Capitol Hill Gentrification

Gentrification proceeds apace on Capitol Hill. Usually I stick to 12th Avenue exclusively on my to and fro work. In the last year it has become a hub of construction. Between East Denny and East Pine there are three good-size sites that look to be residential and mixed-used development; sidewalks are blocked for lengthy stretches.

But tonight, walking back from Pioneer Square where I picked up my race packet for Sunday's St. Paddy's Dash, I decided to treat myself to Taqueria Guaymas on Broadway. It recently moved from it's location on Broadway and East Union to one block north between Pike and Pine. Working the register tonight was a guy who I recognize from many years of patronizing his establishment; he said that the landlord raised the rent $1,300 a month at the old spot, which had a lot of seating and big windows. There's a Chipotle there now. When I walked by it was chock full of young women students.

The guy said while his new location is much smaller (it's tiny), there's a constant stream of foot traffic; he said even though there's just one block difference between the old and new location, you would never know based on the number of passersby. I said it must be due to the closeness of Seattle Central Community College and being smack dab between Pike and Pine.

Walking home on Broadway past Seattle Central and the post office I realized that nearly all the old Hippie places have been demolished. The big wipe-out occurred on the east side of Broadway between Howell and John when the Capitol Hill light rail station began development several years ago; that side of Broadway had lots of "Head" vibe; all gone now. There's still some independent, non-corporate commerce to be found on the blocks of Broadway around Thomas Street near my apartment building, but they're disappearing fast and will probably be completely gone in a few years.

Armed Private Security at BofA Branches Post-Occupy

What's in a New Year?  The calendar rolls over.  We celebrate the day; most of us don't have to go to work; a lot probably sleep until the afternoon.

The morning is clear here with frost on the rooftops.

In any event there is never enough time.  Aspirations soar at the beginning of a four-day weekend only to come crashing down on New Year's Eve.  Last night it sounded like a block party on Harrison Street below my studio window.  Fireworks, festive banter, alcohol-lubricated hoots.  M-80s boomed.  The big show at the Space Needle drew cheers.  All that was missing was the club music that's normally blasted during the annual summer Gay Pride celebration.  Not bad though.  I managed to mostly sleep through the ruckus.

This morning I attempted to deposit a check using an ATM at the newly opened Bank of America branch on the corner of Broadway and Thomas.  No longer are the ATMs street accessible.  You have to enter a lobby that's part of the new behemoth building at 230 Broadway and all doors were locked, no doubt because of the holiday.  Still, I suppose the days of being able to stand on the sidewalk and access one's money are before long going to be a thing of the past.  This must be part of the trend we're seeing of armed private security guards at bank branches; a post-Occupy, post-meltdown trend.