

If you made it out to the Park(ing) Day Central Park last year you probably saw SVR Design's park right on the corner of Belmont and Pine: they brought the ping pong table, and it was frequently in use throughout the day:

This year they will be sharing a space with Streets for All Seattle and the word is that the ping pong table will be back. Come on by and hang out with some of the best landscape designers in the city, talk about what you think defines an urban street, and bring your ping pong skills.

Park(ing) Day After Party

2010-09-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

We are teaming up with the good people at Streets for All Seattle and Feet First to host a Park(ing) Day after party next Friday, September 17th, on the lot. More info on the facebook invitation!

Park #6 -- Spring Into Bed and the Inner City Cornfield Project

2010-09-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

Park #6 at the Park(ing) Day Central Park with be the second installation that officially focuses on urban agriculture, which is appropriate since 2010 is The Year of Urban Agriculture in Seattle.

Here is a photo of their 2008 Park(ing) Day park as well as a description of what they have in mind for this year:

Spring into Bed and the Inner City Cornfield Project are hosting a
Seed Bomb workshop as part of the Central Park. Come learn how to
transform your urban neighborhood into an edible paradise and get your
hands dirty in the process. Got balls? Help us spread the seeds!

SIB is Seattle's food justice garden building event and ICCF is
turning sidewalks into public food gardens thanks to the Office of
Arts and Cultural Affairs.

http://www.springintobed.org

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Inner-City-Cornfield-Project/135256633170550

Park(ing) Day is a week from today and we still have space so come build a park, listen to some tunes, and learn how to seed bomb a vacant lot near you. Click here for the registration form.

Park #5 -- ARCADE + Schuchart/Dow + graypants

2010-09-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

Judging by the three organizations teaming up to produce Park #5 -- ARCADE, Schuchart/Dow, and graypants -- I think it's safe to say that this one will be easy on the eyes. Take a look around each of their websites to see some of their work, ranging from printed media to home furnishings to condominium build-outs. I look forward to seeing what they come up with!

There's still room and time to register to build you own park for the event on September 17th.

Another Prize+ from Zipcar

2010-09-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

I just received word that the ultra-generous folks at Zipcar are donating a $100 gift card as an award again this year. And, on top of that, they will be providing a car for this year's panel of judges (in the works; let me know if you'd like to judge) to take to the various parks around the city. Last year we had a distinguished lineup of judging talent, including Justin Carder from CHS and Jen Graves at the Stranger, along with a practicing architect and a graduate student in landscape architecture.

New Central Park Poster

2010-09-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here is the most up-to-date Park(ing) Day Central Park poster, replete with all the acts currently confirmed to perform.

Park(ing) Day Performers

2010-09-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

We have quite the lineup of performers for Park(ing) Day Central Park, which is Friday, September 17th -- two weeks from tomorrow . Some of them will be playing during the day, and others later that evening at the Streets for All Seattle afterparty. More acts will be announced but here is the list of DJs, brought to you by 12hr notice.

DJ Clarise (worldwide debut)
Tony Burns - soundcloud.com/tony-burns
MC Anton Bomb (Yes/Shameless/Naha Army)
one-900 (Electromuse, Hussler, Dirty Deeds)
JT Hooker

[JT Hooker at work. Photo by Kevin Kauer, borrowed from Line Out]

If you're looking to build a park, please get those registration forms in soon. The more the merrier! Thanks!

recreate

2010-09-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight during the first Thursday art walk, come by 676 S. Jackson for brite collective's re*cre*ate. It is a lead up to Park(ing) Day, a celebration of their Seattle Storefronts space, with coffee from Caffe Vita, treats by Mini-Empire, and whole lot of fun.

Park(ing) Day Prizes

2010-08-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

So far we have two delectable prizes to award to the best parks around the city and are currently combing the neighborhood for more. If you're a local business and would like to donate a prize, please let us know.

The first will be a gift certificate from Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream and Tea Room, one of our sponsors last year as well.

The second confirmed prize will come from mini-empire artisan baking. If you came to the central park last year, you may have had a chance to sample some of their earlier work at the award-winning zen-cakes and zines park.

Also, make sure to stop by our Park(ing) Day installation in the empty storefront at 7th and Jackson during this Thursday's art walk, September 2nd, to try a few of the treats that mini-empire's is donating!

More prizes will be announced as they are confirmed.

Park #4 - Alleycat Acres

2010-08-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

I came in last night -- or, technically, this morning - and checked my email, only to find an application for our fourth park, by the good urban farmers at Alleycat Acres. I suppose they don't really need an introduction, but here is a good story at the Seattle Post Globe about the group's genesis.

This is only one of the many websites posting stories about this fantastic group, as anyone who has been reading over the last few months can attest. A few months ago I posted the video that GOOD magazine produced about their first farm up on beacon hill, and I've been known to name drop them while writing mean emails about McDonald's localwashing campaign.

In short, I couldn't be happier about them participating in the Park(ing) Day Central Park. Keep an eye on them though, they might end up taking over the whole space and turning it into a farm!

If you want to join them and others at our Park(ing) Day Central Park, just download the registration form.

Park #3 - Alloy Design Group

2010-08-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

We just received word that park #3 will be hosted by Alloy Design Group, a design/build firm operating out of the Central District.

While the specifics of their space remain undisclosed -- though there have been intimations of a tetherball park -- a quick look through their website shows professional work like this:

I doubt I can persuade them to build a quarter-size mockup of any of their professional work, but am excited to have designers of this caliber participating in the event.

