Seattle in the 90's (apartment, rent, home)

[Dimitre]

was Seattle better in the 90's? It was more local and people have told me people were also more sociable and polite but that died an things got more corporate. Should they try to make the city more local and more social again?

[Hemlock140]

No, I don't see much difference as far as the people, the rent and home prices were much lower then, but that's about the only difference.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Dimitre

was Seattle better in the 90's? It was more local and people have told me people were also more sociable and polite but that died an things got more corporate. Should they try to make the city more local and more social again?

No. Not at all.

[NCDavid]

Depends on how you define better. If you value Microsoft jobs, pro sports, heavy traffic, loss of a smaller city feel, and high housing costs, it might be better now.
Personally, I think Seattle was certainly a much better place to live in the 50s, 60s and even the 70s. But the 90s? Probably not; the influx of population to the greater Seattle area had already pretty much destroyed much of it's livability by then.

[mev]

I loved Seattle in the 70's & early 80's. It was so slow and square but cheap and beautiful. Ivar Haglund of Ivar's fish-n-chips(keep clam) was a local food personality, although he had very little outward expression and Emmet Watson, the founder of "Lesser Seattle" was a curmudgeon that wrote for the Seattle Times/PI. Cruising Alki beach was the thing to do on a Saturday night....

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by mev

I loved Seattle in the 70's & early 80's. It was so slow and square but cheap and beautiful. Ivar Haglund of Ivar's fish-n-chips(keep clam) was a local food personality, although he had very little outward expression and Emmet Watson was a curmudgeon that wrote for the Seattle Times. Cruising Alki beach was the thing to do on a Saturday night....

Downtown Seattle was depressing, though. 2nd Avenue was old and run-down. Seattle was way behind other cities, like San Francisco, in terms of renovating old, decaying areas like 2nd Avenue and Pioneer Square.

On the other hand, I hear the U District used to be a nice area, and University Way--one of the city's prime shopping districts. Sad that it went so far downhill.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

No, I don't see much difference as far as the people, the rent and home prices were much lower then, but that's about the only difference.

It was cheaper. Rented a two-bedroom apartment on the westside of Queen Anne Hill for $575 in 1995. Non-peak bus fare was $1.00, I believe. Minimum wage, on the other hand, was $4.90.

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

No, I don't see much difference as far as the people, the rent and home prices were much lower then, but that's about the only difference.

The neighborhoods have changed. Back in the day I saw prostitutes getting arrested at the 7-11 on the corner of 40th and Stone in Wallingford. Now you have to go north of 85th to see that.

[GatsbyGatz]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Downtown Seattle was depressing, though. 2nd Avenue was old and run-down. Seattle was way behind other cities, like San Francisco, in terms of renovating old, decaying areas like 2nd Avenue and Pioneer Square.

On the other hand, I hear the U District used to be a nice area, and University Way--one of the city's prime shopping districts. Sad that it went so far downhill.

Yeah, what happened to University Way? It's quite rundown by Seattle standards which is surprising given the benefits of being next to UW.

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

Yeah, what happened to University Way? It's quite rundown by Seattle standards which is surprising given the benefits of being next to UW.

University Village.