What I don’t understand is why the SWF can’t use currently unbuilt properties as surface parking lots. The one gravel lot in the SWF sees 65 vehicles at peak on a weekday; they must gross $10k+/mo. The lots could allow customers to more easily the commercial spaces, which are approximately 80% vacant. Otherwise, business will continue to be hesitant to move in, which feeds the slow growth cycle. The example of the south waterfront community getting rebuffed by every grocery store chain in the northwest had a lot to do with parking and access. A 10-year plan to gradually eliminate surface off-street parking and replace it with new projects (ie condos) might do a lot to stimulate growth.

With regard to TIF funding, the school district and other vital services are still getting the same amount of funding they got before the South Waterfront district was started. They aren’t getting the increase in taxes because that money is being used to fund the infrastructure there instead. I’m not heartbroken about this because I look at the larger picture which suggests these services are less expensive to provide, per resident, when people live in such higher density environments.

Think about it, 500 people living on one block, versus 16 people on a typical block of the same size in suburbia.. Most of these urban dwellers don’t have children or require massive road widening from excessive driving. As someone in my 30’s, I’m happy to see this direction towards more infill development over sprawl so that me, my children, and my children’s children can expect to still be able to enjoy the natural resources around us, enjoy locally produced food, and not live in further indebtedness as a result of suburban sprawl and the endless subsidies that sprawl would need over time.

Steve F. is absolutely correct. The South Waterfront was bought and paid for with TIF dollars through the urban renewal area. TIF dollars directly pull money from vital services including schools and county services. It’s one reason why the state legislature now requires school districts to sign off on any extension of an urban renewal area.

This is all to say that you might want to research what is really happening before scolding people who know a lot more than you do.

So I guess if they’re going to make it some kind of biodome experiment where the people that live there have to learn how to survive with just a convenience store, a poodle poop park and some overpriced restaurants, then it may be attractive to… yeah I dunno, that’s a tough one. I really can’t think of anyone that would willingly pay that much money to live in an overpriced condo without a car and be effectively walled in by a river, a freeway and several ugly concrete buildings. I guess that’s the price for sustainable living…