Seattle's SLU Sees Slew of Development

Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood is developing into a new high-tech hub in the city.

1 minute read

June 25, 2009, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


A rise in investment spearheaded by Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen has brought new residential and commercial development to the area, creating a vibrant, if not gentrified, neighborhood.

"Five years later, the vision of a new South Lake Union is finally taking shape - from a drive-by no-man's-land to a high-tech community dotted with gleaming office towers, cafes, a new farmers' market and a lakefront park.

Much of the progress can be gleaned from the growing directory of companies moving to South Lake Union (www.discoverslu.com). Amazon.com is developing an 11-building campus on a six-block stretch between Terry Avenue and Boren Avenue. Tommy Bahama moved into a new six-story headquarters in 2005. And a cluster of biotech and medical research centers, including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, are already up and running."

Sunday, June 21, 2009 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

5 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

7 hours ago - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

April 20 - Smart Cities Dive