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OED News
The Reach of Washington’s Global Health Sector: Release of Global Health Strategic Mapping and Economic Opportunity PortfolioToday the Washington Global Health Alliance (WGHA) and City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED) released their recently completed Global Health Strategic Mapping and Economic Opportunity Portfolio , which quantifies the remarkable reach of Washington’s global health sector, as well as identifies business opportunities for local companies in global health. The Strategic Mapping Portfolio expands upon a 2009 mapping study, with 59 organizations and businesses across Washington State participating, from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Seattle BioMed, to Cascade Designs and SonoSite. “Even in these tough economic times, the global health sector continues to grow, create jobs and offer business opportunities,” said Lisa Cohen, executive director of the Washington Global Health Alliance. “We’re excited about new collaborations and partnerships between organizations and businesses already involved in global health and those outside of the sector.” To view the full press release, click here. Global Health Market Opportunity Assessment and Road Map for Washington State 2011 Strategic Mapping Portfolio Global Health Market Opportunities WGHA Member Organizations Interconnections Global Health Impact By The Numbers Washington Global Health Alliance website  September 13, 2011 City invests to revitalize historic INS building, preserve artist workspaceIn a press event on September 7, Mayor Mike McGinn joined community and business leaders from the Chinatown/International District and Pioneer Square neighborhoods to announce the city's investment in the INSCAPE project to revitalize the historic INS building at 815 Airport Way South. Once completed, the building will lease studios to over 100 creative professionals including architects, designers, photographers, and others. Around forty-five spots have already been reserved. The Office of Economic Development invested $10 million in New Markets Tax Credits and $3 million in HUD Section 108 loan funds. "This project is a win for jobs in Seattle, for ensuring local artists have affordable workspace, for revitalizing our Chinatown/International District and Pioneer Square neighborhoods, and for celebrating our local history," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "I thank Representative McDermott and Senator Cantwell for their support of the New Markets Tax Credits program, a strong federal incentive to help support Seattle's fragile economic recovery." To view the full press release, click here.   September 7, 2011 City invests in Bullitt Center - green investments part of Seattle Jobs PlanMayor Mike McGinn helped break ground for the Bullitt Center, a project of the Bullitt Foundation. The Bullitt Center is projected to be the greenest commercial building in the world, at 1501 East Madison Street. "The Bullitt Center project will create green jobs on every level - the construction workers who will receive green building training onsite, the future employees in the building and the people in the green building industry who will attend classes and receive green building certificates at the project's Center for Energy and Urban Ecology," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "I am proud of the work my office and city staff did to help make today's groundbreaking possible. I thank Representative McDermott and Senator Cantwell for their support of the New Markets Tax Credits program, a strong federal incentive to help support Seattle's fragile economic recovery." The project is estimated to create 94 direct construction jobs and support 141 direct permanent jobs. The Office of Economic Development has invested $10 million in New Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs) through Seattle Investment Fund LLC that helped leverage private financing, including Recovery Zone Bonds, which lessened the cost of borrowed funds, and helped develop a green jobs program. "As part of the Seattle Jobs Plan we are focused on investments that help us create a sustainable economy with shared prosperity," said Steve Johnson, director of the Office of Economic Development. "This project, with its green ethic, job creation and green job training is a great example of the type of project in which we are looking to invest." To view the entire press release, click here.  