Performing Arts Center Eastside Gains Traction

Over the past few years, Bellevue has emerged in the tech spotlight, with long-time giants such as Microsoft and the recent announcement by Amazon of a relocation to the Eastside. A new effort to build the Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE) could add to the innovation with an immersive, cutting-edge approach to the concept of the performing arts center. The project has been in planning for decades but new CEO Ray Cullom is breathing new life into it - they have now raised $123 million of the estimated $200 million it will take to fund the project.

TechnologyAaron FreemanAugust 24, 2019Bellevue, Eastside, Technology, Amazon, Microsoft, Ray Cullom, PACE, Performing Arts Center Eastside, Arts, GeekWireComment

T-Mobile Unveils New Testing Center at Launch Pad

After months of secrecy, T-Mobile has unveiled a new 20,000 square foot testing lab inside the Launch Pad, company’s innovation and testing facility. GeekWire recently toured the facility, which employees roughly 200 workers that test the function and durability of a range of devices, from smart homes to iOT gadgets.

TechnologyAaron FreemanAugust 24, 2019CES 2019, Technology, Tech Trends, GeekWire, T-Mobile, Innovation Lab, Launch Pad, 5G, Spring District, Bellevue, EastsideComment

Blokable Set to Expand into California

Seattle-based startup Blokable—which is working to disrupt housing development with modular smart home units—has generated $23 million to expand manufacturing into California and prepare for new projects. Since delivering a project in Edmonds in 2018, Blokable has held off on additional builds and instead has “focused on nailing down the business model and making sure the manufacturing meets housing regulations.”

Design, Investment, TechnologyAaron FreemanAugust 24, 2019Blokable, GeekWire, Modular Housing, Affordability, Washington, California, Nelson Del Rio, Aaron HolmComment

Real Estate Investors Target Innovation Economies

According to a recent study by JLL, real estate investors are putting their money into cities with strong technological economies: GeekWire reports that the study “finds a correlation between the real estate investment dollars spent in a community and the strength of its innovation economy.”

Demolition on the Alaskan Way Viaduct Begins

Now that drivers are safely traversing the new SR-99 tunnel, the Washington State Department of Transportation is preparing to demolish the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the first in many steps toward revitalizing the city’s waterfront. As GeekWire reports, WSDOT has now released “an extensive online overview of what to expect from the removal of the old highway above ground — a process that should take about six months.”

Local EconomyAaron FreemanFebruary 19, 2019Waterfront, Waterfront Park, Seattle, SR 99, Alaskan Way Viaduct, Construction, Demolition, GeekWireComment

Seattle Tech in 2019

Seattle is a crucible of technological innovation. The intersection of computer/data science and biological/chemical sciences will lead to breakthrough in a number of industries, and the Emerald City will increasingly be known as a hub for these intersections of change. As we move into 2019, GeekWire polled six venture capitalists from the Pacific Northwest to offer their insight on what to expect in tech for 2019.

Your Alaskan Way Viaduct and Highway 99 Tunnel Questions Answered

The nearly two-decade-long effort to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct will soon hit a major milestone, as the viaduct is set to close on January 11th, 2019 as it is replaced by the Highway 99 tunnel spanning Sodo to South Lake Union. The closure has undoubtedly caused concern and confusion for commuters and Seattleites alike, especially given that there will be an approximate three-week gap between the closure of the viaduct and the tunnel’s opening. Using research obtained by Seattle Times, let’s take a look at answers to some of the biggest questions surrounding the project.

New but Few Condominium Projects Coming to Downtown Seattle

Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty recently announced that for the first time in a decade, their brokers are representing ten new multi-family for-sale condominium and townhome projects in downtown Seattle and its surrounding neighborhoods. Though project specialists admit the cycle is a mere fraction of the last one, the spur of activity has caused the firm to relaunch the UrbanCondominiums.com website and a New Developments Preview Center in Belltown at 2715 First Avenue in Seattle. These resources will help potential buyers learn more about what’s currently for sale, what’s coming next, and equip them to combat today’s competitive in-city condo market.

Amazon Go: The Future in Grocery Shopping?

On January 22nd, the Amazon Go grocery store opened in downtown Seattle, as a crowd of people lined up to be among the first to experience the new retail store. As GeekWire reports, Amazon Go "redefines the concept of 'grab and go' - letting customers take items off the shelf and walk out without going through a traditional checkout line or register."

TechnologyAaron FreemanJanuary 23, 2018Amazon, Amazon Go, GeekWire, Technology, Seattle, New York TimesComment

The Amazon Spheres Prepare to Open January 30th

The Amazon Spheres are set to officially open to employees on January 30th, the culmination of a project five years in the making. As GeekWire reports, "the three glass orbs and the busy work around them have proven to be an intriguing element tied to Amazon's rapid growth in the city."

TechnologyAaron FreemanJanuary 23, 2018Amazon, Technology, GeekWire, New Development, Seattle, SpheresComment

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