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About Great City

We are environmentalists, neighborhood leaders, business people, and citizens working together to enhance our quality of life, help preserve our region’s natural beauty, and make Seattle a model of economic and environmental sustainability.

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What is Great City?

Great City is a strategic urban advocacy group that believes smart and responsible urbanism is the solution to many of our social, economic, and environmental challenges. We are effective by engaging and empowering neighborhood groups (Neighborhood Assistance Program), developing and advocating for key urban strategies (Streets for People, Leadership for Great Neighborhoods, and Green Infrastructure), and bringing together public and private professionals to discuss and critique current projects and processes (Great City’s monthly brown bag series at GGLO).

Become a Member

Great City is currently holding a membership drive and mustache competition. Learn more here!

Feb

8

Green Alleys Competition (deadline)

Posted by Paul Chasan

Great City is Pleased to co-sponsor the Green Alley’s Competition!

Seattle’s alleys offer intimate, small-scale spaces that, properly staged, invite people to walk and promise a host of sustainability benefits. Introducing greenery to Seattle’s forgotten spaces can create a small ecological system of its own by filtering city runoff before it hits the Puget Sound.

How green is your alley? The City of Seattle, the International Sustainability Institute, People for Puget Sound, and the AIA Seattle is sponsoring a contest on how to green our alleys. An all-star cast of designers, planners, residents and other alley-lovers will judge the entries for their originality, cost-effectiveness and practical implementation.

Join us in a unique design competition to green Seattle’s alleys

For more information send an email to:
green_alleys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

OR email darby.watson@seattle.gov

Here is a PDF document containing project info, submission requirements and maps of the project area: Green_Alleys_info.pdf (836 KB)

Image by Gehl Architects

Interested parties can get more information by subscribing to (emailing): green_alleys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Official Press Release Follows:

Guiding Principles

Alleys are a key resource in Seattle. Traditionally restricted to service uses, the Clear Alleys Program has opened up opportunities to use alleys in different ways. This design competition is focused on potential new uses that in combination could add functionality to our transportation and ecological systems as well as improving the aesthetic and community-building elements of our City. Below are some guiding principles to help you in your design of Seattle’s best Green Alley:

Green alleys should:

Welcome pedestrians, both as walkways and places to visit
Incorporate green stormwater infrastructure in both functional and aesthetic aspects
Encourage building design to provide doors, windows, and other elements that support non-service uses
Continue to provide access for service vehicles

Judging Criteria

Design innovation and quality: 40%
Thoughtful integration of green stormwater infrastructure: 20%
Response to culture, community, and context: 20%
Transferability of ideas and approach to other alleys: 20%

Submittal Requirements

Registration fee $10, payable at the time of submission to International Sustainability Institute, (ISI) (cash or check only)

Up to two (2) 30″x40″ presentation boards (orientation may be landscape or portrait), include a CD with electronic versions of all boards in PDF or JPG format

Address specifically the Nord alley within the project area (see project area information packet)
Design on one side only of presentation boards, backsides should list submitters’ name(s), contact information and submission category

Graphics may be any combination of sections, plans, and sketches that helps to convey your design
Limit one submission per individual or team
Submission Categories
Submit under one category only:

Student or New Professional: include current quarter enrollment information or proof of graduation from a degree or certificate program within the last three years.

Non-affiliated designer: include a personal statement that you are not currently employed with a firm or agency where your primary role is design work.
General: includes individuals, firms, or groups that are currently employed in a design field.

Assumptions and notes:

For this exercise assume that soils beneath the alley right-of-way are sufficient for stormwater infiltration (1″/hour permeability)

The use of the Nord Alley does not preclude designs that may not comport with the Pioneer Square historic guidelines, the judging criteria includes the ability of a design to be transferable to other alleys within the City

Designs may be proposed for within the right of way of the alley as well as retrofitting the existing buildings as those designs support the Guiding Principles for creating a Green Alley

All electronic submissions become the property of the City of Seattle

All submission materials will be available for pick up at ISI offices on March 5 during regular business hours

Prizes:

Grand Prize: Open to general submissions
Best Student/New Professional:
Best non-affiliated designer:
People’s Choice: Winner selected at the alley party – see schedule

We are awaiting confirmation of a cash award for each prize along with a super-cool trophy!
All submissions will be published on the SDOT blog.

