 Hi all,
2025 was a year of momentum, creativity, and community. We saw incredible progress in the heart of our city and have also worked hard to change the public perception of Seattle’s Downtown – and it shows. As we’re in the final month of the year, I want to look back and highlight some of this year’s best news so far.
Let’s start with the big win: After more than 15 years of planning and construction, the Waterfront Park officially opened this September. This 20-acre civic space is more than just a park – it’s a symbol of what’s possible when the public and private sectors cooperatively invest in our public spaces. With plazas, playgrounds, gardens, and over 270 free events this summer alone, the Waterfront is now a place where locals and visitors gather, bring their families, and connect.
Just up the hill, Belltown came alive this August with the second annual Mural Festival, transforming blank walls into vibrant canvases. More than 20 artists were paid to create 14 new murals, with 40-plus volunteers working the five-day event. The festival’s walking tours and paint jams brought people together in a way that only public art can. Belltown United Board Chair Tom Graff said, “The 2025 Belltown Mural Festival created permanent improvements to our neighborhood and activated the community in a way I have never seen before.”
The partnership between Pacific Place and Seattle Restored is growing, and we’re excited to see them adding new tenants filling storefronts within the shopping center. In further partnership, Pacific Place is hosting Seattle Restored pop-up businesses this Saturday for some family-friendly holiday fun.
Seattle’s 2025 cruise season made waves and shattered records, welcoming 298 ships, 1.9 million passengers, and generating over $1.2 billion in regional economic impact. With shore power now available at all three cruise berths, we’re not just growing, we’re doing it sustainably.
Pioneer Square is booming. More than two dozen new businesses opened this year bringing fresh life to Seattle’s oldest neighborhood. The new Populus Hotel, the Railspur development, and a surge of new bars and restaurants are drawing locals and tourists alike. As John De Leo, co-founder of DeLeo Bros Pizza put it, “Good things are happening in Pioneer Square.” I couldn’t agree more.
And in the Chinatown-International District, a new Ambassadors Program launched this summer, thanks to a $1 million public-private investment. These neighborhood stewards are helping make the C-ID safer, more welcoming, and more vibrant – block by block.
This is what the Downtown Activation Plan looks like in action: Art, business, culture, and community all working together to reimagine our city’s core. There’s still work to do, but the progress is real – and it’s worth celebrating.
If you have news or events to share, or if you want to talk about the work being done to revitalize Downtown, send me an email.
– Markham
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