You can download the registration form to build your own park here.

PPL and Feet First at 1st Thursday Art Walk

2010-08-25T20:14:00.001-07:00

And guess what we'll be doing? That's right, promoting Park(ing) Day.

Thursday, September 2nd, we will be setting up in a vacant storefront at the corner of 7th and Jackson in the International District, thanks to Christa Thomas of the brite collective and WKND, one of the artists selected by the Seattle Storefronts program to set up shop in a vacant space.

We will be setting up a PARK similar to those which people will build on Park(ing) Day and make a push to sign up more participants.

Why, one might wonder, are we going to promote an event that is, in part, centered in Capitol Hill, in the I.D.? For one, the I.D. is lacking in open space and is on the verge of making a move to increase it. A recent pro-parks levy has provided funding to expand Hing Hay Park into the area now occupied by the former post office. Secondly, with increasing interest in redeveloping the southern portion of the city into an area with parks, green streets, and mixed-use housing, now is an opportune time to try and reach out to the community to ensure that their voices are heard when designs come into being. Since Park(ing) Day is all about community engagement, Christa and some of her associates, like Nin Truong, hope to use the opportunity to connect with neighborhood residents.

To do this, the plan is to help promote Park(ing) Day all around the city, to provide a space to show how small groups envision parks, and to do a follow-up Park(ing) Day event on Saturday, September 18th. Christa has also graciously offered to have the winners of the citywide best park competition set up there work in her storefront for a month or so after the event (here are all the winners from last year).

[grand prize winning park from last year, photo by Signal to Noise]

And this is just a hint at the extent of potential Park(ing) Day festivities for 2010. An event for the evening of Friday, September 17th is being discussed with the good people from Streets for All Seattle. Check back early next week for more information.

All of this notwithstanding, the major part of Park(ing) Day is community participation, so if you'd like to build your own miniature park, download the registration form and get to designing!

Central Park Flyer

2010-08-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks are owed to several folks for cooking up this flyer: Brett Wiseman drew the original art for us last year and Web Crowell added some pertinent information. Mel Burchett, one of the two ladies hosting [stories from] the table at belmont and pine, reworked it for this year's event.

Park #2 -- Office Nomads

2010-08-21T20:52:00.001-07:00

Upon opening my mailbox earlier this evening, I found an application from the good folks at Office Nomads for their Park(ing) Day park. This makes it the second year in a row that they have participated in the Central Park; here is a photo of their co-working space from last year.

One of the highlights of their park is that they will provide wi-fi access to anyone who needs internet access during the day. So if you'd like to participate and still have some work to do, their co-working park is the perfect place for you. I would also like to say that I especially welcome their participation because their business is founded on re-envisioning space. While Park(ing) Day is about converting unfriendly outdoor spaces to inviting places, I would say Office Nomads is about doing the same for the office environment: as a reformed high-rise worker, I can vouch for the difference in the two settings.

And not to show all my cards, but emails regarding a park being hosted by a design journal that participated last year have been circulating. Here's the registration form if you'd like to build a park too.

McDonald's Follow-up

2010-08-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

Just realized I have yet to receive a response from the ad agency responsible for those McDonald's local food ads, so I just sent this message off:

Ms. Yamaguchi and Ms. Madison,

I have yet to receive a response from my previous message (forwarded below) and thought I would write again in case it got lost in the daily shuffle. As you may know, earlier this week the Seattle City Council passed changes to the urban agriculture code, making it possible for groups involved in local production to grow and sell their crops.

Urban Farm Hub has a good summary here:

http://www.urbanfarmhub.org/2010/08/seattle-city-council-passes-urban-ag-code-changes/

Since both McDonald's and OMD/DDB appear to have an interest in local food production, it seems that this would be the perfect time to come out to one of Alleycat Acres' sites and take a look around. Sean, the founder, is very excited about the opportunity to show you both what is happening at the grassroots level.

Hope to hear back from you soon,
Keith
http://peoplesparkinglot.blogspot.com

Again, I invite you to send your own messages as well. Here is contact info for the three ladies that appear to be spearheading this advertising campaign.

Laurel Yamaguch (DDB ad agency) Laurel.Yamaguchi (at) sea.ddb (dot) com
Paisley Madison (McDonald's, local) paisley.madison (at) us.mcd (dot) com
Tara Abrams-Levine (OMD, marketing firm) tara.abrams-levine (at) omd (dot) com

Park(ing) Day Parks

2010-08-18T19:20:00.001-07:00

So far we only have one park officially registered for Park(ing) Day Central Park but I know there are lots of applications out there. Nine have been downloaded, plus I emailed the file out to around forty individuals and groups. Several other groups have contacted me saying they want to build parks too. Anyhow, Park(ing) Day is a month (minus a day) away, so get those applications in if you want to participate. I believe we had about twenty last year and I'm trying to get it up to thirty this year.

JT from 12 hr notice will be performing along with one his fellow DJs. Do you have a band and want to perform as well? Let me know!

"The Lonely Kazoo" Thursday Night

2010-08-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

Thursday night, August 19th, marks the opening performance of the rock opera The Lonely Kazoo at the Fremont Abbey. Here's the facebook invitation. I could write an explanation of the show but the reader would be much better served by looking through their website, which includes both music and a better explanation than I can provide here. I will say, though, that I support their endeavor on both ideological and aesthetic levels, that I will be at the show, and that I can't wait to see where they go with this and future projects.

