[nfbwatlk] Fw: [Urban Politics] Urban Politics #242 Dec 3, 2007 DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS & CITY HALL ART

[Jacob Struiksma]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nick Licata" <nickjlicata at msn.com>
To: <urbanpolitics at speakeasy.net>
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 1:54 PM
Subject: [Urban Politics] Urban Politics #242 Dec 3, 2007 DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS 
& CITY HALL ART





DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS & CITY HALL ART

Urban Politics #242  Dec 3, 2007
By City Councilmember Nick Licata
With assistance from my legislative assistant Frank Video


DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK CLOSURES

I have heard from a number of citizens that construction downtown has
resulted in a crazy patchwork of sidewalk closures which discourages walking
if not making it dangerous because of the additional street crossings.

In response I have asked our Seattle Dept of Transportation, SDOT, to be
more aggressive in keeping these downtown sidewalks open as much as possible
and to look at best practices that other cities are using to see if we could
adopt them here.

It appears that sidewalk closures are taking too long. Why is that? Are
street permits allowing the closure of a sidewalk being given to a developer
for too long of a period or have street permits expired and SDOT noted the
expiration date? Are there other reasons?

One remedy would be for SDOT to work with a developer at the outset of the
construction project to figure out how to minimize the sidewalk closure
period. This approach may need the City's Department of Planning and
Development, DPD, to be involved. They should be able to work together in
their respective permitting processes to keep the sidewalk closures to a
minimum.

We should explore the possibility of sidewalks being open during the busiest
times of the day. Presumably that would lengthen the construction schedule
but why not look at this approach if the sidewalks can remain open while
construction continues and pedestrians are kept safe?

Finally Councilmembers Richard Conlin, Tom Rasmussen and I have requested
the City Auditor to do an audit on Seattle Department of Transportation's
(SDOT) use of street permits and to report back to the Council by May with
some preliminary findings and suggestions on how the City can meet the needs
of pedestrians and still not tie up developers in needless red tape.



CALL FOR ART EXHIBITS IN 2008 AT CITY HALL

Artists, arts programmers, and community groups are invited to submit
proposals for exhibiting art at City Hall. City Hall offers two gallery
spaces in which to exhibit in 2008 - the City Hall Lobby Gallery and the
Anne Focke Gallery.

Exhibits typically feature artworks that reflect the broad diversity of
Seattle's communities and highlight the work of local, regional and global
artists, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. City neighborhoods
and their residents, the work of city departments, the city's architecture,
its jazz musicians and sister-city relationships have all been showcased.

Group or solo exhibitions are welcome and will be displayed from six to
eight weeks. Large exhibitions may be displayed in both the City Hall Lobby
Gallery and Anne Focke Gallery.

The galleries are best equipped to display 2-D materials. 3-D exhibitions
will be considered, providing applicants can furnish necessary display cases
and stands. Unfortunately, video and other electronic media works will not
be accepted.

The City Hall Lobby Gallery features eight, 6' x 4' double-sided, metal, and
peg-board panels for display of artwork. The Anne Focke Gallery features a
120-foot long display wall incorporating a professional hanging system and
is located on the L2 level of City Hall.

A panel of city employees administered by the Office of Arts & Cultural
Affairs will review the applications and select 2008 exhibitions.

All applications must be submitted digitally. THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS 11
P.M. PST, FRIDAY, DEC., 21ST, 2007. The 2008 exhibition cycle will begin in
February. A link to the online application is available at
www.seattle.gov/arts.  For more information, contact Nate Brown, at (206)
684-4186 or nate.brown at seattle.gov.

Anne Focke, for which the L2 level gallery is named, is currently executive
director of Grantmakers in the Arts, a national membership organization for
arts funders. She worked for the City of Seattle as assistant director of
the Seattle Arts Commission (1971-73), as director of the Bumbershoot Arts
Festival (1973, the year it got its name), and as the first director of the
City's Art in Public Places program.

The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs is charged with funding and promoting
arts and culture for communities throughout Seattle.

COUNCILMEMBER & MAYOR E-MAILS

Tom.Rasmussen at seattle.gov
David.Della at seattle.gov
Jean.Godden at seattle.gov
Richard.McIver at seattle.gov
Jan.Drago at seattle.gov
Sally.Clark at seattle.gov
Peter.Steinbrueck at seattle.gov
Richard.Conlin at seattle.gov
Nick.Licata at seattle.gov

The Mayor's Office - citizens are directed to the following website to
complete a form.
http://www.cityofseattle.net/mayor/citizen_response.htm

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