August 29, 2011 Seattle is Innovating, Educating and Building Its Way Into the 21st Century: McGinn's Seattle Jobs Program Yielding ResultsOn the first year anniversary of the launch of the Seattle Jobs Plan, Mayor Mike McGinn joined business, labor, and community leaders to celebrate the progress made in the first year of the Plan and to talk about what is coming next in the City's efforts to support job creation in Seattle. "This recession is deep and long. We have to build on our strengths to help Seattle compete in the global economy. And we need to do so in a way that allows more people to participate in economic success, as well as demonstrate environmental leadership," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "We can't win a race to the bottom. We'll win through innovation, education, and next generation infrastructure like broadband and transit." "Seattle's economic health is dependent on healthy small businesses, growth and expansion of our key industry sectors, and skilled workers that meet the needs of industry," said Steve Johnson, director of the Office of Economic Development. "Economic recovery remains a top priority, and the city and its partners are committed to further implementing the key strategies of the Seattle Jobs Plan." The Seattle Jobs Plan is attacking the issue of jobs creation and economic development from many different angles including:
To view the entire press release, click here. Read the full one-year report: Read the Seattle Economic Indicators: Visit the Jobs Plan website  August 25, 2011 2010 Annual report highlighting the work of OED's growseattle Business Retention and Expansion program2010 was the first year for this program. To achieve our goal of growing Seattle-based companies, we prioritized direct support to individual companies to help them access capital, expand into new markets, and navigate government. We started the program in May of 2010 with a target of 500 businesses, and we conducted 478 visits, which is 96% of the 2010 targeted visits. Our report covers what types of services we provided, key issues and trends we saw with the businesses, and a few of our success stories. To view the entire report, click here.  August 9, 2011 Only in Seattle marketing campaign highlights "hidden gems" in eight new neighborhoodsOn July 27, 2011 the city of Seattle the City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development (OED) launched the 2011 Only in Seattle marketing campaign, which is a celebration of Seattle's locally-owned "hidden gem" retail shops and restaurants that help shape Seattle's unique neighborhoods. This year's campaign features 36 new businesses in eight Seattle neighborhoods, including: Belltown, Capitol Hill, Chinatown/International District, Madison Valley, Phinney/Greenwood, Queen Anne, South Lake Union and the University District. The businesses featured in the campaign all deliver one-of-a-kind experiences and range from wine shops to butchers to the home of one of the largest video collections in the world. New to the campaign this year, an Only in Seattle Facebook and Only in Seattle Twitter account will supplement the information available on OnlyinSeattle.org. As new neighborhoods are featured, followers and fans will not only discover more about the businesses that are part of the campaign, but will also receive announcements about discounts, special events, new business openings and neighborhood news. The Only in Seattle campaign, which launched in 2010, seeks to showcase Seattle's most unique spots that represent some of the best of Seattle's independent stores and restaurants. The campaign's "buy local" mission not only encourages people to shop locally, but more importantly, aims to inspire people to discover and explore new neighborhoods and businesses throughout the city. By the end of the summer, the campaign will grow to spotlight 58 businesses in 13 different neighborhoods on the project website: OnlyinSeattle.org. "Locally owned small businesses help build strong neighborhoods," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "By shopping and dining at local businesses, we can keep dollars within the community and help forge a sense of pride and ownership among Seattleites about where we live." To view the full press release, please click here. Don't forget to check out the Only in Seattle Facebook and Twitter. Please visit the official Only in Seattle website for more information on the campaign. July 27, 2011 One-year highlight of Pioneer Square Revitalization Strategy reveals progress in broadband availability, crime reduction, and improvements to neighborhoodLast week, Mayor Mike McGinn provided a one-year update on the progress of Pioneer Square 2015, A Strategy for Seattle's First Neighborhood. This report, originally released in June 2010, laid out action items that would revitalize Pioneer Square as a destination for new jobs, residents, and nightlife. The mayor gave a progress update and also laid out his priorities for continuing this strategy in the next 18 months. One local company, Onehub, is moving from Bellevue to Seattle and excited about the increased high-speed Internet. "Onehub is very excited to be moving its headquarters to Pioneer Square," said Charles Mount, CEO of Onehub. "Pioneer Square has become the place to be for Seattle startups. The neighborhood has great character, accessibility by public transportation, affordable office space and now, thanks to the city, high-speed Internet that is essential to Onehub and other technology startups." "The