Stories From The Table Wednesday Morning

2010-08-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

Look for the table at the corner of Belmont and Pine on Wednesday morning for the next installment of Stories from the Table.

Monday evening was my first time in attendance and I thought it was great. Lots of people asked what was going on and several stopped by, left contact information, and "signed up." In this case, "signing up" meant to write or draw something you would support. It could be an idea for that space -- I saw P-patches, off leash human parks, bus terminals, setc -- or just an idea in general, like "World Peace Day."

So if you're walking downtown in the morning, head out a few minutes early and see what the hosts are asking this time.

[photo by Michael Dobbie]

Stories From The Table at 6 PM

2010-08-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

Come by the People's Parking Lot this evening at 6:00 PM for the second installment of Stories From the Table. Passersby are invited to stop by the card table

and visit, share a thought, have a talk, a rant, write something, maybe draw...or just bring [the hosts] food.

you, we, us (& them) may end up starting something here...and if not, at the very least, you'll have been part of a brief capitol hill moment, mooment? maybe movement?

Here are a few photos from the first event last Thursday.

McDonalds and DDB

2010-08-11T15:30:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I was spending my time harping on McDonald's local food advertising campaign. I sent an email off asking about the campaign and just received a response from DDB's Seattle office:

Hi Keith, I understand you reached out to OMD regarding McDonald’s campaign in Western Washington called “From Here”. Is there something specific we can answer for you?

Thanks,
Laurel Yamaguchi
DDB

Laurel.Yamaguchi (at) sea.ddb.com
1000 2nd Avenue
Suite 1000
Seattle WA 98104
Office: 206 621 6482
Fax: 206 223 6309
http://us.ddb.com

This message led to my finding the official press release on grist, which also included contact information for the local McDonald's contact:

Paisley Madison.(425) 242-2409 or
paisley.madison (at) us.mcd.com

I was very pleased to have this contact information, but not being a hard-hitting investigative journalist (like, uh, King 5's Gary Chittim...see link above to King 5's celebratory coverage of the advertisments), I didn't know exactly what to do with it. "Shame on you guys" doesn't work so I thought I would invite them out to see some real local food production, like what Alleycat Acres does, so they could see the movement they were co-opting in person. Anyhow, here's my response and I hope you write one too:

Hi Laurel,

Thanks for the message.

First, I'm not sure if my initial email included any biographical information. I'm a second-year Ph.D student in the Built Environment program at UW, with an interest in consumerism and urban space, so I'm spending some time looking in to advertising. I also do some community arts organizing through a modest blog I run, called the People's Parking Lot.

This ad campaign is especially interesting because while I don't doubt the validity of the claims, I know many folks involved with local food/urban agriculture who see this as outright co-optation of work they do daily, for which they are typically unpaid. In fact, as municipal regulations stand, they can't even sell food grown in the city; they can only consume it themselves or donate it to food banks (I believe the city council is currently discussing and might have even ratified legislation that will change this for the better, allowing them to create CSAs or sell at famer's markets, cooperatives, etc).

To see McDonald's "highlighting" what appears to be a coincidental relationship (please correct me if I'm wrong) to locally-sourced food is frustrating in light of such work, so I was hoping to find the agency responsible for the campaign, and if they were local, maybe invite some of the managers and designers out to see a real local food operation. Here's a video produced by GOOD magazine of my favorite urban agriculture collective, Alleycat Acres:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oga0xDXQ3I

The founder of the group, Sean Conroe, is copied on this message and though I'm writing this without his knowledge, I'm sure he would love to show you all around.

For Ms. Madison at McDonald's, whom I have also copied: I am curious if McDonald's has any plans to develop this ostensible commitment to local food, or if this is a one-off situation reflecting what's currently popular among many younger Seattle residents? Furthermore, I think you too might appreciate seeing Alleycat Acres in action, as they convert vacant lots and backyards into small farms.

Thank you both for your time, and I look forward to your responses.

Keith Harris
Ph.D. in the Built Environment program
University of Washington
http://peoplesparkinglot.blogspot.com

I'll share any responses I receive. In the meantime, back to Park(ing) Day Central Park!

Park #1

2010-08-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

I just received an application for the first Park(ing) Day Central Park mini-park, in record time (I just sent out and posted the application three days ago). The Mad Tea Party in the Park -- no relation to the, you know, assbackwards Tea Party -- will be hosted by two graduate students from Antioch University's Center for Creative Change.

If you want to join them, and I hope you do, you can download an application in the upper right-hand corner of this page. I apologize for the amateur download site but it was the first one I found.

Park(ing) Day Application!

2010-08-07T08:12:00.001-07:00

With further ado, the Park(ing) Day Central Park application is available for download here:

ParkingDay2010App.doc

The event is Friday, September 17th and we are planning an extended design weekend (September 18th and 19th) in the International District; more details about this event will be shared as they develop.

Please browse through the archive from September 2009 to see coverage of the event from last year.

Howell Collective Garden (@ Seven Hills Park)

2010-08-02T13:36:00.002-07:00

From an email I received earlier today, regarding the urban farm at Seven Hills Park, the former site of a parking lot:

Hi all!

The fences are down and the garden is technically open, wide open! Our opening celebration is set for Thursday, September 9th from 6:30-8 in the evening and we hope you can join us! For more details, please check our blog howellcollective.wordpress.com in the coming weeks.

