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Friday, December 1, 2006
Seattle Center's future begins in nod to past
Retro-named panel to make plans for World's Fair site
Century 21 is an old name for a new committee convened by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels to come up with specific recommendations about the future of the aging buildings and lackluster activities at Seattle Center.
The 17-member Century 21 Committee, named for the 1962 World's Fair held at the Seattle Center site, met for the first time Thursday.
It will take the recommendations of a previous, similar task force, discuss them at a series of meetings and public forums and present specific ideas for revitalizing the center over the next 20 years to Nickels by June.
Jan Levy, executive director of Leadership Tomorrow, and co-chairwoman of the committee, said the new group will continue the work of its predecessor, the Mayor's Task Force for Seattle Center Sustainability.
That group came up with a long list of suggestions, such as modernizing the Center House, finding a new use for the Fun Forest, demolishing Memorial Stadium and fixing the monorail.
But although the first group was clear that ongoing public investment is necessary, it didn't specify exactly how to carry out its recommendations, or, more importantly, where funding would come from.
The first of many public hearings to gather ideas will be Jan. 24 at Seattle Center
Seattle Center is the city's hub for fun, sports and culture. It is home to some of the city's most popular attractions and landmarks, including the Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center and the International Fountain, where folks gather to cool off in the summer.
"This is an opportunity to reinvent an aging facility," Levy said. "Basically, our task is to develop a range of alternatives.
"This committee will say, 'What do we want to do with the Fun Forest? What about Center House?' " Levy said.
Kari Shaw, a spokeswoman for Seattle Center, said alternatives would developed in phases.
"Our hope is that they will be pretty specific," Shaw said.
About $1.18 million was set aside in the city's overall, two-year $6.7 billion budget, for feasibility studies, an environmental impact statement and financial reports before a recommendation is made to the City Council.
In 1991 and again in 1999, voters approved levies for Seattle Center renovations.
The 1999 levy helped rebuild the opera house -- now McCaw Hall -- and develop Fisher Pavilion.
Seattle Center staff members and members of the previous task force expressed interest in floating a levy for new improvements when the current levy expires next year.
Nickels also has said that he is interested in proposing a levy next year to pay for improving Seattle Center.
He announced this week that the Seattle International Film Festival will develop a year-round screening facility at McCaw Hall.
The city plans to contribute $150,000 toward the $350,000 project to turn the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall into a theater for year-round film exhibition.
CENTURY 21 COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Co-chairwoman Jan Levy, executive director of Leadership Tomorrow
Co-chairman Jeff Wright, J. Wright Development
Maria Barrientos, Real Estate Development Service
Trish Dziko, executive director of the Technology Access Foundation
Tom Gerlach, senior vice president of Turner Construction Co.
James Gore, Ariel Media
Regina Hall, former president and chief executive of Willis of Seattle
Linda Hartzell, artistic director for the Seattle Children's Theatre
John Masterjohn, business manager for Local 1239
Donna Moodie, owner of Marjorie restaurant
Vikram Prakash, associate professor and chairman of architecture at the UW
Jeff Schoenfeld, principal at Urban Visions
Bryce Seidl, president and chief executive, Pacific Science Center
Dolores Sibonga, lawyer and former city councilwoman
Greg Slaughter, business agent for Local 117
Jeff Trisler, House of Blues Concerts
Jane Zalutsky, WaMu
More headlines and info from Downtown, Queen Anne.
What would you like to see done at the Seattle Center?
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