Comments

1
tl;dr.
2
I read it!
3
Hey, if the 5-spot wants to pay extra property taxes and insurance for that extension, have at it. Otherwise, no.
4
Sounds nice to me.
5
WTF? Last summer, I was one of those tourists visiting the 5-pt whom the neighborhood naysayers are worried would be scared off by outdoor diners. Seeing actual activity and people using an outdoor area reassures the tourist that it's a safe space to pass through or hang out in.
6
Unlike the local residents, apparently, I have been to Paris, so I prefer outdoor tables full of happy drunks to a postage stamp of grass.

It's a WORLD CLASS CITY, people. Suck it up. Dogs can shit anywhere.
7
A couple of other things to know - first, Tilikum Place's owner is the person leading this attack. He was the first to complain, and the first to appeal. He worked hard to get other neighbors involved. He mostly failed other than a handful of condo residents. TP Cafe is a new restaurant in the area that opened 18 months ago. The 5 Point has been here for 82 years. His main complaint is that the 5 Point's customers have a 'negative impact' on the community. Their classism in this argument is pretty transparent.

Second, Tilikum Place will never be grass. That's just silly. And the owner of TPlace Cafe wasn't even around when the City paid for improvements of Tilikum Place park.

The condo owners were concerned about noise, and even though outdoor cafe's operate all over the city until 2am, often close to condos and apartments, with no complaints, the 5 Point agreed to close at 10pm.

We also offered to work with TPlace Cafe to promote the neighborhood and bring more foot traffic to it by getting all the businesses in the little area to work together to promote it as a destination place. His reply - "we don't want more foot traffic". Ok then. But the reality is that outdoor seating in Tilikum Place plaza will draw more people to the area. It won't keep people from visiting the businesses that border it as there are only three - the 5 Point, a smoke shop, and a Thai restaurant that might also do outdoor seating. The irony is that Tilikum Place Cafe doesn't even border on the actual Tilikum Place.

The other thing to know is that TP Cafe has an axe to grind. They wanted their own outdoor seating, was granted it, and never got the permit because they didn't get exactly what they wanted. The owner was asked to leave the 5 Point several times for being belligerent.

The outdoor seating in front of the 5 Point will be for food and drink service. It will be great, fun, and will pay taxes, have insurance, etc. It will make money for the city, activate the park, and be positive. Nimbyism hopefully won't kill it.
8
I read it too.

Fuckin puritan NIMBYs are gonna be the death of this overgrown suburb masquerading as a city. We need more, more, more outdoor seating. We need concerts (with booze allowed anywhere, not ghettoed) in parks all summer long. We need blocks shut down to vehicles for street parties.

Among a host of other things.

"Mayberry with highrises" (thanks Judy Nicastro), remains the best description of Seattle ever.
9
Tilikum Place would be a perfect spot for a food cart pod pilot. SDOT should uphold the appeal of Meinert's permit as it studies and implements food cart guidelines for this location.

It would be a win for tourism, city revenue, the public, and pretty much everyone except conservative jail-the-homeless activists who own shitty cafes.
10
This is all going to end horribly when the fed-financed gang units shoot Native woodcarvers there.

mark my words.

But ... what @8 said. Adapt or Pie.
11
Opposition to a small seating area at the 5 Point is just leotarded. Back in 2007, I lived in the Wall Street Tower just across the street (is it now condos?) and frequented the 5 Point. The "park," more like a triangle of concrete with a statue in the middle, it is not used by locals for anything but walking through. There were no condo buildings that would be affected by people eating and drinking outside (has something new been built? Where? Above Zeeks Pizza?). I think outdoor seating would ADD to the neighborhood.

PS - Is Golden Singha still there? God, I miss that place.
12
I don't always see eye-to-eye with Dave on some issues, but in this case I think he's spot-on. A few tables out on what is essentially a cobble-stoned plaza, not in immediate earshot of condo's (I'll bet the noise from Municipal Stadium would be louder on game nights than a few people sitting outside), making good use of underutilized public space, and enhancing the environment for patrons of ALL these businesses (including Tilikum Place - and seriously, what restaurant DOESN'T want more foot traffic? That's the stupidest statement I've ever heard coming out of the mouth of a business owner), discouraging the rampant public inebriation in the plaze, and putting a few extra $$ into the city coffers all sounds like a win-win-win-win in my estimation.

And I would certainly be more than willing to hear Tilikum's owner's side of the story, as the picture being painted here is that he's an insufferable, self-absorbed jerk; IME at least, one has to be pretty freaking obnoxious to get kicked out of The 5 Point, of all places.

Perhaps he'd care to come forth and dispel this negative portrayal?
13
That little triangle has been kinda sketchy for as long as I can remember. I'd love to see a bunch of outdoor seating there, and compromising on a 10 PM close seems fair. Although, If you were walking through at midnight... perhaps walking to your condo... wouldn't you rather there were patrons chatting/eating/drinking outside with you? Of course, I fall asleep on a dime.
14
I sure hope you guys do all you can for Meinert.
15

Can they extend that awning down to Pioneer Square?
16
It would feel less like a private business encroaching into the public space if they didn't have to have it fenced in. Of course, that's not the 5 Point's fault. They didn't write the local ordinances. Everyone knows if you don't fence it in customers will be handing out shots of tequila to passing 5 year olds like they do in Europe. Again, that's not their fault, so let them liven the space up a bit.
17
Did Mr. Meinert pay per word for this? This is a news brief. 2 paragraphs at best.



18
#17: Meinert is maybe the largest advertiser for The Stranger, so he doesn't need to pay per word. He owns Fuzed Music LLC, which is the owner of the Capitol Hill Block Party.

It's also why The Stranger has also posted about 30 articles pimping Big Mario's Pizza, Meinert's other restaurant.
19
#18, all true but at least he's doing shit. What would you propose The Stranger cover instead?
20
I thought Tilikum Place was a motorcycle parking lot.
21
Assuming Meinert is paying for the privilege, let him have the outdoor seating.
22
Why does they need to build something? Can't they just put a couple chairs outside during the summer and call it good?

23
Also, there's no way that triangle of concrete is a park. Those condo owners can walk a block and be at Seattle Center. Quit your whining!
24
#22 no. That would be called Portland. We have laws here. For the children of course.
25
I currently avoid Tilikum Place when I'm walking in the area - I'll actually cross the street to avoid it, because it's frequented by belligerent, aggressive panhandlers. An outdoor seating area for the 5 Point would make me more comfortable transiting that area, because there'd be eyes on the troublemakers. It's an ideal spot, and for chrissake, noise isn't even a consideration if the area would close at 10 p.m. It's a city, people. You're going to hear some noise during the evening. People talking and laughing at cafe tables is not more obnoxious than diesel buses idling in the street below, or delivery trucks braking. Yes, people have to sleep at night - so he's closing it down at 10. What's the issue?
26
Wow Meinert cronies are all over this! What you VISITORS fail to see is that 5 Point over-serves their patrons and that usually means they get shit faced and cause more trouble than I can explain. Why doesn't he open something like this in his own neighborhood?
Last time I read something about this guy it was how much he hated the "yupies", well stay out of Belltown then. Besides European my ass, maybe if you actually travel you would know it's BS. Tilikum Place Cafe is not the only one behind the opposition, there are hundreds of people, they are using the guy as a escape goat. Pathetic!!!!
27
"escape goat"?

Please wait...

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