Shannon and I will be up at the site of the Howell Collective P-Patch this Wednesday, 8/4 at 10am. We will first be meeting with Virginia Hassinger from the Parks Department. This short meeting will be a chance for us to ask questions and suggestions about how to prepare the space for the opening. Afterwards, we will be painting signs, hanging signs, and staking off growing areas and pathways. If you are adrift with no schedule or constraints (ie 9-5 work day) please please please come by and help out. I will be bringing twine, paint, and extra wood. If you have stakes, additional wood scraps, or paint brushes please bring them.

I hope to see you there.

I walked over and snapped a few photos of their new space.

Looking West from 16th Ave.

Water Access!

Looking East from the alley between 15th and 16th Ave.

Questions for the organizers? Email Lindsay at howellcollective (at) gmail.

Conflux Festival 2010

2010-08-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

A member of the facebook group (thanks, Michael!) just posted this a few hours ago; it's a call for entries for the Conflux Festival, to be held in NYC from October 8-10.

From their website:

...Conflux will provide a platform for artists, urban geographers, technologists and others to organize and produce innovative activities dedicated to the examination, celebration and (re)construction of everyday urban life.

Conflux proposals must be submitted by August 15 ($10 administrative fee). All proposals will be judged based on artistic merit, originality, and feasibility. Check the FAQ for guidelines and details.

This year’s festival is based on themes of INVESTIGATION, ACTION and TRANSMISSION. Conflux participants will transform New York’s East Village into a laboratory for creative experimentation and civic action. Through public interventions, artist-facilitated walks and tours, interactive performances and installations, bike and subway expeditions, and more, Conflux artists will confront and rewrite the rules of urban public space...

I am reminded of "negative space," the brite collective's Park(ing) Day charrette from last year, that involved a walk around capitol hill and drawing mental maps to highlight memorable and easily forgotten spaces around the neighborhood (cf. Kevin Lynch's The Image of the City for a classic study of this sort.)

Entries for Conflux are due August 15th and the submission fee is just $10, so if you have a burning idea, I think it's worth submitting. I could easily be convinced to coauthor a proposal if someone out there has something in mind...

King 5 on 'Local' McDonald's Ads

2010-07-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Ready for some hard-hitting investigative journalism? Here's the link.

Evidently McDonald's uses quite a bit of produce grown in the Northwest:

95% of their potatoes, 95% of their fish, and 88% of their apples come from this region.

Pretty good numbers, admittedly, but I'd like to point out that this is merely 'fetishizing' a few statistics -- how many ingredients are in any one McDonald's meal? -- and that they don't arise out of any concern for the environment. The King 5 piece remarks that McDonald's realized they were already doing this as a good business practice (read: to maximize profit) and decided to use it as advertising.

By presenting this fact with such nonchalance, Gary Chittim, the environmental journalist for King 5, missed his chance to comment on what might constitute a real commitment to local food. For example, as much as I abhor the 'urban gated community' that is Olive 8, I understand that their restaurant, Urbane, operates on a farm-to-table concept that brings a wide variety of local food to the menu. The very fact that this is part of their 'business' plan -- an ideology if you will -- distinguishes their intentional commitment to local food from McDonald's coincidental relationship to food produced in the Northwest.

If the producers at King 5 were better connected to what people are doing with local food, they would have followed this story with a piece on McGinn's year of urban agriculture and, of course, the great work that alleycat acres is doing.

Vitamin Water is, gasp!, Unhealthy

2010-07-26T22:46:00.000-07:00

I just saw this article and was momentarily thrown back into the Sisyphean task of exposing the Vitamin Water Social Club as a marketing ploy by Coca-Cola. On the heels of my (ongoing) dialogue with strategic branding agencies about the McDonalds "localwashing" campaign, I come to find that

"Vitaminwater is really just a sugary snack food; non-carbonated fruit coke disguised as a sports drink."

What, really? Coca-Cola would mislead people? They would spend a month doing nightlife marketing as an independent beverage creator when they are really a soulless monolith? Get outta here!

Anyway, just another reason to ignore Vitamin Water/Coke, McDonalds, and Qdoba, the janky fast-food place coming into the janky Joule Apartments on Broadway.

Collaborate, Collaborate, Collaborate

2010-07-25T23:44:00.000-07:00

How about a positive post for a change?

There are three things currently going down at PPL headquarters (my kitchen table) that are worth sharing.

First, I just submitted an application to Shunpike's Seattle Storefronts program in conjunction with The Lonely Kazoo, a rock opera and theater troupe who is putting the finishing touches on an incredible piece that resonates with many of my worldly concerns, namely environmentalism and consumerism. We are trying to get them a rehearsal and performance space in a vacant storefront in Pioneer Square or the International District, from which we can also launch a tour of vacant spaces around Seattle. In the meantime, their inaugural performance is scheduled for the Fremont Abbey on August 19th. They also have a call out for art made from trash to accompany this show on their website.

Secondly, I've written several entries about the Holding Patterns competition, and in addition to attending the open house last week, I've been speaking with one of the finalist teams about their project in Pioneer Square (seems like PPL's concerns are sliding Southwest a bit, doesn't it?). You can take a look at The Neighborhood Watch Theater Company's entry here. Their plan calls for converting the abandoned space at 167 S. Washington into a multipurpose theater. Currently, I'm trying to set them up with my neighborhood favorites Signal to Noise, to put together a scheme for seating and a stage.

