Does anyone miss the old seattle from 2010 to 2019?? (Bellevue, Renton: homes, to buy)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by NW4me

Same here. I'm a visitor, not a resident, but I've never felt unsafe in Seattle,
nor seen anything wrong on the buses.

I'm a guy, but average height and 60-something (i.e., wouldn't be mistaken for an NFL linebacker),
yet I go about my sightseeing without worries. I notice one area where the down-and-out gather...
that block of 3rd Ave near Pike St. It's a very sad sight, but is it dangerous? Some of those unfortunates
are scarcely able to stand up. So I don't fear for my safety walking through that block.

Perhaps it would be different if I lived in Seattle and went downtown every day.

There have been incidents in the past; women have been followed, and even assaulted But it's been awhile. I remember reading on this sub-forum, that the area got cleaned up last year a bit, and some of the homeless were dispersed or something.


Also, the area southward on 3rd (?), around the courthouse is pretty bad,I hear. Even the judges fear to tread around there, and that's where they work!

[04kL4nD]

Hasn't it always been bad? I remember seeing panhandlers/homeless/addicts back in the mid 2000s when I first visited and there's always been a seedy/sketchy vibe to Pioneer Square as far as I can recall.

[mhays25]

I think it might be "especially judges," given that some have jailed guys that are on the street.

As for Third & Pike, I walk through pretty often, sometimes in the evening. It's mostly just quiet.

[Hemlock140]

I used to take the bus about 2009-2019 from Issaquah Transit Center to Westlake Park, the walk through the Market to my office every day. In the morning at 6am the sidewalk on Pine was crowded with homeless sleeping on carboard, and there were obvious drug deals taking place. In the afternoon there was an occasional police incident in and around the McDonalds at 3rd & Pine. I would always keep my head up and eyes moving to watch for any dangers, but only once had to take another route when a cop screeched to a halt, got out and pulled his gun there. Now I drive into the office 2 days a week, and sticking to Alaskan Way and then the new Elliot Way to Belltown I no longer see any of that, so for me it seems better. The homeless along I5/I90 in the shrubbery was far worse until the state recently cleared it out, and at the entrance to the tunnel at Rainier Ave put in boulders to prevent them from returning there. I wish they could do something about the graffiti inside the tunnel, it's amazing that people can do that much in there without getting run over.

[mhays25]

Harrell kicked the homeless out of the retail district and much of Downtown the moment he took office two years ago. I don't see it in the early morning anymore (used to walk through twice daily), but that little stretch is like night and day. It's still problematic, just a more pristine version of it.

[CrazyDonkey]

The problem with illegal encampments (and RV "rows") is that the "strong" prey on and exploit the "weak". Property crime also emanates out from them. I'm all for sanctioned/organized tiny house villages, tent camps, and RV parks with wrap-around services, but if the "homeless" refuse those and other options, because they don't want to follow any rules, well, then, welcome to the "greenbelt".

[Igor Blevin]

You might as well ask if anyone misses the old Seattle from 1982.

I remember when Bellevue was not even filled in.

[Arktikos]

^ Indeed. I miss it from the 1980s.

[mhays25]

Seattle is over 50% more populated than it was in the mid-80s, within city limits. The Census Dept. estimate was about 486,000 in 1986 vs. 608,000 in 2010, 737,000 in 2020, and at least 760,000 today. A lot of today's vibrant districts weren't vibrant back then, even though a few streets had better retail at the time, like the Ave pre-Village.

I'll take today's Seattle. It's also more international, with better transit, more poke...

[NW4me]

Originally Posted by mhays25

Seattle is over 50% more populated than it was in the mid-80s, within city limits. The Census Dept. estimate was about 486,000 in 1986 vs. 608,000 in 2010, 737,000 in 2020, and at least 760,000 today. A lot of today's vibrant districts weren't vibrant back then, even though a few streets had better retail at the time, like the Ave pre-Village.

I'll take today's Seattle. It's also more international, with better transit, more poke...

Wow, that's a huge change in population...