Schedule

Week of January 11: Release schedule, regulations, and base information on Yahoo Groups

February 22: Entries due to ISI offices by 5 pm PST (314 1st Avenue South, 206-381-1630)

February 24: Judging panel reviews and selects winners

March 4: First Thursday Alley party, all entries displayed and winners announced in the Nord Alley

Co-sponsored by:

Great City, AIA Seattle, Pioneer Square Community Association, People for Puget Sound, City of Seattle, Great City, Downtown Seattle Association, Feet First, and the International Sustainability Institute.

[...] Continue Reading…

Feb

4

Upcoming Brownbag: Uptown Loop Discussion

Posted by Paul Chasan

Upcoming Brownbag: Uptown Loop Discussion

Where: GGLO Space at the Steps
1301 First Ave, Level A
Enter through door located about 1/4 of the way down the Harbor Steps (click for map)
Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

More than a century ago, the Olmstead brothers developed the “Emerald Necklace” plan – a plan of set paths and vantage points that create a sense of continuity throughout Uptown Seattle. The hidden and overgrown lower Kinnear Park link is a missing gem in this plan. Imagine a looping urban trail that includes a breath of sea air in Myrtle Edwards Park, art in the Sculpture Park, breakfast spots in Belltown, the Seattle Center, coffee spots in Lower Queen Anne, and tennis or picnic in lower Kinnear Park. An entire day of activities, highlighting Seattle’s finest, all in one easy stroll.

The community organization FOLKpark (Friends of Lower Kinnear Park), with the help HBB Landscape Architects and VIA Architecture, is planning to complete this missing link in an urban loop that dissolves the boundaries between the Waterfront, Belltown, South Lake Union, and Queen Anne. Come discuss ideas about how this Uptown Loop strengthens pedestrian accessibility and secures the relationship between urban forests, walkable city streets, community amenities, residential living, and waterfront vistas.

ALAN HART, Principal, VIA Architecture

Alan’s architectural career has covered a broad spectrum of infrastructure, institutional, commercial and residential projects. His most extensive involvement has been in transit design, as chief architect for Vancouver’s Millennium Rapid Transit line and Seattle’s Monorail, Vancouver’s Streetcar, and as designer of transit stations in Seattle, Vancouver, and Malaysia. As principal of VIA, Alan provides overview for architectural projects and leads the process of design integration from concept to technical details. His skills include finding opportunity for design innovation in unlikely places and in facilitating solutions at all scales of design work. VIA‘s numerous award-winning projects reflect this standard of excellence.

DEAN KOONTZ, Principle, HBB Landscape Architecture

With ten years of experience in urban design, planning, and landscape architecture, Dean’s diverse expertise forms the foundation of an integrated approach to project design and management. With an interest in creating spaces designed for people, his urban design work has focused on waterfronts, parks, and civic open spaces including several downtown Seattle plaza remodels and the Mercer Corridor redesign. In addition, his planning experience in land use code development, design standards, and guidelines provide further diversity and a unique understanding of the regulatory environment within the built environment. Using a broad range of knowledge from sustainable design and site planning to construction detailing, Dean integrates the community-based design process into projects as diverse as marina redesigns, park trails, soil clean-up and remediation projects, and green-roof design for downtown condominiums.

DEBORAH FRAUSTO, Consultant, Chair of Friends of Lower Kinnear Park (FOLKpark)

Debi is a collaborator by nature. Throughout her 20+year career in commercial real estate she has been involved in retail, office and public development projects. Debi finds the most successful projects connect design, marketing and financial goals early in a project’s development and uses a charrette environment to help multi-disciplined teams hone in quickly on core issues. She believes in studying both the details and the whole simultaneously and testing feasibility in measured outcomes. Prior to starting her own consulting company, Debi developed real estate acquisition strategies for the Seattle Monorail Project, served as VP of Commercial for Quadrant Corp. and headed up the leasing effort during the redevelopment of Crossroads Shopping Center in Bellevue. All her skills are being out to use in her volunteer role for FOLKpark.

