Comments from Ratepayers
MIDNews
MID Neighborhood Cleaning At A Glance The MID generates impressive results as it works to ensure a uniform standard of cleanliness. Over the past 12 months the MID Clean Team collected 529,852 buckets of litter and debris from Downtown sidewalks and streets.
“I wanted to thank the MID for the excellent service it provides, particularly the crew chiefs who help out with issues and pressure wash around our property.”
MID Renewal Edition
RANDY GRITTMAN KG Investments KG Investment Management
“I live Downtown and walk to work most days. One of the many pleasures of my walk is seeing how clean Downtown Seattle is. Another is saying hello to Regnell, one of the MID Ambassadors keeping the area clean. He’s a great guy, with a great attitude and always has a smile and a positive outlook.”
Other MID Cleaning results over the past 12 months: • Removed 21,400 graffiti tags and stickers from public structures • Cleaned up 9,827 instances of human/animal waste • Picked up 5,075 55-gallon bags of leaves • Removed 2,477 graffiti tags from parking pay stations • Cleaned 549 alleys • Pressure washed 101 sidewalks
TIM GARRIGAN Downtown resident
“I want to thank the Clean Team for the outstanding job they do day in and day out. They don’t get the recognition they deserve for their hard work. Our streets are much cleaner than other cities thanks to their work.“ TOM ANDLIN Federal Courthouse
“I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to arrive Downtown for work every day to clean sidewalks thanks to the great early morning work by the MID’s Downtown Ambassadors.“ BILL STRONG Mahlum
Dear MID Ratepayers, For 13 years the Metropolitan Improvement District has provided programs and services that have enhanced our Downtown neighborhoods, ignited economic growth and made a substantial difference in people’s lives. With renewal coming up, let’s build on this record of success for the next 10 years, while continuing to be efficient with resources, accountable to ratepayers and responsive to change.
With public and private resources strained, the MID remains the best value for your dollar. We’re also committed to limiting budget increases to the Consumer Price Index. As you read this special edition of our newsletter you’ll be convinced that renewing the MID is a no-brainer. MID services have increased the value of Downtown property and kept Downtown neighborhoods clean, safe and vibrant for people to live, work, shop and play. As we look ahead, we know that Downtown will continue to change. There are more people living Downtown, there are more retail businesses and the human service needs continues to grow. Our 10-year business plan, created with the help of property owners, business
owners, residents and community groups, addresses these changing demographics as we prepare for renewal in 2013. Please take the time to review the positive impact the MID has had on your property and the value it brings to its ratepayers and the entire city. The success of the MID would not be possible without the past, present and future support of people like you, our ratepayers. Because of you, the MID continues to help make Downtown Seattle a clean, safe and vibrant core – an anchor for our great city. Thank you,
Kathy O’Kelley, Chair MID Ratepayer Advisory Board
MID RATEPAYER ADVISORY BOARD OFFICERS
Dana Bollinger The Vance Corporation
Matt King YWCA
Joe Polito Touchstone Corporation
Kathy O’Kelley Board Chair Hines
William Cohen Washington Athletic Club
Lyn Krizanich Clise Properties, Inc.
Jill Rinde CBRE
Tina Davis CBRE
Erik Lausund Seattle Children’s Research Institute
Broderick Smith Urban Visions
Cary Clark Vice Chair Argosy Cruises Steven Van Til Finance Committee Chair Vulcan Real Estate MID RATEPAYER ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Steven Baral Melbourne Tower Janice Blair Downtown Resident
Tim Holt Washington Holdings Daniel Johnson Washington State Convention Center Lita Johnson Urban Renaissance Group LLC Megan Karch FareStart
Sherry Lawson General Growth Properties Joe McWilliams Port of Seattle David Moseley WSDOT Ferries Division Jenne Neptune Alexis Hotel Aiden Poile Plymouth Housing Group
Peter Sill Downtown Resident Ryan Smith Martin Smith Inc.
Who removed graffiti, cleaned the sidewalks and helped make Downtown feel safe and inviting?
The MID did!
Metropolitan Improvement District
Keeping Downtown Neighborhoods Inviting, Clean and Safe You’re a part of the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) community. Because of ratepayer support, the MID has been able to keep Downtown Seattle clean, safe and a great place to live and do business for more than 13 years. Every few years ratepayers, commercial and residential property owners, are asked to voice their approval for the services we provide to the hundreds of thousands of people who live, work and visit Downtown each year. Now is the time we must ask for your support.