And lastly, we come to Park(ing) Day Central Park. I've been a bit slow about getting this up and running but it's time...especially since I was recently contacted by a member of The Brite Collective about extending the event through the weekend. For the trifecta, this extension will shift the central park to the international district for Saturday and Sunday (Friday, the official Park(ing) Day, will still be at 500 E. Pine), and invite other on-street parks from around Seattle to do so as well. It's a tall order, but a fantastic one, and we will be putting finishing touches on the beginning of the plan this week. I have a list of about thirty groups that I'm going to solicit to build parks but the more the merrier, seriously. So if you're a reader who wants to get in on the arts/activism party that is Park(ing) Day, and you haven't already contacted me, please get in touch.

Welcome Readers from McDonalds and Clear Channel (UPDATE)

2010-07-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the magic of sitemeter, I can see the hits coming from McDonalds, the fast food monolith that is styling itself as local but won't provide any information about where its food comes from, and clear channel, the media corporation from my home state of Texas, that is often accused of homogenizing radio and putting billboards running janky ads everywhere (the McDonald's ads are on their signs, or at least the one I photographed in downtown Seattle was).

Anyway, if you're reading this and you work for one of those companies, I'd like to say that we in Seattle don't appreciate your work in general, and especially this ad campaign. I actually have two engineering degrees from Texas A&M, where the business school is named after Lowry Mays, one of the founders of clear channel, and I'd like to take this chance to say that I'm ashamed to have any affiliation with his legacy. I've since made my way to Seattle, obviously, and been introduced to writers like Horkheimer and Adorno, who take the commercialization of radio very seriously (and they were writing about the Culture Industry around WWII). I wonder what they would have to say about the state of radio today? They didn't even like jazz so they would abhor garbage like this.

I'd like to think they would listen to KEXP, even though they are devoted to classical music.

Why is this relevant to the lot you may ask? Companies like these are part of the same American business culture that I blame for undertaking projects the proposed development at 500 E. Pine that would have resulted in an overpriced and bland project. They see only in dollars and have no concern for the landscape they are creating. The furthest you can get from a McDonalds in America is 107 miles; I'm not sure if it's even possible to get out of range of clear channel radio or billboards.

UPDATE

It looks like Omnicon Group might be the marketing agency behind these ads: there was a hit from their Seattle office before all the clear channel and McDonalds hits came though. I'm going to call and/or email them right now. Feel free to do the same.

According to the interwebs, Hornall Anderson Design Works, a local ad firm, was acquired by Omnicon in 2004. I just sent this message to the creative and production directors to see if they were indeed the creators of the billboards.

Hello Ladies,

I am a Seattle resident and a PhD student at the University of Washington interested in consumer culture and the built environment and was wondering if Hornall Anderson was responsible for the McDonald's billboards that imply that the food is produced locally? If so, I can think of a few other questions I'd like to ask, but I will wait on your response.

I participate in a bit of neighborhood arts/activism on Capitol Hill via the website People's Parking Lot (http://peoplesparkinglot.blogspot.com), and noticed a hit from Omnicon Group in Seattle, which I believe HADW is a part of; that's why I am contacting you.

Thanks in advance for your time,
Keith

McDonalds Redux

2010-07-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

In response to my question about their local advertising campaign, Jessica, a mouthpiece for the beast, wrote this:

Hello Keith:

Thank you for contacting McDonald's.

Unfortunately, we do not provide the names of our suppliers as we consider this information proprietary. However, we can assure you that McDonald's uses many high quality, nationally known brand name suppliers such as Tyson Chicken, Kraft Cheese, Hunt's ketchup, Gorton's fish, Vlasic pickles and Quaker Oats hotcake mix, to name a few.

Again, thank you for your interest in McDonald's.

Jessica
McDonald's Customer Response Center

The Sun Break also has a good article about this campaign.

Commence defacing these signs.

Park(ing) Day Info from Feet First

2010-07-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, Feet First has started sending out information for this year's Park(ing) Day, which is Friday September 17th. You can read their announcement here. If you want to host an on-street park, the deadline for registration is Friday August 27th.

Our event last year was an extension/modification of the typical Park(ing) Day park. Since the point of the event is to 'reclaim' space devoted to automobiles, we conceptualized the lot as a space unused as part of the daily routine and decided to transform it into a central park, which could, in turn, be used throughout the day. Look through last September's archive and you can see more photos and posts than you probably care to read.

Want to build a park on the lot? Or an art installation? Do you play in a band and want to perform? Do you have a ping pong table or tetherball poles? Want to pass out flyers, cookies, or rabble rouse in general? Our Central Park will be the place.

FAIL (updated)

2010-07-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this isn't an urban food blog, but you probably know how I feel about local organic food, independent retailers, and multinational corporations pretending to be local if you've spent any time reading through this site. It should, therefore, be no surprise that I was astonished to see this on 7th avenue this morning.

I'm no graffiti artist, but I think this sign is just asking for an, um, intervention. In the meantime, I wrote a quick email asking the advertising and marketing department what was going on:

I recently saw a McDonald's billboard in Seattle, Washington which hinted that the potatoes used to make McDonald's french fries were grown in Pasco, Washington, and was wondering if you could provide some proof. Nothing about the McDonald's brand says 'local' and I'm curious about what you're doing here: changing your ways because you had an epiphany? co-opting an authentic movement? outright lying? Please clarify. It would be greatly appreciated.

