Just found this post on The SunBreak Blog called “Drug Dealers Star in Pioneer Square’s Reality TV.” It is so ridiculous, but I can’t help but smile for a few moments at the soundtrack they chose to accompany this video. I would hope that something like this could lead to an arrest, but it’s doubtful (as it was shot by a civilian). Reminds me of this story from 3 years ago (thanks Heath).

This really has got to stop.

Reminder: If you ever see this or something that even looks like this, call 911.

Update

To see an update to this post, as well as a clarification to the rumors, click here.

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(disclaimer: rumors are contained in this post. Some parts may be truth. What is truth and what is rumor, however, you will have to figure out for yourself as I have not been able to clarify any details.)

The one truth I can state here: Elliott Bay may or may not be leaving.

The Rumors:

1. A principal at Jones + Jones (owns the building) is raising rents, effectively “pushing” the bookstore out.

2. An investor in the bookstore is pushing for the move to a different neighborhood

3. EBBC doesn’t care about the neighborhood and all efforts by others to help the bookstore have been ignored. A little bird told me that a former mayor and other influential Pioneer Square residents set up a meeting with the owner to talk about possible options and to offer support, but that he didn’t show up.

4. EBBC just has a bad business model. Unwilling to go online or use an online medium to promote the store, they don’t have much of a chance. Not sure how moving to Capitol Hill will help (see report of a local CH bookstore that just closed). The rumor is that staffing levels have not changed, even in this economic downturn, making it difficult to stay in the black.

5. The Office of Economic Development (OED) has offered their help to keep Elliott Bay in the neighborhood.

According to an article that just came out in the LA times, the owner feels that it’s the store’s location in Pioneer Square that is hurting his sales, and that he could do better in Downtown or in Capitol Hill.

The article implies, however, that Aaron is waiting for a decision from 11 banks, regarding the potential of receiving a loan.

When the banners were unveiled at the ING meeting, the possible exit of the bookstore was one of the main topics. Speakers urged employees thinking about moving, to move to Pioneer Square, or to shop down here, or to party down here. At first, I was a little annoyed that Elliott Bay was being talked about at an event celebrating the neighborhood, as the topic kept coming up. But then, a member of the board pointed out that we should maximize the negativity of the situation to show the city how much help we need down here.

I originally planned on organizing a “buy a book” week for the bookstore to show them how much they mean to the neighborhood and to encourage sales. The summation of the article, however, just points to the “it’s not personal, it’s business” motto, when Aaron says that if he could lure an buyer into taking the store on as “a hobby,” the future of book retailing would no longer be his problem.

To me, that just shows a general lack of empathy for this bookstore that has been around for so long and that means a lot to so many people.

What would it take for the bookstore to stay? Is it really as simple as one of the 11 banks giving them a loan?

Whatever it is, it needs to happen soon, or our neighborhood is going to need even more help than it needs now. I’m going to follow up with the Office of Economic Development to see what incentives are offered to businesses that are willing to open up shop in Pioneer Square. If they do decide to leave (which I hope they don’t), let’s get another incredible “destination” shop in there, and prevent another rug store, bar, or homeless shelter from moving in.

UPDATE

Just had a brief conversation with the owner and it looks like we’ll be able to clear up some rumors and maybe figure out how to help the bookstore. Be on the lookout for an update this Saturday. Christmas is a good time for a bookstore-buy push, don’t you think?

Ever since we moved in to P², we have had a problem with the line of homeless people sleeping next to Masins Furniture. And I’ve always wondered why it hasn’t been a problem for them. For a store like Masins with prices what they are — don’t they realize it’s a deterrent for anyone going to their store when the homeless sleep in their doorways and make them smell and then sleep all along their building? Ever night?

I can also imagine how nerve-wracking it would be for anyone getting off of a bus or waiting for a bus right there.

(sorry for the image quality — I always take these through the window while I’m waiting for the elevator)

I understand why this happens, though — location, location, location! Isn’t that what realtors always tell us? It’s a strip that has no retailer entryways, it’s right across the street from the Union Gospel Mission, and it has cover overhead. What makes this situation worse, however, is their disregard for cleaning up the space. Every single morning, I watch out the window as they just get up and leave their free city blankets (that are handed out like candy by the city) and their cardboard boxes for someone else to clean up.

I think it’s the MID workers who pick up after them most mornings. They even attempt to clear them out after they’ve had a nice long rest there.

This is what I’m talking about when I talk about the different types of homeless people. The homeless that sleep next to Masins have a total disregard for the neighborhood and the other people who live here. When I was having a conversation about this with Sgt Gracy (community police sergeant for P²), he said that Mr. Masins has actually written quite a few letters of complaint, but that nothing has worked. Every time they clear out the current homeless there, 15 new ones take their place.