Photo: Christopher Nelson
Inside you’ll find specific information about the value of our services to you as a property owner and the service enhancements we have planned for the next 10 years.
John Speirs KG Investment Management
Thank you for helping us make Downtown the best neighborhood in Seattle!
Betsy Sutherland Bentall Kennedy
DowntownSeattle.com/MID
Chris Wood Downtown Resident
The MID newsletters are published quarterly for the Metropolitan Improvement District ratepayers. Photo: Tim Thompson
Fa l l 2 012
MID Mailbox
Building on Success: MID Renewal Addresses the Needs of a Growing Downtown
What is the MID? The Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) is a service district that provides streetscape cleaning, human services outreach, hospitality and public safety services, as well as marketing to increase retail traffic, advocacy for transportation solutions, plus research and market analysis for our ratepayers and businesses interested in locating Downtown. Founded by the Downtown Seattle Association in 1999, the MID is financed through a self-imposed assessment on Downtown commercial and residential properties across 225-square-blocks in Downtown Seattle, with plans to expand in the year ahead.
By signing the MID renewal petition you are showing your support for the critical services that have benefitted Downtown residents and businesses for more than a decade. If approved, the 2013 MID renewal will bring expanded MID services and broaden the geographic boundaries. New features in the 2013 MID renewal plan include: • Increased cleaning in late afternoons, early evenings and on weekends • Additional police teams to deal with drug activity and illegal behavior • Outreach services to connect homeless and mentally ill people to services • New campaign to establish and promote discount parking rates on evenings and weekends • New retail recruitment program to help fill street-level vacancies • Increased advocacy for transit and safe biking options in Downtown
MID Announces Renewal Plans Starting this month (December, 2012) Downtown commercial and residential property owners will be asked to sign a petition supporting renewal of the MID for another 10 years beginning in July, 2013. This renewal process is in accordance with state law which requires support from property owners representing at least 60 percent of the assessments to be paid. A MID Ratepayer Advisory Board and a special MID Renewal Committee – have developed a 10-year business plan to make certain that MID services will continue to meet your needs and that its programs are responsive to the changing demographics and business conditions of Downtown Seattle.
We ask for your support. Over the years, Downtown neighborhoods have studied what it takes to keep Downtown healthy and vibrant. Collectively and individually they agree that the MID is the most cost-effective way to care for our neighborhoods and protect our investments. The MID Renewal Committee has reached out to property owners and condominium associations, offering to provide presentations and answer questions about what the MID renewal effort means to them. To request a presentation, please contact Emily Bailor at emilyb@downtownseattle.org.
MID renewal will mean more services to existing ratepayers and expansion of services into Belltown and across the entire Pioneer Square Historic District. This expansion is reflected in the map to the left with the area in green representing the new MID boundaries.
Partners for Cleaner, Vibrant Downtown Neighborhoods What the MID does for you The MID provides services designed to meet the unique needs of Downtown property owners. The best part is that all of these services mentioned above are provided at a costeffective rate: Downtown residential property owners pay no more than $125 (per unit/per year) and commercial property owners pay based on taxable values and land square footage. All told, the MID has invested about $60 million over 13 years to keep the Downtown neighborhoods that make up the MID an attractive and inviting place for businesses, residents and visitors.
