The Seattle Center's review panel recently asked follow up questions pertaining to the nine proposals vying to inhabit the Fun Forest Amusement site at the Seattle Center. All but one proposal* made the deadline and their answers will soon be publicly posted, according to the Seattle Center. Meanwhile, Open Platform and KEXP, two proposals The Stranger strongly endorses, have used the Q &A as an opportunity to define and strengthen their joint use of the space.
- via the Seattle Center
- Just picture Dave Matthews humping a mime.
KEXP proposes turning Area A, the Fun Forest Arcade into office and studio space while Open Platform hopes to turn Area B into an outdoor performing arts venue. Jordan says that Open Platform contacted other projects—including proposers from the Chihuly museum, the Northwest Native Cultural Center, and Friends of the Green—to see if they had any interest in collaborating in the space. "Whatever happens with the building, we wanted to be clear that we're willing to work with whoever," she says. "In the end, though, only KEXP was as excited to work together as we were."
4Culture has agreed to be Open Platform's fiscal sponsor, meaning that the King County arts organization will help with grant applications and assist in their capital campaign. Meanwhile, Jordan says the group has its board of directors together and a list of supporters as impressive as KEXP's—including Seattle Arts and Lectures, Town Hall, and On the Boards.
"Our proposal went from 10 percent to 100 percent, in terms of how we can pull this off," says Jordan. "Together, KEXP and Open Platform make a pretty solid team."
The next step is waiting to see if the review panel selected by the Seattle Center to critique the proposals agrees. The panel is expected to make its recommendation to Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams sometime this month. Nellams will then make his recommendation to Mayor Mike McGinn for consideration. If the mayor approves, a contract is drawn up between the city and the proposer (dealing with payments and such), which is then voted on by city council.
*Paul Kragt—who's proposal was really a request that architecture, park, and landscape each be taken into consideration at the site—didn't submit answers to the panel's follow-up questions.