The Summit - Bring on the Noise! Let’s build the Stadium Makers District

I was the only Freight Board member to support housing in the stadium district. Here's why.

The Stadium Makers District (SMD) is an idea currently promoted by Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson. This proposal, first considered in 2013, would allow for live/work maker spaces and artists’ lofts in the few blocks directly to the west and south of T-Mobile Park.

The intention is to make zoning rules foster a cool place for young artists and inventors to live.

There are less than a thousand artist live/work spaces in the city. 21 of those units are already within this zone at the Bemis Building with a handful more elsewhere in SoDo like at Sunny Arms or the Old Rainier Brewery. Spaces like this are essential for culture and innovation because artists and young entrepreneurs often can't afford to pay for both an apartment and a workshop. Congregating permanently affordable spaces designed for creativity provides an engine for cultural vibrancy where collaboration among neighbors can grow into our next city’s successful businesses or artistic masterpieces.

The idea has come under pushback.

As a member of Seattle’s Freight Advisory Board, I was the only dissenting vote on a letter in opposition of this bill in front of the city council. To understand why I think it’s a perfectly reasonable proposal, we must address what the main points of contention are.

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