Does anyone miss the old seattle from 2010 to 2019?? (Bellevue, Edmonds: 2015, apartment)

[annonymous0381]

Does anyone miss the old seattle from 2010 to 2019??

Since 2015 I have lived in northagte seattle alone. Before I moved to seattle in 2015 since 2010 I had visited seattle.

Back in 2015 when I first moved to northgate seattle the city of seattle was as different as night and day compared to 2024.

Downtown seattle used to be a great place to take the 41 bus from northgate seattle to downtown seattle.

Downtown seattle used to be a great place to spend a Saturday night or even Saturday afternoon.

In downtown seattle it was safe to go to the movies, eat dinner in a restaurant, have afternoon coffee and go shopping.

Post pandemic downtown seattle is loaded with drugs, homeless people amd crime.

Even king county metro buses and link light rail have become unsafe post pandemic.

In May 2021 I ended up getting a car to drive so I didn't have to use public transportation anymore.

Now to go shopping, have afternoon coffee, go to the movies or to a restaurant I drive to Lynnwood,Washington or Bellevue,Washington.


In downtown ballard, capital hill and downtown seattle I dont feel safe there anymore especially after dark.

Back in 2015 until 2019 I loved taking the bus from northgate seattle to ballard, capital hill and downtown seattle.

I dont even feel safe at the qfc on roosevelt way in northgate seattle anymore. Back in 2015 I was never afraid of qfc northgate seattle. The reason I feel unsafe at northgate qfc market is because there have been several shootings in the qfc northgate parking lot.


Downtown seattle is full of boarded up storefronts these days. Downtown seattle was fully leased in 2015.

My lease expires in northgate seattle in August 2024 for my apartment.

Im seriously considering moving to edmonds, bellevue or Lynnwood for safety reasons.


I really miss the old seattle from 2015 to 2019.

Im hoping that eventually seattle turns around?? Will it turn around or am I being too positive??

[homesinseattle]

You’ve been talking about moving for a long time and I think you should. Lynnwood might be a good place for you.

[Ruth4Truth]

OP, I was in downtown Seattle last year, and had a great time going to lunch, checking out PP Market, doing a little shopping (Nordy's!). I don't recall boarded up storefronts or homeless. Your posts in recent years have all displayed what looks like a depressed outlook on Seattle, on Northgate, on transit, on Ballard, etc. I think your state of mind is coloring your impressions to some extent.

But if you're so unhappy where you are, why haven't you moved? Edmonds is delightful, unless you'd end up in one of those big apt. complexes up on the hill close to the freeway. Lynnwood is coming along nicely, with the light rail station going in, spurring local commercial development around it (which was already there, but will now go into higher gear, for better or for worse. This could drive up rents.)

What are you waiting for? You could have made a move last August, but you're still there. Inertia? Not wanting to leave familiar territory? What's holding you back? Didn't your mom offer to buy you a condo in a location of your choice?

[mhays25]

I feel safe in all of these places, but I'm a guy.

There are empty stores in the Downtown core, waiting for office workers to come back. But there are almost zero tents (not in he northern half at least). The homeless numbers feel about the same, but the lower office count means they're less diluted.

Mostly it feels normal to me, other than more empty stores. I still go to shop, attend a movie, etc.

[rupp-certified]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

You’ve been talking about moving for a long time and I think you should. Lynnwood might be a good place for you.

I agree. I moved to the northern suburbs and am much happier. The new light rail connection will be great.

[rupp-certified]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I don't recall boarded up storefronts or homeless.

The stores on 5th avenue are now permanently "boarded up," to the point where you can't even tell they used to be storefronts, so it doesn't look as bad, but the decline is real.

[mhays25]

If you mean just north of Banana Republic, that's due to a planned (or once planned?) highrise project. Fifth is actually doing ok otherwise through the Retail Core, including a few recent openings.

Design proposal: https://web.seattle.gov/SDCI/Shaping...le/Get/5805669

Another building was planned at the old bank location at Union, which was also closed iirc. Both projects stalled before Covid.

[87112]

Very grateful for those who visit Seattle. I just hope they don't think the citizens voted for what they are seeing. It's out of our control. The boarded up storefronts are just so sad.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rupp-certified

The stores on 5th avenue are now permanently "boarded up," to the point where you can't even tell they used to be storefronts, so it doesn't look as bad, but the decline is real.

I didn't go on 5th Ave. Still, that's sad. That used to be prime commercial RE.

[NW4me]

Originally Posted by mhays25

I feel safe in all of these places, but I'm a guy.

There are empty stores in the Downtown core, waiting for office workers to come back. But there are almost zero tents (not in he northern half at least). The homeless numbers feel about the same, but the lower office count means they're less diluted.

Mostly it feels normal to me, other than more empty stores. I still go to shop, attend a movie, etc.

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.