Last week at the City Council Briefing, the chair of the Community Economic Development Committee ended her report by asking colleagues to consider “What does an equitable recovery looks like?”  

Quoting from a Publicola article, she pitched her colleagues that it was time to “rethink the role of downtowns” and redirect efforts to “harness the new neighborhood energy” discovered during Covid lock down.  She reasoned that local neighborhoods are “where our neighbors are and that’s where we live.”

Ouch. Tell that to downtown’s 80,000 plus residents, including over 5,000 children.

People might be forgiven for not recognizing downtown as a neighborhood these days with so many boarded windows and tents on the sidewalk.  Even before the pandemic downtown was shouldering an outsize share of the City’s problems from lack of a plan and resources to address mental health, drugs and housing.  

However, in many ways the Council Member’s point is well taken. It may lift all boats and spread the impact of rapid urban densification by distributing it to other parts of the City.  And the other part of her message; supporting small business and BIPOC entrepreneurs, should be promoted everywhere especially downtown where empty spaces await.

Whatever form recovery takes, downtown will remain Seattle’s engine of tourism and economic growth and should figure heavily in plans to restore the City.

The Council is already eagerly planning how to deploy the new federal funds coming to help this transition. Having worked from home for over a year, it may be time all Council Members, not just District 7, to take a walk-around downtown to become reacquainted with what’s happening and what tourists and locals see every day.

Because absence doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder.  Sometimes it’s just ‘out of sight, out of mind.’