Community group demands city make visitors feel safer near Seattle Center

SEATTLE — Members of the Uptown Alliance in Seattle’s Lower Queen Anne neighborhood are calling on Seattle city leaders to make the area more welcoming to visitors.

Deborah Frausto made an impassioned plea to the Seattle Council Monday as they discussed Key Arena renovations.

“If we cannot create neighborhoods where people aren't afraid to leave the Seattle Center campus because of what they will find in our communities,” Frausto said.  “This project fails.”

Uptown Alliance is a nonprofit community development organization.

KIRO 7 has detailed an illegal homeless tent camp that went up in early April near Pacific Science Center, Key Arena, and the Space Needle. As of Tuesday the city hadn't done anything about it.

“We were surprised it was allowed to stay there on the street,” said Sian Wells, who was visiting with her family from London.

Last fall, KIRO7 detailed the deteriorating state of Queen Anne Avenue, just a few blocks from Seattle Center.  Frausto and the Uptown Alliance are demanding the city do more.  She feels safe walking the streets, but told KIRO 7 their organization hears the opposite.

“The feedback from some of our hotels and visitors who leave feedback with them,” she said.  “That they are concerned and are getting more concerned.”

Construction to revamp Key Arena is scheduled for October.  The developer, Oak View Group, has committed to giving $500,000 a year toward the community.

However that money is used, Frausto wants the city to make the area feel safer while at the same time she recognizes there's no easy solution.

“There's a fragile point,” she said.  “And we need to make it stronger now because of this project.”

Cox Media Group