I suppose one interpretation might be that potatoes are grown in Pasco and McDonalds serves fries here in Seattle...

Have a question for these bastards? Here's the contact form.

*UPDATE*

More coverage at Grist and Fast Company, including a great shot of the disclaimer in fine print.

Seattle Square Market on Saturday!

2010-07-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hope to see you there! Here's the website and flyer:

Shunpike Opportunities

2010-07-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email from Shunpike detailing two great opportunities for public art and performance.

The first, and one I plan on pursuing, hopefully with The Lonely Kazoo as part of vacant space tour, is Storefronts Seattle. The pilot program is currently focusing on empty retail spaces in Chinatown and the ID, and calls for both artists in residence and performances/installations. Applications are due July 26th.

The next opportunity is Arts Crush, "a month-long festival (October) that connects artists and audiences with invigorating new experiences at hundreds of events across the region." As an extension of Live Theatre Week, a different discipline will be highlighted each week. This project is managed by Theatre Puget Sound and applications are due July 23rd.

The latter calls for pop-up performances in various places, so if you have any ideas for the lot, this might be a great way to facilitate them. As always, leave a comment or send me an email if there is something you'd like to pursue on the lot.

Coca-Cola

2010-07-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

I took the first bus out of Coca-Cola City, it made me feel all nauseous and shitty. -- from "Worms of the Senses / Faculties of the Skull" by Refused, on their album "The Shape of Punk to Come"

It's funny how my last little post saying that Coca Cola, the owners of Glaceau, who make Vitamin Water and are hosting the Vitamin Water Social Club over at Sole Repair for the rest of the month has attracted a few lengthy reads from, I assume, some low-level marketing geniuses at Coca Cola's headquarters in Atlanta (thanks, sitemeter).

I first became aware of Coca Cola owning these guys when Madison Market quit carrying Vitamin Water for that very reason. As you probably know, the co-op does not carry products that do not jibe with its mission statement, and I recall that their position against Coca Cola had something to do with water rights in India, i.e. using up an inordinate amount of water to create their product, and thereby limiting residents' access to fresh water. Here are some links on that issue.

India Resource Center

Corp Watch

PBS

And while I, admittedly, drink a diet coke from time to time, just like Bret Easton Ellis, I really hate to see these big corporations trying to infiltrate the 'hip' neighborhoods, veiled as independent brands. Everyone knows where the 'fake Starbucks' are, and if you are like me, you avoid them. In this case, I just want to make sure you know who is behind these events before going.

So, yeah, go see the bands, support Sole Repair, but don't think that Vitamin Water is made by the little guys.

Vitamin Water Social Club

2010-07-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

Sure, they have some interesting bands playing, but what the fuck? A 'social club' being brought to you by Coca-Cola (they own glaceau, who makes vitamin water). Way to keep it alt, y'all.

Park(ing) Day 2010

2010-07-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

So, I just read Feet First's Park(ing) Day 2010 press release and thought it was about time to start planning our second Park(ing) Day Central Park (click here and here to see photos from last year).

As you may know, the idea of Park(ing) Day is to reclaim space typically reserved for automobiles as temporary park space for a day, and while the lot is not used for parking, it is unused by neighbors in the same way the the street is unused. Rebar, the creators of Park(ing) Day, as well as many other fantastic interventions, approve of this interpretation.

I believe we had 18 parks set up on the lot last year, as well as one DJ, one band, and a radical painter that showed up unannounced, but was, of course, welcome (one of his works is still hanging on the back fence and can be seen here). We had a whole host of prizes ranging from ice cream to books to a zipcar gift certificate to $200, cold hard cash (seriously, it was coin).

So if you'd like to participate by building a temporary park or organizing (please, please!), let me know. Feet First wants to double the turnout this year citywide, so I say we double it in the central park too. That said, I think 35 parks is a reasonable goal.

Seattle Square Press Release

2010-07-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

In its entirety:

For Information Contact:
Don Blakeney
don (at) theseattlesquare (dot) com
or Jen Kelly
jen (at) theseattlesquare (dot) com

A New Outdoor Market Launches in Pioneer Square
The SEATTLE SQUARE to feature locally designed apparel, vintage goods, mobile food, and headliner DJ’s

Seattle, WA (June 29, 2010) – Kicking off on Saturday, July 17th, Pioneer Square will feature a new outdoor market from 11am – 5pm every Saturday for the rest of the summer. What once sat empty and overlooked will soon be filled with local designers, mobile food vendors, public art and music.

The Seattle Square will feature a mix of Downtown restaurants like Delicatus, with mobile food vendors including Skillet, Ram & Rooster Dumplings and Parfait Organic Ice Cream--to name a few! The market will also host a wide range of vintage and craft vendors; selling everything from locally designed clothing, to handmade housewares and accessories, to mid-century modern furniture. To top it off, local and national DJ's will be providing a soulful, upbeat soundtrack each afternoon in the park.

The Seattle Square was conceived in response to the recent departure of Elliott Bay Books. "People thought we were crazy to want to try this new market in Pioneer Square once Elliott Bay announced they were leaving, but this is precisely the reason for doing it," said Seattle Square Co-Founder Don Blakeney. "Neighborhoods from West Seattle to Ballard have perfected the farmer's market--but few markets bring together the vintage, craft, and mobile food--and set it to music." Blakeney, a Seattle native, recently returned from New York City where he orchestrated a series of pop-up stores to activate the vacant storefronts in Times Square.