business and community leaders of Pioneer Square have really come together around this shared vision for improving Pioneer Square, and we're pleased to continue to partner with the Office of Economic Development and the city to make more improvements for our businesses and residents a reality," said Charles Royer, Co-Chair of the board of the Alliance for Pioneer Square. For the full press release, click here. To view the one-year update of both the city and community actions of the Pioneer Square 2015, A Strategy for Seattle's First Neighborhood, click here. To view the original Pioneer Square 2015, A Strategy for Seattle's First Neighborhood, click here. June 15, 2011 Mayor announces new redevelopment coming to Capitol HillMayor Mike McGinn announced an agreement between the City and Capitol Hill Housing (CHH) to make the Seattle Police Department's East Precinct parking lot available for redevelopment into a mixed-use, transit-oriented development to include affordable housing, retail, arts and community space. The announcement makes the lot available for future redevelopment for the first time. An announcement on funding details will occur later in 2011. “This is a win for lower-income Seattle residents, community space, artists and the Capitol Hill neighborhood as a whole,” said McGinn. “I've heard from many residents who felt that we could do a better job in removing City obstacles to redeveloping this site. And I'm happy today to report back to the community that we are taking action to help support such a vibrant Seattle neighborhood.” Located on 12th Avenue and Pine Street, the 29,000 square foot site is currently utilized by the SPD as a parking lot, fueling station and mobile command center. Under the agreement, CHH will develop mixed-use building with ground-floor retail, performance art space and at least 85 affordable apartments over the garage. CHH and the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce also plan to occupy office space on the ground floor. The building will also contain a parking garage and storage space for exclusive police use. For the full press release, please click here. June 1, 2011 Life Sciences and Global Health growth and activity in South Lake Union surpasses expectationsToday Mayor Mike McGinn met with stakeholders to discuss ongoing city actions to create jobs in the healthcare, global health and life sciences industries, and create opportunities for Seattle residents to earn these high quality jobs. An economic impact study of South Lake Union and an analysis of Seattle's life sciences and global health industries show continued growth in these sectors. "Building on our strengths is an important part of the Seattle Jobs Plan," said McGinn. "The success in South Lake Union with the life sciences and global health sector is an example of successful public-private partnership. We are committed to continued engagement with industry and community leaders on issues of job training, power reliability, zoning, transportation infrastructure and urban design to continue this momentum." Click here to view the South Lake Union Development Update (2004-2010). Click here to view the Strategic Situation Assessment - Positioning Downtown Seattle as a Growing Center for Life Sciences and Global Health Research. For the full press release detailing the city's actions to continue to support these important industry sectors, please click here. May 26, 2011 2011 Mayor's Film Award Recipient Announced: Jennifer RothSeattle's Office of Film + Music announced the 2011 recipient of the 6th Annual Mayor's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film: Jennifer Roth. "Jennifer's impressive film career, her championship of Seattle as a thriving place to make movies, and her commitment to the local film and arts community make her an obvious honoree this year," said James Keblas, director of the Office of Film + Music. Jennifer Roth Filmography:
The 6th Annual Mayor's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film will be presented officially by Mayor Mike McGinn during the opening ceremony of the Seattle International Film Festival, to be held this year on Thursday, May 19, 2011 at McCaw Hall. For the full press release, click here. April 22, 2011 Seattle wins $11 million in federal New Markets Tax CreditsThe United States Treasury announced that the City of Seattle received an award of $11 million in federal New Markets Tax Credits. These credits will be invested in commercial and mixed-use projects in neighborhoods where the economic need is greatest. These tax credits give us an important tool to help local businesses create jobs and build toward the future," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "This is one of the ways we are answering President Obama's call to win the future. Our Office of Economic Development deserves thanks for pursuing these funds to help build a better Seattle." For more on the New Markets Tax Credit program, please visit www.seattleinvestmentfund.com. For the full