Projects

Cherry Hill

  • January 21, 1959: Preliminary hearing held to consider Cherry Hill as an urban renewal project
  • March 1959: Resolution 18043 approves Cherry Hill as an Urban Renewal Conservation project area
  • April 1959: SURE opens office in project area and hires a full-time director
  • June-November 1959: City conducts a survey of structures in project area
  • January-June 1960: SURE staff screens contractors and meets with banking institutions to enlist their cooperation in making loans to area residents
  • July 1960: Final survey of Cherry Hill is completed by the City and submitted to the federal government for approval
  • August 1960: Ordinance 89529 authorizes a contract with SURE for $13,000 for a 18-month period to advise property owners and work with FHA to expedite loans
  • October 1960: Resolution 18682 approves a Cherry Hill urban renewal plan
  • December 1960: Federal Housing Administration certifies Cherry Hill project for Title I and Section 220 financing
  • January 1962: City's Urban Renewal Division takes over management of Cherry Hill for the duration of the project

Yesler-Atlantic

  • Nov 1958: Mayor requests Planning Commission to complete preliminary plan for Yesler and Atlantic neighborhoods
  • March 25, 1959: Planning Commission submits preliminary Yesler and Atlantic neighborhoods plan (Clerk File 237367)
  • May 1959: Ordinance 88190 determines Yesler-Atlantic as a "blighted area" and as appropriate for an urban renewal project
  • June 1959: Yesler-Atlantic Survey and planning application is submitted to federal government (Clerk File 237530)
  • February 1960: Ordinance 89036 authorizes contracts with Seattle Housing Authority for relocation assistance and with SURE for outreach and education
  • March 1961: Ordinance 90068 authorizes an amended application for for additional federal funds for survey and planning
  • March 1963: Resolution 19424 authorizes a second amended application for additional federal funds for survey and planning
  • October 1963: Federal government authorizes additional funds for the City to prepare a new application for Yesler Atlantic project with revised boundaries (Resolution 19669)
  • December 1964: Official notification of a capital grant reservation received by the City
  • March 1966: City Council, Mayor, and federal government mutually agree to start a completely new planning effort for Yesler-Atlantic
  • March 1966: Resolution 20540 authorizes a third amended application for federal funds for survey and planning
  • August 1966: A revised planning contract with federal government for Yesler-Atlantic project is authorized (Resolution 20733)
  • August 1966: Structural engineer Curtis J. Moses is hired to make a complete structural inspection of all structures in Yesler-Atlantic project area; Northwest American, Inc., is hired to make a complete study of the economic feasibility of various types of land uses in the area
  • December 1966: Firm of Bridges & Burke is hired to prepare new overall plan for the Yesler-Atlantic Project 
  • June 1967: Bridges & Burke plan for Yesler-Atlantic project is completed and submitted to federal government for approval (Document 8562)   
  • September 1967: City Council holds public hearings to discuss the plan
  • October 1967: Ordinance 96123 approves Yesler-Atlantic Neighborhood Improvement Project plan 
  • October 1967: A proposed referendum petition for a public vote on the Yesler-Atlantic project fails because of an inability to obtain the required number of signatures
  • February-April 1968: Yesler-Atlantic Neighborhood Improvement Project (YANIP) is approved by federal government and a new contract is authorized (Ordinance 96635)
  • October 1968: Mayor requests "Yesler-Atlantic rehabilitation escrow account" for acquiring properties
  • December 1968: King County Superior Court rules in favor of the City in a case brought by property owners in Yesler-Atlantic project area, who claimed the approval of the project was invalid. The homeowners appealed to the State Supreme Court, but the ruling was ultimately upheld in 1970
  • 1971: Construction on 58-unit Operation Breakthrough housing development begins in the Yesler-Atlantic project area; completed in 1972
  • 1972: Kawabe Memorial House construction completed
  • 1976: Project close out with the federal government

Northlake   

  • August 1960: Resolution 18585 provides for a survey and planning effort in the University of Washington/Northlake area
  • January 1961: Ordinance 90093 accepts federal funding for survey and planning work 
  • September 1961: Survey and planning work for Northlake project begins
  • July 1963: City Council submits Northlake urban renewal plan to federal government
  • August 23, 1963: Public hearing is held on the proposed urban renewal plan
  • September 4, 1963: Ordinance 92314 approves the Northlake urban renewal plan
  • December 1963: Ordinance 92580 authorizes a contract with federal government for the Northlake urban renewal plan
  • 1964: Purchase of property begins in the Northlake project area
  • November 1964: Twenty-five property owners in the Northlake project area file suit to stop the project on the grounds that the area is not blighted
  • February 1965: Superior Court upholds the Northlake urban renewal project; the plaintiffs appeal to the State Supreme Court
  • December 1966: State Supreme Court requires City Council to be specific in its definition of blight in regards to the Northlake project area
  • January 1967: City Council authorizes the sale of 2.7 acres in the Northlake project area to the University of Washington, which will become the site of the new Asa Mercer dormitory
  • April 24, 1967: City Council holds a public hearing to reconsider the evidence determining Northlake is a "blighted area"
  • November-December 1967: The City's request to end litigation regarding the Northlake project is denied by the Superior Court and the City is enjoined from further action. The City appeals the decision to the State Supreme Court
  • April 1969: City Council authorizes sale of one acre in the Northlake project area to the University of Washington for a new Ethnic Cultural Center
  • October 1969: The State Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Superior Court regarding the Northlake project, and upheld the city's blight findings
  • June 1970: New appraisals on the properties in the Northlake project area are ordered
  • October 1970: Appraisal figures for the Northlake project area are approved by the federal government, and negotiations with the remaining private property owners begins 
  • September 1972: City completes acquisitions of all properties in the Northlake project area
  • 1976: Project close out with the federal government