Fête du Flâneur

Save the Date! We’re having a party!

On Thursday, February 25, Great City presents the Fête du Flâneur, a Fantastic Urban-Themed Party. The Fête, a fundraiser for the organization, will feature a limited-admission private reception with Great City founder and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, City Councilmember Mike O’Brien and Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith. Following the early reception will be a celebration of enlightened, if fanciful, urban living featuring music, open bar, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, an address by Mayor Mike McGinn, crowning of the Great City–Cascade Land Conservancy Mustache Challenge champion, Flâneur-inspired art, dancing and DIY costumes…

For more event details and to purchase tickets, click here!

Upcoming Brownbags

February 11th – FOLKpark / Uptown Loop
12:00 – 1:30 pm
GGLO Space at the Steps
1301 First Ave, Level A

February 25th – Where’s the Family in Multi-family?
12:00 – 1:30 pm
GGLO Space at the Steps
1301 First Ave, Level A

March 25th – The Eco-Laboratory: Weber Thompson’s Answer to Urban Agriculture and the 2030 Building Challenge
12:00 – 1:30 pm
GGLO Space at the Steps
1301 First Ave, Level A [...] Continue Reading…

Feb

2

Fête Update & YIMBY T-shirts

Posted by Paul Chasan

Fête du Flâneur

This just in! Great City is pleased to announce we’ve secured the following silent auction items for our upcoming party, the Fête du Flâneur:

Breakfast and fresh, organic eggs with Councilmember Mike O’Brien
Rum and Cigars on the Porch with Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith
An annual passport to any of Cascade Bicycle Club’s events

We’ve got more silent auction items in the mix, which we’ll be updating as we get closer to the event. Oh, and it’s also going to be a great party!

For more event details and to purchase tickets, Click Here!

Brown is the New Black

The blogs are atwitter as fashionistas across the city are buzzing about the “must have item of 2010“ – The Official Great City YIMBY (Yes In My BackYard) t-shirt. With spring around the corner, isn’t it time to trade in that polar fleece pullover you’ve been lugging around? Our handsome, 100% organic cotton t-shirts are appropriate for the gym or the opera or anything in-between!

Here’s a picture of our Program Coordinator, Paul Chasan, sporting his new shirt:

How do you get one? The shirt is available to Great City members at the $100 level and makes the perfect Valentines Day gift for the urbanist you love.

To become a member and order your t-shirt, Click Here!

To become a member and order your t-shirt, Click Here!

Note to existing members:

We know that many of you have been patiently waiting for you shirts to arrive. We’ll be sending them out to you this week If you have any questions about sizes or want to chat logistics, please contact Paul Chasan, paul@greatcity.org.

Upcoming Brownbags

February 11th – FOLKpark / Uptown Loop
12:00 – 1:30 pm
GGLO Space at the Steps
1301 First Ave, Level A

February 25th – Where’s the Family in Multi-family?
12:00 – 1:30 pm
GGLO Space at the Steps
1301 First Ave, Level A

March 25th – The Eco-Laboratory: Weber Thompson’s Answer to Urban Agriculture and the 2030 Building Challenge
12:00 – 1:30 pm
GGLO Space at the Steps
1301 First Ave, Level A

Join Great City

To become a member of Great City, see our website for member levels and methods of payment. We appreciate your support!

[...] Continue Reading…

Jan

21

Fête du Flâneur

Posted by Paul Chasan

An Urban(e) Party hosted by Great City

TO PURCHASE TICKETS, CLICK HERE

On Thursday, February 25, Great City presents the Fête du Flâneur, a Fantastic Urban-Themed Party. The Fête, a fundraiser for the organization, will feature a limited-admission private reception with Great City founder and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, City Councilmember Mike O’Brien and Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith. Following the early reception will be a celebration of enlightened, if fanciful, urban living featuring music, open bar, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, an address by Mayor Mike McGinn, crowning of the Great City-Cascade Land Conservancy Mustache Challenge champion, Flâneur-inspired art, dancing and DIY costumes.