press release, click here. February 24, 2011 Mayor announces $1 million investment in neighborhood business districts. Seattle Jobs Plan funding improves business climate and creates jobs. Mayor McGinn speaking to invested community members at Thompson's Point of View Mayor Mike McGinn joined neighborhood business district leaders and local business owners at Thompson's Point of View in Seattle's Central District to announce a $1 million investment in 18 neighborhood business districts as part of the Seattle Jobs Plan. "We all love Seattle's neighborhood business districts," Mayor McGinn said. "The programs we're announcing today not only help these specific neighborhoods, but create jobs and add to the vitality of our entire city." To view the full press release, please click here. Watch Seattle Channel's coverage of the event at Thompson's Point of View. February 16, 2011 City launches Only in Seattle marketing campaign highlighting "hidden gem" neighborhood stores and restaurantsOn November 16, 2010, the city of Seattle and its neighborhood business district partners launched the Only in Seattle marketing campaign, a visually lush celebration of the many locally owned "hidden gem" retail shops and restaurants in Seattle's unique neighborhoods. Inspired by the "buy local" movement, the city's Office of Economic Development (OED) worked with local business owners and neighborhood leaders to develop a campaign that would inspire people to discover and explore new neighborhoods and businesses that make up Seattle's diverse retail community. The initial campaign features locally owned businesses in five Seattle neighborhoods: Ballard, Columbia City, Georgetown, Rainier Valley and West Seattle. The Office of Economic Development promotes a healthy business environment for neighborhood business districts and business organizations, and works to help grow and strengthen the business community in Seattle neighborhoods. The Only in Seattle campaign is only one of numerous OED-funded projects and activities that improve business districts. The Only in Seattle campaign also supports goals articulated in the Seattle Jobs Plan, a vision for sustainable, next-generation economic development that emphasizes the city's commitment to supporting Seattle's vibrant neighborhoods - the places where small businesses thrive, communities engage, and jobs are created. To view the full press release, please click here. Please visit the official Only in Seattle website for more information on the campaign. Watch Seattle Channel's coverage of the Only In Seattle launch event at Stellar Pizza. November 16, 2010 Grow Seattle Fund Provides Nearly $2 Million to West Seattle ThriftwayOn Thursday, November 4, 2010, the city's Office of Economic Development and the National Development Council (NDC) announced a Grow Seattle Fund loan of $1.98 million to West Seattle Thriftway, an independent grocery store. The nearly $2 million loan will provide much needed capital to improve Thriftway's energy efficiency, ultimately transitioning it to greener business operations and retaining as many as 120 local well-paying jobs. Business financing and supporting small businesses is a key component of the mayor's Seattle Jobs Plan. "Helping our local businesses grow and retain jobs is a critical part of my Seattle Jobs Plan, which focuses on creating a sustainable economy with shared prosperity" said Mayor Mike McGinn. "The Grow Seattle Fund is an example of the city being creative and innovative in supporting local businesses, and West Seattle Thriftway fits exactly with our expectations. This loan allows them to both improve the energy efficiency in their store and retain 120 good paying jobs." The Grow Seattle Fund was established in 2009 by the Office of Economic Development and the NDC, and with community partners including King County and the Seattle Foundation, in response to tight credit markets that were impeding small and medium-sized businesses from accessing financing. "The city has a variety of new financing program options available to assist small, medium and large businesses for everything from funding equipment purchases to energy efficiency improvements, to working capital and even development projects," said Steve Johnson, director of the City's Office of Economic Development. "In addition to financing, OED offers a variety of services for businesses to START | GROW | or GREEN your business." To view the full press release, please click here. November 4, 2010 OED formally accepts $1 million grant for energy efficiency programsOn Monday, October 4, 2010, the Seattle City Council passed legislation that authorizes the City of Seattle's formal acceptance of a $1 million grant award from the Washington State Department of Commerce's $4.96 million energy credit enhancement program. Over the past year, the city's Office of Economic Development (OED) and the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) have developed loan programs for commercial and residential energy efficiency