"The Pioneer Square neighborhood is perfect for a market like this," said Jennifer Kelly, Co-Founder of the Seattle Square. "There is a real sense of community here--and a lot of great people who are working hard to make this market a success and to reinvigorate the neighborhood in the process." Kelly moved to Pioneer Square last summer and writes the New Pioneer Square Blog. Both Kelly and Blakeney saw the popularity of outdoor markets and events like the Brooklyn Flea, MoMA's PS1 and Seattle's Mobile Chowdown, and wanted to bring them together to activate Occidental Square.

Local artists will also be transforming Occidental Park throughout the summer as a part of the Artsparks program put together by 4Culture and Seattle Parks and Recreation. Shoppers will be able to walk through a maze of art installations as they enjoy the food, music, and market. Local DJ's will compete in a weekly Battle of the Mega-Mixes--the winner of which will get a headlining slot at a local nightclub later this summer.

"The creative energy behind the Seattle Square is thrilling," said Todd Vogel, owner of the Nord Building. "The organizers have combined Pioneer’s Square’s artsy vibe and Occidental Park’s beauty to create an event for everyone. I can’t wait to go!" Vogel is the Director of the International Sustainability Institute, a group that forges public and private partnerships to promote public space and urban sustainability. He is also hosting a series of World Cup watching parties in Nord Alley across from Occidental Park through the finals in July.

Ideally located on top of every form transportation in the city, Pioneer Square offers a perfect town center atmosphere that is accessible to all. In addition to comprehensive rail and bus access, the Seattle Square has partnered with Diamond Parking and the Merrill Place Garage to provide complementary parking for all Seattle Square shoppers each Saturday.

About the Seattle Square:
The Seattle Square is a new outdoor market that runs every Saturday from July 17th, through September 25th, in Occidental Park between S. Washington and S. Main Streets, just east of 1st Avenue S. For more information about weekly features, music and mobile food lineup, directions, or contact information:

http://www.theseattlesquare.com/

The Seattle Square -- Call for Vendors and Musicians

2010-06-30T07:58:00.000-07:00

A new public market, The Seattle Square, is coming to Occidental Park for the remainder of Summer, beginning July 17th. Live music and food carts will round out the experience, making the square a place to both shop and relax.

I met up with one of the organizers yesterday and they are still looking for both vendors and musicians. Do you have a crate full of old vinyl or boxes of books to sell? Perhaps some CDs that have been supplanted by your iTunes playlist or clothes from last summer are cluttering up your apartment? Or if you only have a few things, one option would be to set up a People's Parking Lot table where several of us could sell things together. And if you're a musician, DJ, producer, laptop beat-maker, or any kind of sound installation artist, there is room for you as well. Send me and email or get in touch with James Grindle on Twitter.

Speaking of Twitter, you can also follow The Seattle Square here.

Holding Patterns Finalists and Honorable Mentions

2010-06-23T09:31:00.001-07:00

I just received an email from Valerie at the DPD with a link to the finalists and honorable mentions for the 'Holding Patterns' call for ideas.

You can see all 13 finalists and 13 honorable mentions here.

One of the standouts that reminds me of an idea I've heard expressed many times, is temporary planters, as submitted by the architect, William Arens:

John Fleming's entry calls for metal panels to be erected as canvasses for graffiti artists to paint over time, before being taken down, cut up and rearranged like his own artwork:

Lastly, a project proposal for our own neighborhood, by Ben Gist, AV Goodsell, and Roman A. Pohorecki, that incorporates mobile food trucks and outdoor cinema, called the ViVi Traveling Cinema:

Unfortunately, Signal to Noise's entry, which I posted previously, was not included in the finalists, but it did receive an honorable mention.

Wildlife

2010-06-22T16:22:00.001-07:00

And no, I'm not talking about the human-folk across the Capitol Hill, but the vegetation in the northwest corner of the People's Parking Lot. After reading a CHS post about wildflowers behind the ugly meteor known as the Joule Apartments (follow their marketing team on twitter here; feel free to express your disgust for their project as frequently as possible), I remembered these photos I snapped a few weeks ago.

It also reminded me of how lush the space used to be, as shown in the old photos that are still in Google Maps and street view (you can only see these, replete with the 'spring break' tag, if you send the little man down Summit; from Pine, the images show cars parked in the space).

Book PI

2010-06-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

Book PI, the guerilla book exchange (website is under construction) movement has begun in downtown Seattle:

[Photos swiped from Animish's facebook page].

Alleycat's GOOD Video!

2010-06-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

Check out what GOOD magazine caught the good folks at alleycat acres doing a few weekends ago.

Thanks!

2010-06-09T23:39:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to all the garage sale participants, Emerson Salon for sponsoring, and the good, kind, wonderful and generous folks who donated money online to help make the garage sale happen. Two of them are artists, one of which we work with often, and the other with whom we hope to do something soon: 12 hr notice and The Lonely Kazoo.

The PPL coffers are now $40 up (for the first time) and that much closer to putting on another event. Doing things on the lot is expensive, both in time and effort, and we're grateful that both CHS and Shunpike can help lighten the load (in fact, Justin, carried 99% of it himself for the garage sale so keep reading CHS and write your own stories too).

So, what would you like to do there or see done? As previously mentioned, I like The Lonely Kazoo but their project lends itself to an indoor venue. I'm talking to the city about Signal to Noise's temporary, site specific art project and have spoken with Queer Youth Space about an event. Parking Day 2010 is in November and several people have expressed interest in another garage sale this summer. Am I missing anything?