The MID works in partnership with the City to make certain you get the most from your tax dollars and MID ratepayer fees. Here’s how it works: Services provided by the City include: street sweeping, alley cleaning, daily garbage pickup from City-owned trash cans, park maintenance, graffiti removal from public property and police services. The MID monitors those services to ensure the City meets their commitment, however Downtown needs to do more to remain competitive. The MID is designed to enhance City services and offer additional ones in order meet the unique needs of Downtown residential and commercial property owners. Cleaning Services • Daily sidewalk and building edge-to-curb sweeping • Daily graffiti removal from structures in public rights-of-way (including parking pay stations) • Ongoing reporting and resolution of streetscape issues such as broken streetlights and illegal vending • Sidewalk pressure washing • Trash collection • Seasonal leaf removal • Human and animal waste removal from public areas • Alley inspections and cleaning Public Safety & Hospitality Services • Foot and bike patrols seven days a week across all MID neighborhoods • Outreach to refer homeless and mentally ill to service programs • Employment of off-duty Seattle police officers every month for special emphasis patrols • Trespass enforcement • E-alert notifications of Downtown rallies, protests, emergencies and events • Hospitality and on-street concierge services Marketing Services • Holiday & Summer marketing campaigns to increase pedestrian traffic
• Attractions including the Holiday Carousel and free Out to Lunch Concerts across all MID neighborhoods • Support for MID neighborhood events including Fashion’s Night Out, Pioneer Square Fire Festival, Trick-or-Treat on the Waterfront • Campaign support to promote availability and reduced-cost visitor parking in MID neighborhoods impacted by Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel construction Business Development Services • Downtown economic profile reports for recruiting local, state and national businesses • Market research reports on customer perceptions and shopping patterns to share with Downtown businesses and property owners • Pedestrian counts and customer perception research to share with Downtown businesses and property owners Transportation Services • Service for Downtown property owners and tenants to encourage commute options and reduce congestion • Discount transit pass sales to Downtown businesses
MID and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission Launch New Mental Health Outreach Program An important and unique service added by the MID this year is a new Community Mental Health professional for the Downtown area. Adding this position is a joint venture between the MID and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. The Downtown Community Mental Health Director’s role is to assist those with mental health issues in the Downtown area and respond to concerns from residents and businesses as they occur. MID Ambassadors and Larry Clum, Community Mental Health Director
The Director will work with the MID’s Downtown Ambassadors and local mental health professionals to connect people in need of mental health treatment with the right services. The Director will be on hand to work directly with MID ratepayers, Seattle police officers, local businesses and others to address concerns as needed.
Serving the Community as a Second-Chance Employer For the past 13 years, the MID has been giving men and women looking for work an opportunity to make a difference in their community through the second-chance employment program. Funded by MID ratepayers, the program is designed to give people with felony backgrounds (excluding violent and sexual crimes) and formerly homeless people access to jobs. A substantial percentage of the MID Clean Team’s 34 ambassadors have benefitted from the second chance program. A number of safety ambassadors are also second chance employees, including Jerry Cunningham. “I found the MID later in life and I feel like I have a purpose now,” said Cunningham. “I feel like everything is wonderful in my life and getting better by the day.” “Jerry thought he would never have a job like this, with this level of responsibility,” said MID Vice President of Operations Peggy Dreisinger. “He’s special because this has changed his life, it’s actually completely changed his life.”
Building on Success: MID Renewal Addresses the Needs of a Growing Downtown
What is the MID? The Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) is a service district that provides streetscape cleaning, human services outreach, hospitality and public safety services, as well as marketing to increase retail traffic, advocacy for transportation solutions, plus research and market analysis for our ratepayers and businesses interested in locating Downtown. Founded by the Downtown Seattle Association in 1999, the MID is financed through a self-imposed assessment on Downtown commercial and residential properties across 225-square-blocks in Downtown Seattle, with plans to expand in the year ahead.
By signing the MID renewal petition you are showing your support for the critical services that have benefitted Downtown residents and businesses for more than a decade. If approved, the 2013 MID renewal will bring expanded MID services and broaden the geographic boundaries. New features in the 2013 MID renewal plan include: • Increased cleaning in late afternoons, early evenings and on weekends • Additional police teams to deal with drug activity and illegal behavior • Outreach services to connect homeless and mentally ill people to services • New campaign to establish and promote discount parking rates on evenings and weekends • New retail recruitment program to help fill street-level vacancies • Increased advocacy for transit and safe biking options in Downtown
MID Announces Renewal Plans Starting this month (December, 2012) Downtown commercial and residential property owners will be asked to sign a petition supporting renewal of the MID for another 10 years beginning in July, 2013. This renewal process is in accordance with state law which requires support from property owners representing at least 60 percent of the assessments to be paid. A MID Ratepayer Advisory Board and a special MID Renewal Committee – have developed a 10-year business plan to make certain that MID services will continue to meet your needs and that its programs are responsive to the changing demographics and business conditions of Downtown Seattle.
We ask for your support. Over the years, Downtown neighborhoods have studied what it takes to keep Downtown healthy and vibrant. Collectively and individually they agree that the MID is the most cost-effective way to care for our neighborhoods and protect our investments. The MID Renewal Committee has reached out to property owners and condominium associations, offering to provide presentations and answer questions about what the MID renewal effort means to them. To request a presentation, please contact Emily Bailor at emilyb@downtownseattle.org.
MID renewal will mean more services to existing ratepayers and expansion of services into Belltown and across the entire Pioneer Square Historic District. This expansion is reflected in the map to the left with the area in green representing the new MID boundaries.
