I live on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Like many residents, I am very concerned about the downward spiral that the retail core on Broadway is currently experiencing. Empty storefronts, traffic congestion, homeless youth, drug use and general depression seem to be seeping into this part of the Hill. It is both sad and unnecessary. Last summer, the City Council voted to earmark $500,000 for Broadway, money meant to help point the business district in a positive direction.

"This money is a springboard. It's not just a six-month deal. There is a strong commitment by the city to Broadway right now. It's on the top of the list at our office,"
Karin Zaugg Black, Office of Economic Development [OED] communications director. as quoted in The Capitol Hill Times, March 15, 2006

"We need to find out what the city should do to help Broadway, We want to support an organizational infrastructure that represents all interests. [Broadway] is a priority of the mayor and city council."
Steve Johnson, acting director of the city's (OED) as quoted in The Capitol Hill Times, March 22, 2006

"We're asking what do we do to start improving things now?". "We need a unifying voice to interact with the city, we need a broader organizational capacity. One of the things we're doing today is getting a larger base of people to move forward. The goal is to come up with a retail strategy to help owners bring in quality retail."
Chip Ragen working on creating a Capitol Hill Improvement District [CHID], as quoted in The Capitol Hill Times, March 22, 2006

What needs to happen is a tested proven solution. When Tucson Arizona initiated a Phantom Galleries Program there were few people coming to Tucson's Main Street because there was little going on -- and there was little going on because no one was coming to Main Street. Vacancies had reached epidemic proportions. Simply put, it appealed to property owners to lend their vacant spaces to create temporary gallery spaces. Property owners benefited by getting folks back on the street and looking at their spaces for rent or sale and the arts community benefited from a doubling of the amount of space for the arts...for free. Within two years Tucson's Main Street was "back" and healthy. The program continued for some time as new spaces became available. Even with its ultimate success, which supplanted "phantom" gallery spaces with permanent uses, the program married the arts to the area.

Why this is right for Broadway

• Vacant Storefronts on Broadway from Pine to Roy Street
• 01] 111 Broadway East (Play Back Records)
• 02] 114 Broadway East (PC Club Computers)
• 03] 209 Broadway East (Noodle Studio [Broadway Place])
• 04] 216 Broadway East (Internet Cafe)
• 05] 523 Broadway East (Old QFC)
• 06] 529 Broadway East (Bartell's Drugs)
• 07] 531 Broadway East (Old Safeway)
• 08] 618 Broadway East (African Imports nee Orpheum Music)
• 09] 619 Broadway East (High Maintenance Bitch)
• 10] Broadway and Roy (Empty Storefront [never leased})

To make the project doable, say we eliminated the two ex-grocery stores from consideration [very large and slated for demolition], that would create eight "Phantom Galleries" on Broadway. These eight galleries would more than double the amount of exhibition space for the Broadway Core Business District. Exhibitions could be timed to coincide with other venues to create a viable Capitol Hill Art Walk. [First Thursday is not an option]. More importantly, temporary galleries could give many different young emerging artists an opportunity to show their work.

Partnerships with the Seattle Community College System, Cornish College of the Arts, the University of Washington, and Seattle University would need to be created to exploit the opportunities and needs of running eight galleries simultaneously. What the schools get is massive internship possibilities in the fields of; Art's Management, Exhibition Installation, Curatorial experience, and community service. Taking advantage of each institution's "Work-Study" programs could seriously staff eight galleries with regular hours targeted at increasing foot traffic.

The costs involved are not unreasonable. First, each space has to be neutralized [painted white], cleaned up and a portable lighting system created. Second the project would have to pick up the utilities cost [electricity, sewer, water, phone]. Third the owners of the storefronts would have to agree to a thirty day quit notice as well as providing the space for free. The city might even help with tax incentives for the owners. Finally there needs to be a Chief Curator/Administrator to coordinate and supervise the entire project.

In tandem with the galleries, a dedicated web site featuring schedules, maps, information, and images of the project would have to be on-line from the very first day of operation. A comprehensive branding campaign would need to be launched featuring, ads, banners, A-boards, fliers, radio and television PSA's and general PR.

The benefits of such a proposal are obvious. Let us fill the empty spaces on Broadway with Art and wait for the people to come. In other parts of the country, the Tucson Model has been tried with very positive results. {Think North Sacremento and San Jose California} What do we have to loose? Nothing but our time and our hopes for a better dynamic vibrant creative community on the Hill.