I was trying to brainstorm possible solutions that might help keep them away, but none of them seem feasible. There are already lights there all night, and even the nightly construction noise didn’t keep them away. I thought maybe if cones were placed all along the wall with signs warning them to stay off the sidewalk that it might work, but I’m sure they would just move them.

Any ideas? I’m thinking about contacting the developers that are working on the building there to see if they might be interested in teaming up to help make some changes on the block there.

In the meantime, I’ve decided to vent my frustrations by renaming it:  Annoying Homeless Sidewalk.

I was doing a photoshoot on my roof deck the other day [I do freelance photography], and right as I moved to a new position, with my nice big expensive camera, a seagull pooped on me. And not just a little bit of bird crap – this was a massive, cleansing of the bowels bird crap. My first reaction, of course, was to start screaming (which kind of startled the people I was taking pictures of) and to run into the house and after realizing it had splattered all over my camera (not to mention all down my hair), stick my head in the shower.

For those of you who live or work in Pioneer Square, I’m sure that this has happened to you. I was telling Phillip (who works the information booth at Occidental Square), who says that it’s actually good luck when a bird poops on you and that you should go out and buy a lottery ticket.

The Husband and I have named the bird Carl, and I swear he has it out for us. If we’re up on a deck people watching, he dive bombs us. We always have to warn people before they go on our deck that he’s out there, waiting. I know and you know that every time sometimes when they poop on you, it’s totally intentional.

After mentioning our experiences with Carl to our friends, they recommended getting owls (plastic) for our deck. So I did – two in fact. Let me show you how well this works out in P²:

Here’s another example of what could happen to you if you become reticent to the bird problem:

(Just kidding.. this bird is her “pet” – if you haven’t ever taken the time to talk to this fascinating woman, you should. Ask her about her chicken)

Why the city keeps calling city corners or city triangles “squares” is beyond me. Occidental Square, yes, you can have that. You are correct that it is (mostly) square. But Fortson Square?

For those of you who don’t know, Fortson Square is the corner of 2nd and Yesler, and features the stone “art” that has been around for about 10 years. A sculpture that was not meant to be sat on is the gathering place for most of the people who are part of Lazarus. Not to mention the 5 million other complaints against the center (which the Archdioses does nothing about), there are two major complaints I find absolutely ridiculous. The complaints aren’t ridiculous, the fact that it’s happening is ridiculous and that they refuse to do anything about it.

If you walk past the square in the morning, you will see the guys waiting in line to enter the Lazarus Day Center. What many of the guys have started doing is taking bricks from the stone path in Fortson Square to hold their place in line. Is this another one of my witty jokes? No, absolutely not. Here’s a picture to prove it:

The second complaint? The hundreds of cigarette butts littered throughout the square. Is it so much to ask the guys of Lazarus to keep their “hangout” cleaned up? Lisa (PSCA) is getting a bucket with sand for them to put out their cigarettes. We’ll see if it cleans the corner up.

Attention;
Tenants and Building Managers

Completion of today’s construction activities on 2nd Ave Ext S in the vicinity of S. Washington St. to S. Jackson St. will require evening and nighttime saw cutting.

This work entails cutting relief joints in newly poured concrete road panels to prevent cracking and damage as the concrete reaches its critical cure points.

This operation may be loud and disruptive and will continue beyond 10pm this evening.

Our crews are working to ensure that this process is completed as efficiently as possible to minimize our nighttime disturbance.

David Kerr
Project Engineer
C.A. Carey Corporation
206.450.3193
dkerr@cacarey.com

The husband and I were walking around Pioneer Square last night when we passed a man standing in a store entryway on the corner of 3rd and James. With just a casual glance, we saw that he had a thin line of “white powder” and was getting ready to use it.

We walked around the corner and called 911 while we kept walking, although I was a little freaked out to be telling the 911 operator out loud about the guy using drugs just around the corner with a bunch of other P² familiars still milling around. I thought for sure someone was going to yell “snitch” and beat us up or something. I also watch lots of movies.

Anyways, I’ve called 911 before when I thought I saw someone dealing, but first I had to talk to Chris (with PSCA) and our local cop about what a “drug deal” actually looks like and how to report it.

For those living within a few block radius of 2nd and Jackson, you may have heard the construction noise last night.

I called David George, Seattle’s Noise Abatement Coordinator, who said that he had received lots of complaints about the noise last night. I had also called him last week when they were jack-hammering until 2 am.