Partners for Cleaner, Vibrant Downtown Neighborhoods What the MID does for you The MID provides services designed to meet the unique needs of Downtown property owners. The best part is that all of these services mentioned above are provided at a costeffective rate: Downtown residential property owners pay no more than $125 (per unit/per year) and commercial property owners pay based on taxable values and land square footage. All told, the MID has invested about $60 million over 13 years to keep the Downtown neighborhoods that make up the MID an attractive and inviting place for businesses, residents and visitors.
The MID works in partnership with the City to make certain you get the most from your tax dollars and MID ratepayer fees. Here’s how it works: Services provided by the City include: street sweeping, alley cleaning, daily garbage pickup from City-owned trash cans, park maintenance, graffiti removal from public property and police services. The MID monitors those services to ensure the City meets their commitment, however Downtown needs to do more to remain competitive. The MID is designed to enhance City services and offer additional ones in order meet the unique needs of Downtown residential and commercial property owners. Cleaning Services • Daily sidewalk and building edge-to-curb sweeping • Daily graffiti removal from structures in public rights-of-way (including parking pay stations) • Ongoing reporting and resolution of streetscape issues such as broken streetlights and illegal vending • Sidewalk pressure washing • Trash collection • Seasonal leaf removal • Human and animal waste removal from public areas • Alley inspections and cleaning Public Safety & Hospitality Services • Foot and bike patrols seven days a week across all MID neighborhoods • Outreach to refer homeless and mentally ill to service programs • Employment of off-duty Seattle police officers every month for special emphasis patrols • Trespass enforcement • E-alert notifications of Downtown rallies, protests, emergencies and events • Hospitality and on-street concierge services Marketing Services • Holiday & Summer marketing campaigns to increase pedestrian traffic
• Attractions including the Holiday Carousel and free Out to Lunch Concerts across all MID neighborhoods • Support for MID neighborhood events including Fashion’s Night Out, Pioneer Square Fire Festival, Trick-or-Treat on the Waterfront • Campaign support to promote availability and reduced-cost visitor parking in MID neighborhoods impacted by Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel construction Business Development Services • Downtown economic profile reports for recruiting local, state and national businesses • Market research reports on customer perceptions and shopping patterns to share with Downtown businesses and property owners • Pedestrian counts and customer perception research to share with Downtown businesses and property owners Transportation Services • Service for Downtown property owners and tenants to encourage commute options and reduce congestion • Discount transit pass sales to Downtown businesses
MID and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission Launch New Mental Health Outreach Program An important and unique service added by the MID this year is a new Community Mental Health professional for the Downtown area. Adding this position is a joint venture between the MID and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. The Downtown Community Mental Health Director’s role is to assist those with mental health issues in the Downtown area and respond to concerns from residents and businesses as they occur. MID Ambassadors and Larry Clum, Community Mental Health Director
The Director will work with the MID’s Downtown Ambassadors and local mental health professionals to connect people in need of mental health treatment with the right services. The Director will be on hand to work directly with MID ratepayers, Seattle police officers, local businesses and others to address concerns as needed.
Serving the Community as a Second-Chance Employer For the past 13 years, the MID has been giving men and women looking for work an opportunity to make a difference in their community through the second-chance employment program. Funded by MID ratepayers, the program is designed to give people with felony backgrounds (excluding violent and sexual crimes) and formerly homeless people access to jobs. A substantial percentage of the MID Clean Team’s 34 ambassadors have benefitted from the second chance program. A number of safety ambassadors are also second chance employees, including Jerry Cunningham. “I found the MID later in life and I feel like I have a purpose now,” said Cunningham. “I feel like everything is wonderful in my life and getting better by the day.” “Jerry thought he would never have a job like this, with this level of responsibility,” said MID Vice President of Operations Peggy Dreisinger. “He’s special because this has changed his life, it’s actually completely changed his life.”
Comments from Ratepayers
MIDNews
MID Neighborhood Cleaning At A Glance The MID generates impressive results as it works to ensure a uniform standard of cleanliness. Over the past 12 months the MID Clean Team collected 529,852 buckets of litter and debris from Downtown sidewalks and streets.
“I wanted to thank the MID for the excellent service it provides, particularly the crew chiefs who help out with issues and pressure wash around our property.”