projects and have secured funding sources to capitalize these programs. OSE applied for and received a $20 million grant from the federal Department of Energy, the acceptance of which was authorized by the Seattle City Council in Ordinance 123360. This $1 million grant will build significantly on this effort by leveraging an additional $8 million to support the city's commercial and residential energy efficiency projects. "We are prioritizing our efforts on businesses with high energy costs such as grocery stores, restaurants and cold storage facilities, said Steve Johnson, director of the city's Office of Economic Development. "This additional financing source will help businesses improve their bottom line through lower energy costs, and can be used with other tools to save them even more money." To view the full press release, please click here. October 4, 2010 OED launches website for Seattle Investment Fund - portal for federal New Markets Tax Credits informationOn Thursday, September 30, OED launched a website for the Seattle Investment Fund LLC, a limited liability company created by the City of Seattle to help create a robust economy and broadly shared prosperity through investments of federal New Markets Tax Credits. OED has $40 million in NMTCs available for business and real estate projects in low-income communities that fit several criteria around project readiness, geographic area, and public benefit. Through this website, one can access information about the Fund, eligibility criteria for projects, and more. Visit the Seattle Investment Fund LLC website at www.seattleinvestmentfund.com. September 30, 2010 Mayor Mike McGinn unveils Seattle Jobs plan, growseattle portal makes a debutOn Tuesday, August 24, Mayor Mike McGinn announced details of the Seattle Jobs Plan, a vision for next-generation economic development that creates a sustainable economy with shared prosperity in Seattle and the Puget Sound region. It consists of a framework of new and existing policies, programs, engagement strategies, and investments that, together, will help create quality jobs, protect the environment, and ensure that taxpayers get true value from the city of Seattle's public investments. The Seattle Jobs Plan is focused on making critical investments in workforce development and training for local residents, entrepreneurial activity, key sectors of our economy, and next generation infrastructure. The Mayor announced the Seattle Jobs Plan Tuesday morning at Cascade Designs, Inc., a leading manufacturer of outdoor equipment located in the heart of the Duwamish manufacturing and industrial center.  The full Seattle Jobs Plan and executive summary can be found at www.seattle.gov/jobsplan. Also Tuesday, the Office of Economic Development (OED) officially launched www.growseattle.com, our new business web portal for new and existing businesses to access needed City services and programs. The web portal, combined with our new Business Advocacy Team, are available now to assist businesses. We have also revamped the look of OED's website, www.seattle.gov/economicdevelopment, to reflect our new "Grow Seattle" brand and web identity.  View a couple of articles that highlight this launch from:
Also, view an interview that OED Acting Director, Steve Johnson had with the Puget Sound Business Journal, after the launch.  August 30, 2010 Support and celebrate the South Park neighborhoodThe South Park Bridge, originally opened in 1931, was closed on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 to all forms of traffic. The Office of Economic Development (OED) is working to help local South Park businesses affected by the closure. During and after the closure, OED will be collaborating with other City departments, ECOSS, South Park businesses, and community leaders on comprehensive strategies and techniques to activate street life, make physical improvements to the area, and bring people into South Park. Download the Office of Economic Development's "Assistance for South Park Businesses" flyers. Versions (PDF): Please click on the South Park image below to learn more about South Park, the bridge closure, and what the City and community are doing to help the area.
July 19, 2010 OED announces investments in business districts to beautify, attract shoppersOn Thursday, July 15, the Office of Economic Development (OED) announced more than $160,000 in investments in neighborhood business districts at a celebration with Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith and business district organization leaders at the Wing Luke Asian Museum. The 2010 Neighborhood Business District awards will be used for a variety of projects designed to help small businesses thrive in Seattle, including organizational development projects, beautification and branding with light pole banners and signal box art, and a new, multi-neighborhood buy local marketing effort that will increase shoppers' awareness of local businesses across the city.
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