What: Great City’s Fête du Flâneur

When: February 25th, 2010

Where: Melrose Market, 1535 Melrose Ave, Seattle (On Capitol Hill between Pike and Pine Streets just East of the freeway. click for map)

VIP Reception: 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm

With Special Guests: Mayor Mike McGinn, Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith and City Council Member Mike O’Brien
VIP Tickets: $145.00
Includes all drinks

General Admission: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Open to the Pulbic
General Admission Tickets: $45.00
Includes all drinks

Event Details

6:00 – 6:30 pm VIP reception with Great City’s founder, Mayor Mike McGinn and former board members, Deputy Mayor
Darryl Smith and Council member Mike O’Brien
Silent Auction
Inspired art and DIY costumes
Performance Art
An address by Mayor Mike McGinn
Overview of Great City’s 2010 Work Plan
Hosted bar and snacks

About the Theme:

The “Fete du Flâneur” takes its inspiration from a mid-19th Century movement in Paris which celebrated walking the city and reveling in the street life. Here in Seattle, we have an opportunity to make our streets engaging and active for walkers, bikers, shoppers, school children, and everyone in between – the flâneur movement has arrived!

Event Sponsors:

Gold ($2,500 and greater)
Jabe Blumenthal, Cascade Bicycle Club, Cascade Land Conservancy, CleanScapes, Dunn + Hobbes LLC, Eagle Rock Ventures LLC, GeoEngineers, GGLO, SvR Design Co., Vulcan, Doug and Maggie Walker

Silver ($1,000)
Charles R. Wolfe, Attorney at Law, The Fearey Group, The Freehold Group, McCullough Hill, ReadWagoner, Jessie Israel, Via Architecture

Bronze ($500)
The Pike Brewing Company, Rainier Plaza LLC

TO PURCHASE TICKETS, CLICK HERE

[...] Continue Reading…

Jan

8

New Website Focuses on Puget Sound Food System

Posted by Paul Chasan

Note: This just came in via Diana Vergis Vinh (one of Great City’s new board members) who recently co-founded Urban Farm Hub, a website devoted to providing stories, news, research and resources on our local food system. Here’s the press release:

Urban Farm Hub – Get Down and Dirty

www.urbanfarmhub.org

One day while drinking tea Diana Vergis Vinh and Ashley DeForest started dreaming about how great it would be to create a resource that brought together their love of farming, food and community. Urban Farm Hub was born.

Diana grew up visiting family farms in Iowa and Montana and now farms an urban yard, complete with goats and chickens. When she’s not busy collecting eggs, Diana serves as a public health nurse for Public Health Seattle & King County’s Healthy Eating and Active Living Program. Ashley grew up in dairy country New York living large with the cows and now works on policy issues and community engagement through web design.

Their vision is to combine their skills and passions to bring a needed resource to the Puget Sound region. From national food policy news to local urban farming lore, Urban Farm Hub brings it all together in one place. [...] Continue Reading…

Campaigns

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aLIVe

Pages

About Great City

Archives

What is Great City?

Become a Member

Feb

8

Green Alleys Competition (deadline)

Guiding Principles

Green alleys should:

Judging Criteria

Submittal Requirements

Assumptions and notes:

Prizes:

Schedule

Co-sponsored by:

Feb

4

Upcoming Brownbag: Uptown Loop Discussion

Upcoming Brownbag: Uptown Loop Discussion

Fête du Flâneur

Upcoming Brownbags

Feb

2

Fête Update & YIMBY T-shirts

Fête du Flâneur

Brown is the New Black

Upcoming Brownbags

Join Great City

Jan

21

Fête du Flâneur

An Urban(e) Party hosted by Great City

Event Details

Event Sponsors:

Jan

8

New Website Focuses on Puget Sound Food System

Urban Farm Hub – Get Down and Dirty

Great City Newsletter

Official Workplace Sponsor

Major Donors

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Recent Posts

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