MID Renewal Edition
RANDY GRITTMAN KG Investments KG Investment Management
“I live Downtown and walk to work most days. One of the many pleasures of my walk is seeing how clean Downtown Seattle is. Another is saying hello to Regnell, one of the MID Ambassadors keeping the area clean. He’s a great guy, with a great attitude and always has a smile and a positive outlook.”
Other MID Cleaning results over the past 12 months: • Removed 21,400 graffiti tags and stickers from public structures • Cleaned up 9,827 instances of human/animal waste • Picked up 5,075 55-gallon bags of leaves • Removed 2,477 graffiti tags from parking pay stations • Cleaned 549 alleys • Pressure washed 101 sidewalks
TIM GARRIGAN Downtown resident
“I want to thank the Clean Team for the outstanding job they do day in and day out. They don’t get the recognition they deserve for their hard work. Our streets are much cleaner than other cities thanks to their work.“ TOM ANDLIN Federal Courthouse
“I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to arrive Downtown for work every day to clean sidewalks thanks to the great early morning work by the MID’s Downtown Ambassadors.“ BILL STRONG Mahlum
Dear MID Ratepayers, For 13 years the Metropolitan Improvement District has provided programs and services that have enhanced our Downtown neighborhoods, ignited economic growth and made a substantial difference in people’s lives. With renewal coming up, let’s build on this record of success for the next 10 years, while continuing to be efficient with resources, accountable to ratepayers and responsive to change.
With public and private resources strained, the MID remains the best value for your dollar. We’re also committed to limiting budget increases to the Consumer Price Index. As you read this special edition of our newsletter you’ll be convinced that renewing the MID is a no-brainer. MID services have increased the value of Downtown property and kept Downtown neighborhoods clean, safe and vibrant for people to live, work, shop and play. As we look ahead, we know that Downtown will continue to change. There are more people living Downtown, there are more retail businesses and the human service needs continues to grow. Our 10-year business plan, created with the help of property owners, business
owners, residents and community groups, addresses these changing demographics as we prepare for renewal in 2013. Please take the time to review the positive impact the MID has had on your property and the value it brings to its ratepayers and the entire city. The success of the MID would not be possible without the past, present and future support of people like you, our ratepayers. Because of you, the MID continues to help make Downtown Seattle a clean, safe and vibrant core – an anchor for our great city. Thank you,
Kathy O’Kelley, Chair MID Ratepayer Advisory Board
MID RATEPAYER ADVISORY BOARD OFFICERS
Dana Bollinger The Vance Corporation
Matt King YWCA
Joe Polito Touchstone Corporation
Kathy O’Kelley Board Chair Hines
William Cohen Washington Athletic Club
Lyn Krizanich Clise Properties, Inc.
Jill Rinde CBRE
Tina Davis CBRE
Erik Lausund Seattle Children’s Research Institute
Broderick Smith Urban Visions
Cary Clark Vice Chair Argosy Cruises Steven Van Til Finance Committee Chair Vulcan Real Estate MID RATEPAYER ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Steven Baral Melbourne Tower Janice Blair Downtown Resident
Tim Holt Washington Holdings Daniel Johnson Washington State Convention Center Lita Johnson Urban Renaissance Group LLC Megan Karch FareStart
Sherry Lawson General Growth Properties Joe McWilliams Port of Seattle David Moseley WSDOT Ferries Division Jenne Neptune Alexis Hotel Aiden Poile Plymouth Housing Group
Peter Sill Downtown Resident Ryan Smith Martin Smith Inc.
Who removed graffiti, cleaned the sidewalks and helped make Downtown feel safe and inviting?
The MID did!
Metropolitan Improvement District
Keeping Downtown Neighborhoods Inviting, Clean and Safe You’re a part of the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) community. Because of ratepayer support, the MID has been able to keep Downtown Seattle clean, safe and a great place to live and do business for more than 13 years. Every few years ratepayers, commercial and residential property owners, are asked to voice their approval for the services we provide to the hundreds of thousands of people who live, work and visit Downtown each year. Now is the time we must ask for your support.
Photo: Christopher Nelson
Inside you’ll find specific information about the value of our services to you as a property owner and the service enhancements we have planned for the next 10 years.
John Speirs KG Investment Management
Thank you for helping us make Downtown the best neighborhood in Seattle!
Betsy Sutherland Bentall Kennedy
DowntownSeattle.com/MID
Chris Wood Downtown Resident
The MID newsletters are published quarterly for the Metropolitan Improvement District ratepayers. Photo: Tim Thompson
Fa l l 2 012
MID Mailbox