Washblog || Council to Port: Maritime Uses Preferred for North Bay

Council to Port: Maritime Uses Preferred for North Bay

By Sarajane46th
Wed Aug 15, 2007 at 04:08:53 PM PST
Section: Diary Topic: Ports

[Front paged: NM. Related PI article today: Port's Plans for Interbay Denied]

According to the Daily Journal of Commerce (August 15, 2007), the Seattle City Council was as alarmed as I was to read that the port staff had summarily rejected a well thought-out proposal from Kerry Electronics, an aerospace parts manufacturer with more than 500 employees to develop space in Interbay for industrial purposes. Instead, the port has spent $1.3 million for outreach and marketing to achieve its vision of 2.2 million square feet for research and development and 1.1 million square feet for office space. The result, so far, worse than zip, since maritime users have been refused and biotech is clustering in South Lake Union.

The DJC previously reported that the port has been discouraging potential industrial tenants, including a maritime partnership that wanted to lease up to 35 acres for hi-tech maritime and overflow from Lake Union. Instead, the port has been trying to market what they call North Bay as a biotech mecca.

I would link you to the story, but the DJC charges for it.

"The port has been aggressively marketing North Bay to biotech customers in the last few years, including Amgen, Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center (expanding its own campus) and Diversified Bio-Medics in Blaine," writes the DJC.

Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck signed a letter from the Seattle City Council telling the Port CEO Tay Yoshitani that the port needs to triple its industrial allocation of a measely 350,000 square feet if it wants the zoning overlay to build taller office and research space.

Tall office buildings are not currently allowed on the 57-acre site--nor should they be. Think about it. Getting to Interbay is a pain, while South Lake Union now has its streetcar-bus connection to the downtown hub. Biotech as a Big Idea has come and gone. The 13-acre Clive Property in Denny Triagle will sop up the rest of the demand for office and mixed-use space for the next decade. The port ahould be giving maritime uses priority, not kicking them to the side. The port needs to reconsider its whole master plan for Interbay, or have the City Council do it for them.

< U.S. okays Iraqi Interior Ministry to arm insurgents? | Chad Lupkes wins Best Progressive Entrepreneur!! >

Council to Port: Maritime Uses Preferred for North Bay | 0 comments ( topical)

RE-ELECT
ALEC FISKEN
Seattle Port Commission

www.rentonfacts.com
RENTON FACTS

FISKEN'S PORT WATCH
Environmental Issues

REAL CHANGE
HOMELESS EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

PIRATE TELEVISION
Challenging the Corporate Media Blockade

Watch Live or Archived Shows:
Seattle SCAN
South End PSA

PNW TOPIC HOTLIST

Blog Directory

WELCOME AND FAQ
ABOUT

Login

Make a new account

Recommended Diaries

MTV goes politics with 'Choose or Lose'. WA finalist Teresa submission features Lt. Watada and more
Teresa, representing what I think are strengths in our young generation, was among three finalists for MTV 'Choose or
By Lietta Ruger (0 comments)
Anti-Gay Activist Running for Renton City Council
Help prevent a fundamentalist, anti-gay activist from buying her way into local politics.
By Renton Citizen (7 comments)
What the Kenmore City Council Doesn't Want You to Know
There was a forum for candidates running for Kenmore City Council last Wednesday. If you are a Kenmore resident and you
By technogramma (28 comments)
Douglas County is the only county in Washington State that does not have a weed board.
The county commissioners and other "Private Property Rights "activists have been fighting the state and county residents for years on this
By Dixie (5 comments)
Political Graphics 101: 34th LD lit deconstructed
As part of my highly opinionated, ruthlessly honest series on political graphics, I zero in on campaign lit from the 34th.
By dinazina (6 comments)
Gulliver's Travels
Jeb Bush came to town today and stopped by to speak with the Microsoft Political Action Committee. Most memorable metaphor on
By BryceM (8 comments)