Garage Sale Photos

2010-06-05T20:28:00.001-07:00

I have quite a few more but my sophisticated blogging software here is giving me trouble. I am happy though that the one I managed to upload was from a different vantage point (big thanks to Scott at the Consulate apartments; if you're looking for a studio apartment for around $700 a month, he has two with this view available).

Check out CHS for more photos. Also, if you have any of your own let me know and I'd be happy to share them.

Update: more coverage on CHS here.

Garage Sale

2010-06-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

Cap Hill Garage Sale starts in an hour (@ 10 AM). Here's an early photo from a neighbor.

Couldn't Have Said it Better Myself

2010-06-04T16:25:00.001-07:00

"Bitchin'!"

In response to a discussion on the CHS blog about unsavory characters and graffiti guys defacing Signal to Noise's "Holding Patterns" entry, the commenter Mhaire writes:

The best antidote for use of a space by unpleasant characters is to use the space ourselves. The idea that this design is flexible enough to allow multiple uses is sharp: why didn't someone think of it before? Materials are durable, structures would be hard to move inappropriately (e.g. stolen), and while big gardens are nice, they don't maximize uses of the space and aren't nearly as flexible... and someone has to maintain them. I like that trees are included in the design, certainly flowers can be put at the bases of trees, and you have small gardens? Graffiti is art nowadays, I'm thinking let the graffiti artists pay for painting them, and we benefit. And if we don't like the layout, we change it (Maybe even add raised P-patches as a border later). "Bitchin'" as one of my friends said of the idea.

Well said.

All Systems Go

2010-06-03T10:04:00.001-07:00

Everything is set for the garage sale, even the backdoor dealings that require insurance policies in case someone stubs their toe in a mad dash for a vintage Members Only jacket.

That said, insurance isn't cheap so if you are willing to part with a few bucks (seriously, $5 would help) to help make this event, and other such events at the lot, a reality, you can click here to donate via shunpike's website. Thanks and see you Saturday.

Garage Sale Sign and Fliers

2010-06-01T23:02:00.001-07:00

Independently produced by two great PPL co-conspirators. The latter is sized to be printed into quadrants on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Feel free to print some out and pass them out (if we're friends on facebook or you pay attention to the PPL twitter feed, you'll 'get' the font.)

12 Hour Notice Garage Sale Flyer

2010-05-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

In case you aren't on JT's email list...

Shapes of Change

2010-05-24T23:50:00.001-07:00

As promised, here (.pdf file*) is Signal to Noise's entry for the Holding Patterns competition. I pulled this photo out to share but you'll have to look at the entry to see the rest.

*Please let me know if you can't see the file; I've never tried to share a pdf and heard Scribd was good for it...

Signal to Noise!

2010-05-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

I just saw Signal to Noise's entry for the Holding Patterns competition and am floored, both by their idea and their presentation (I'll share later, if it's alright with them*). I've also been in touch with the Design Commission about helping actualize their favorite projects. More news to come.

(*UPDATE: click here to see their entry.)

In the meantime, Thursday night is Alleycat Acres big fundraiser at grey. Come on by!

DPD Call for Ideas

2010-05-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

Deadline is Monday! More info here. I had an interesting discussion with some folks a few weeks ago but, embarrassingly, I've been too busy to corral our ideas into an entry. If you're planning on submitting something and using the lot as your space, let me know!

Psst...JT will be DJing the garage sale

2010-05-20T22:11:00.001-07:00

Here's his announcement.

Cap to the Hill + Jansport

2010-05-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

Of course everyone has their own opinion about Cap to the Hill and Jansport's joint venture -- the 500 Pine party, on the latter's dime and facilitated by Capitol Hill ad agency Creature -- but regardless of how you feel about, say, 'keeping it real', I'd say this video is pretty well done. And I understand making concessions to make things happen: for instance, we get permission from the owners of the lot to hold events there and pay for insurance; these folks agreed to walk around with backpacks on in exchange for $10,000 of party-organizing money. What would I have done in their situation? I'm not sure.

Garden at 13th/Marion

2010-05-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

Over on the Alleycat Acres blog, there is a call for gardeners interested in the space behind Photographic Center Northwest. Check it out.

Cap Hill Garage Sale

2010-05-16T11:57:00.001-07:00

Community sale on the lot is June 5th; have you registered yet?

Perspective

2010-05-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

Thinking about the DPD and AIA calls for activating vacant spaces in silly, whimsical, ephemeral ways and I came across this...

Pecha Kucha Friday: Living Future 20/20

2010-05-07T02:23:00.000-07:00

Make sure to swing by Kells in Post Alley to take part in this pecha kucha focusing on the built environment.

http://pecha-kucha.org/night/seattle/19

Earth Day Free Day Photos

2010-04-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Extra special thanks to those that made it out today in spite of the threat of rain. I forgot my camera but, as usual, someone took some photos that are better than mine would be and put them up on CHS. Anyway, it was great to see old friends, meet new ones, and spend some time with the likes of John Boylan and Alex Steffen.

Our next official event will be the Capitol Hill Garage Sale on June 6th. Come hunt for bargains, meet neighbors, and claim this space as ours. Hopefully JT can make it out to DJ again and we're even talking about bringing in a food truck to serve the hungry bargain-hunters.