South Seattle 

  • January 1961: Mayor Clinton requests the City apply for survey and planning funds for an urban renewal project in South Seattle (Clerk File 241801)
  • Feb 1962: Survey and planning application is completed and approved by City Council, and submitted to the federal government (Clerk File 244642)
  • December 1963: Ordinance 92585 accepts federal funds for survey and planning (approval was delayed until October 1963 due to inadequate federal funds)
  • June 1965: Final survey and planning report for the South Seattle project area is completed
  • October 18, 1965: Public hearing is held to discuss plans for the South Seattle Redevelopment project 
  • November 1965: Ordinance 94326 approves the South Seattle urban renewal plan
  • April 1966: South Seattle Plan approved by federal government 
  • April 4, 1966: Ordinance 94683 authorizes the acquisition by purchase of property in the South Seattle project area 
  • June 1967: Land acquisition for the South Seattle project area is completed 
  • January 1968: Demolition, site clearance, and relocation of site occupants in South Seattle project area is completed 
  • January 1969: Building rehabilitation by owner participants in the South Seattle project area is completed 
  • January 1970: Disposition of land and private construction in South Seattle project area is completed
  • July 17, 1974: Formal dedication of the new South Seattle Industrial Park
  • 1974: Project close out with the federal government

Pike Place

  • August 1964: Preliminary feasibility study on Pike Plaza Redevelopment is submitted by SURE and the Central Association of Seattle (Clerk File 251614)
  • April 1965: Application for Pike Plaza survey and planning project is submitted (Clerk File 253215)
  • December 1965: Resolution 20438 assures full compliance with the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 in connection with the Pike Plaza project
  • March 1966: A revised application for survey and planning funds for Pike Plaza project submitted to federal government 
  • December 1966: A survey and planning budget for the Pike Plaza project is approved and a two-year survey and planning project is approved in January 1967; the City hires consultants to conduct structural, economic, and sociological studies
  • March 1968: Ordinance 96532 authorizes the City to purchase the old armory site for the Pike Plaza project
  • September 1968: Pike Plaza project plan completed and submitted for approval (Document 2453)
  • March-April 1969: Public hearings on the Pike Plaza Redevelopment Project take place over 10 days
  • August 4, 1969: Ordinance 98016 authorizes the Pike Plaza Redevelopment Plan. The plan is submitted to the federal government with an application for funds in December
  • September 1970: Ordinance 99287 amends the Pike Plaza plan by adding a Historic Design Review Board
  • November 1970: Ordinance 99406 authorizes the Parks Department to begin developing the old armory site into a temporary park
  • February 1971: Pike Plaza Design Review Board is appointed by Mayor Uhlman
  • March 1971: Friends of the Market launch signature-gathering campaign for Initiative 1, to create a 7-acre city historical district
  • July 1971: Ordinance 100161 authorizes a contract with the federal government for funding the Pike Plaza project 
  • June 1971: "Save the Market" initiative is filed (Clerk File 270105)
  • November 2, 1971: Friends of the Market's Initiative 1 is passed by the voters
  • December 1, 1971: Ordinance 100475 is passed, establishing a Market Historical District. The new Market Historical Commission holds its first meeting on December 14
  • March 1972: Central Park Plaza Corporation filed a suit to void Initiative 1
  • November 1972: The City's motion to dismiss Central Park Plaza Corporation suit is denied
  • January 1973: Pike Plaza Market Historical District Preservation Plan is approved by Market Historic Commission
  • January 1973: Resolution 24001 "tentatively" approves plan
  • February 1973: Preservation Plan is submitted to federal government for approval
  • December 1973: Ordinance 102916 approves an amended plan for the Pike Place project
  • June 28, 1973: Mayor signs charter of the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority

Neighborhood Development Projects

  • November 1968: City begins studying areas that could be included in an NDP application
  • April 28, 1969: City holds a public hearing to consider a proposed Northwest Leschi NDP (Resolution 21921, Clerk File 263461)
  • September 1969: Resolution 22133 approves the City's first Neighborhood Development Program
  • March 1970: Federal approval is given for Northwest Leschi NDP project
  • June 1970: Staff is hired for the Northwest Leschi project
  • January 1971: First purchase of property in Northwest Leschi project area
  • February 1972: A public hearing is scheduled for North Greenwood and Leschi residents to discuss NDP plans
  • February 1972: Resolution 23484 approves the City's second Neighborhood Development Program
  • April 19, 1972: City Council holds a public hearing regarding a NDP in South Park
  • May 1972: Ordinance 101173 approves plan for North Greenwood as an NDP action area; project staff are assigned in October
  • May-July 1972: Southwest Leschi, North Greenwood, and South Park are approved by City Council for inclusion in the third year NDP application (Ordinance 101170)
  • September 1972: Third year NDP program begins, with expanded Leschi area and North Greenwood and South Park as new action areas
  • October-November 1972: Project offices are opened in North Greenwood and South Park
  • July 1974: Ordinance 103520 authorizes the continuance of the NDP through the end of the year
  • 1976: Neighborhood Development Projects are closed out with the federal government

Municipal Archives, City Clerk

Jeanie Fisher, Interim City Archivist
Address: 600 Fourth Avenue, Third Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 94728, Seattle, WA, 98124-4728
Phone: (206) 684-8353
archives@seattle.gov

The Office of the City Clerk maintains the City's official records, provides support for the City Council, and manages the City's historical records through the Seattle Municipal Archives. The Clerk's Office provides information services to the public and to City staff.