My name is Bob Fleming, and I am very interested in seeing development of the area in Seattle known as South Lake Union, or SLU. However I am concerned about the potential the potential effects on small businesses in the area, about transportation issues, and about reasonable development, including public parks.

History

The area under discussion lies immediately northeast of Downtown Seattle and extends about one mile northward to the south shore of Lake Union. The area is about a half-mile wide.

In the past few decades this area has been primarily occupied by various small businesses. There are very few residences in the area. Denny Park occupies one block at the southwest corner and there are a couple of churches just north of that. Recently another small park has been built just east of Denny Park.

A few years ago Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sponsored a drive to develop the area as Seattle Commons. It would have included a long public park running north and south from Denny Way north to Lake Union, with high-rise housing and office space lining the west and east sides of the park. It would have been a scaled-down version of Manhattan’s Central Park.

The plan called for taxpayer support and failed at the polls.

More recently several high-tech companies have sprung up in the northeast part of the area, around the southeast part of Lake Union.

Paul Allen is now pushing for futher development to attract more high-tech businesses to the area.

Current Plans

Current plans include a street car line that would extend from somewhere on the north side of the Downtown Area to the area around the southeast shore of Lake Union.

Other plans include various improvements to streets and utlities, and more park space.