Clean up buildings and streets, not retail
The article “Seattle’s downtown retail core needs new spark to attract shoppers”[Business, Feb. 19] was very disappointing. It seems the reporters are too close to the problem to recognize what the general public sees.
I have been a King County resident for more than 50 years and have always visited Seattle seven to eight times a year for dinner, shopping or entertainment. A few years ago my wife and I noticed a general decline of the central business core. I am not talking about the retail outlets but rather the deplorable state of cleanliness around downtown. The buildings are unkempt, the streets and public areas are filthy and they have an odor that is unmistakable of its origin.
Also in case The Times’ writers haven’t noticed, Seattle panhandlers are no worse than Bellevue or Redmond’s. The public has long accepted panhandlers as just a part of everyday life. What most citizens do not accept — and what’s driving away downtown shoppers — is an open tolerance and acceptance to roving gangs of young thugs along with the open sale and use of drugs on the streets.
Walking around the city is no longer a pleasant stroll but an exercise in watching your backside. Clean up the retail core and watch what happens!
— Jim Grieger, Redmond