Brangelina is impressed, what I infer. IOO million dolls and counting, donation dollars to demolish the viaduct. AND make the seawall Haiti proof. hooray for brangelina, hee
hee
This is a really boneheaded decision by McGinn. Its dumb for political/finance/transparency/engineering reasons. There just isn't any logical reason to do this coming out of the shoot. The public is seeing through it.
The political damage to McGinn could not be understated. Will the Stranger and Domenic have a "sea wall now" mantra going for the Ambassadors. I wonder how many people who were McGinn "Ambassadors" thought the first thing out of the gate would be a seawall. Don't think it came up once at any of the town hall meetings. So glad that they 'listened for input'
Cary, good to hear from you. (Stranger staffers, it would have been nice to see a note like "guest columnist.")
Cary, you seem to be contradicting yourself. On the one hand you write:
For the record, the seawall replacement is Seattle’s responsibility, and separate from the State’s proposed tunnel project. ... The projects are distinct—each will sink or float on its own merits.
On the other hand you write:
In December, the just-minted Waterfront Partnership Committee held its first meeting to start planning for the 25 acres of City land that will be freed by demolishing the viaduct. ... Their work needs to guide the final seawall decisions, as it is fully part of the waterfront vision and overall funding strategy.
So no sooner do you say that the seawall and viaduct replacement projects are independent than you say that they are intimately tied together.
Is there no way to commit to a seawall design that works regardless of the various possible outcomes of the viaduct replacement?
And why did it take eight years just to form a Waterfront Partnership Committee?
we know we need a wall -- why not vote for the money and start collecting the taxes asap, instead of waiting to do that until another year goes by for planning?
Tell those experts "look, we're authorizing $241 million, do your best!"
IF they convince us we need to spend $100 million more, we can deal with that request after they finish planning.
But anytime you hire experts you give them a working budget. You say "hey Ms. Architect know it all expert, I intend to spend $100,000 on a home remodel, what can you plan for in that price range?"
You don't let them plan without a working budget, that's crazy!
Every coastal city is going to need seawall revisions due to expected rises in sea-level. Exactly how much change to be expected is still debated but change itself is pretty much accepted by all serious scientists.
Before the repair is done we should take advice on best-science and plan accordingly.
Whenever Seattle achieves a great civic triumph (Pike Place Market or the downtown library, for instance) it is because experts figured out, in advance, how to do the project correctly.
The library was not designed by committee; it was designed by Rem Koolhaas. The committee is the thing that fucked it up (beyond how the original design was fucked up). The committee is who decided to scratch the down escalators and stairs, forcing a mad scramble when the building first opened, because nobody could figure out how to get out of the damn thing. They had to open an emergency stairwell for regular patron use.
The triumph of the Pike Place Market was entirely a matter of NOT TEARING IT DOWN. No committee needed there. They've spend a ton of money on stupid stuff that doesn't matter since then, like banners and stuff, that's true. Is that what you have in mind for the waterfront? DECORATIVE LAMPPOSTS? Can't wait.
Why does Ms. Moon get a voice? She lives feet from the viaduct and wants to get others to increase the value of her divorce settlement property. Do the 2 dollar words fool anyone?
Wow, you put the word 'much' followed by a question mark after the word 'jealous'! You are superior! I may be jealous but mostly I'm annoyed at being sold a bill of goods at maximum expense. Y'all are chearleading for a tourist ghetto, with commanding views of waterfront businesses.
The first will be changed. The second is the big trouble at the starting gate of his term.
Bad game, bad advice, where are the brains?
Not impressed. Nor are you. Or anyone else, except his claque.
hee
The political damage to McGinn could not be understated. Will the Stranger and Domenic have a "sea wall now" mantra going for the Ambassadors. I wonder how many people who were McGinn "Ambassadors" thought the first thing out of the gate would be a seawall. Don't think it came up once at any of the town hall meetings. So glad that they 'listened for input'
Maybe the mayor can give the council a thumbnail sketch of his city legislative priorities. That may cut down on the "blindsiding".
Maybe for hobos...
Cary, you seem to be contradicting yourself. On the one hand you write:
On the other hand you write:
So no sooner do you say that the seawall and viaduct replacement projects are independent than you say that they are intimately tied together.
Is there no way to commit to a seawall design that works regardless of the various possible outcomes of the viaduct replacement?
And why did it take eight years just to form a Waterfront Partnership Committee?
we know we need a wall -- why not vote for the money and start collecting the taxes asap, instead of waiting to do that until another year goes by for planning?
Tell those experts "look, we're authorizing $241 million, do your best!"
IF they convince us we need to spend $100 million more, we can deal with that request after they finish planning.
But anytime you hire experts you give them a working budget. You say "hey Ms. Architect know it all expert, I intend to spend $100,000 on a home remodel, what can you plan for in that price range?"
You don't let them plan without a working budget, that's crazy!
Cause nobody wants that monstrosity.
At least the Sea Wall replacement is necessary.
Before the repair is done we should take advice on best-science and plan accordingly.
The library was not designed by committee; it was designed by Rem Koolhaas. The committee is the thing that fucked it up (beyond how the original design was fucked up). The committee is who decided to scratch the down escalators and stairs, forcing a mad scramble when the building first opened, because nobody could figure out how to get out of the damn thing. They had to open an emergency stairwell for regular patron use.
The triumph of the Pike Place Market was entirely a matter of NOT TEARING IT DOWN. No committee needed there. They've spend a ton of money on stupid stuff that doesn't matter since then, like banners and stuff, that's true. Is that what you have in mind for the waterfront? DECORATIVE LAMPPOSTS? Can't wait.