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37 images Created 6 Aug 2019

Seattle's Explosive Growth

Seattle used to be a smallish city lost in the far off Northwest, with a reputation as having far too much rain. This all changed very quickly in the past few years. It started with Paul Allen’s buying up of a large amount of property in what is now known as South Lake Union, which about 100 years ago was the scene of another great change when Denny Hill was leveled hydraulically to form what used to be called The Denny Regrade. The Regrade was filled with small businesses, low rent housing, commercial laundries, and light manufacturing, most being one and two stories high. A proposal was made to create a huge park (60 acres) to be known as the Seattle Commons, along the idea of Central Park in New York, and to be paid for by a tax levy of about $432.00 per household across the city. The levy failed by a narrow margin. Mr Allen then started developing the land for commercial use. Many high tech companies built new facilities there. Eventually a new Amazon Headquarters would be built there. For the first time a large number of apartments and condos were built there as well.

These pictures deal with a relatively small part of the city: the downtown, South Lake Union, and adjacent neighborhoods. Much of the city has changed at more or less a normal rate (whatever that is). Naturally the character of the city has changed more than the longtime residents liked. Seattle fortunately has not been flooded or been flattened by 180 mph winds, but many of the people who used to call it home have had to leave because they could no longer afford to stay here. Many more just couldn’t stomach the changes. They left their homes and all that that entails. It wasn’t that there was change, but that it happened so fast. What used to take 50 years to do, now took 5 years. Rents and property values skyrocketed. How could normal people on normal incomes pay for it? Of course the changes are not limited solely to Seattle. The changes are happening everywhere. It’s just that Seattle and a few other places are getting it far worse than most places. It’s the sign of the times.
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  • Seattle skyline from the Puget Sound side of the city, Seattle, Washington, USA
    20190114_Seattleskyline_0177.jpg
  • United States, Washington, Seattle, The Galland Building being torn down, 2nd Ave & Senica St  03/16/17
    20170316_wrecking_0406.jpg
  • United States, Washington, Seattle, The Galland Building being torn down.
    20170320_wrecking_0313.jpg
  • South Lake Union and dowtown, Seattle, Washington 03/22/17
    20170322_buildings_0256.jpg
  • United States, Washington, Seattle, Diigging the foundation for a new skyscraper.  05/08/17
    20170508_construction__0013.jpg
  • Bio-spheres, geodesic domes, Amazon Corporation, Seattle, Washington, USA  06/30/16
    20160630_construction_0036.jpg
  • The finishing touches go on the Amazon HQ Bio-spheres, Seattle, Washington, USA 03/16/17
    20170316_wrecking_0194.jpg
  • Amazon Headquarters at lunch time on 24 April 2018, Seattle, Washington
    20180424_amazonHQ_0055.jpg
  • United States, Washington, Seattle, Smith Tower with building construction going on around it. 07/30/16
    20160713_alki_0024.jpg
  • Smith Tower, the Mark, Columbia Canter, downtown, Seattle, Washington, USA  02/26/18
    20180226_smithtower_0045.jpg
  • The approach to the tunnel under construction, Seattle, Washington, USA  02-13-19
    20190121_viaduct-regrade_0052.jpg
  • The Raineir Club engulfed by the new building around it, Seattle, Washington  04/11/17
    20170411_pioneersquare_0035.jpg
  • Buildings in downtown Seattle, Washington, USA  10/30/17
    20171030_waterfront_0076.jpg
  • Rainier Tower, Seattle, Washington  03/09/18
    20180309_mountedcops_0090-2.jpg
  • Rainier Square Tower and Rainier Tower, downtown Seattle, Washington
    20190823-AmazonTower-0055.jpg
  • Twin apartment buildings, Bell Town, Seattle, Washington
    20180311_SLU_0083-Edit.jpg
  • Thomas St. in the South Lake Union neighborhood, 03/23/19, Seattle, Washington
    20190323_cascadeneighborhood_0104.jpg
  • Cranes reflected in windows of a building in the South Lake Union neighborhood, Seattle, Washington, USA 10/15/17
    20171015_building@night_0093.jpg
  • View up Dexter Avenue from Harrison Street, 18 March 2018, South Lake Union, Seattle, Washington, USA
    20180318_SLU_0166.jpg
  • Glazer's Camera at the corned of 8th Ave & Republican, South Lake Union, Seattle, washington, USA  04/13/14
    20140413_untitled_0014.jpg
  • The corner of 8th Ave. N & Repulican St., South Lake Union, Glazer's Camera under contruction, Seattle, Washington, USA
    20150302_artwalk_0005.jpg
  • Glazers Camera store at 8th Ave. N & Republic St., South Lake Union, Seattle, Washington  03/09/19
    20190309_SLUGlazers_0009.jpg
  • Amazon Brazil building, cafe in court yard, South Lake Union, Seattle
    20180426_SLU_0243.jpg
  • Construction site at the corner of Fairview Ave and Denny Way in the Cascade neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA  11/10/17
    20171110_SLU_0100.jpg
  • Buildings in Denny Triangle, Seattle, Washington  12/30/18
    20181230_Construction_0377.jpg
  • Bus termianl and future home of the new Washington Convention Center, Seattle, Washington, USA  02/12/18
    20180212_DennyTri_0118.jpg
  • Foundation for Convetion Center 01/21/19, Seattle, Washington, USA
    20190121_viaduct-regrade_0118.jpg
  • Fairview Ave N at Mercer St 04-01-15, Seattle, Washington  03/23/19
    20190323_cascadeneighborhood_0058.jpg
  • Mercer St. & Fairview Ave. North, South Lake Union, Seattle, Washington, USA  03/05/19
    20190305_SLU_0037.jpg
  • Capitol Hill Link Light Rail Station, Seattle, Washington, USA  10/05/17
    20171005_CapitolHill_0047.jpg
  • United States, Washington, Seattle, Alaskan Way Viaduct. at sunset with Mount Rainier. 01/29/15
    20150129_conventionctr_0118.jpg
  • Alaska Way Viaduct, Seattle, Washington, closed 10:00 PM 01/12/2019
    20190111_viaduct_0509.jpg
  • Final day walk on the Alaska Way Viaduct 02-02-19, Seattle, Washington, USA
    20190202_viaductwalk_0259.jpg
  • Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition, Seattle, Washington, USA  02/26/19
    20190226_viaductdemolition_0138.jpg
  • Alasckan Way Viaduct demolition, Seattle, Washington
    20190607_viaductdemolition_0022.jpg
  • Demolition the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seattle, Washington  04/05/2019
    20190415_demolishviaduct_0061.jpg
  • The route of the former Alaskan Way Viaduct, stadiums, Seattle, Washington, United States
    20190720_viaduct_0011.jpg