Supporting industry & reaching out to Seattle’s major employers. The City passed the Industrial Jobs Initiative, preserving Seattle’s industrial lands for industrial businesses and family wage jobs by setting new limits for commercial development in our industrial centers. With our partners, Seattle First and enterpriseSeattle, the City conducted on-site visits and provided assistance to more than 315 Seattle businesses, including the NOAA Marine Center, the K2 Sports’ distribution center, MicroPlanet’s new R&D facility, and Swedish Medical Center’s new orthopedic center. South Lake Union. Between 2004 and 2007 more than 4.3 million square feet of new homes, offices, labs and retail space have either been built or are under construction in South Lake Union, outpacing 2003 projections of 3 million square feet. The 2003 study also projected 6,400 jobs would be created between 2000 and 2007; instead nearly 7,000 jobs have been created. Revitalizing Northgate. In 2007, the Northgate Mall completed a major expansion, adding 100,000 square feet of new retail space, a new garage, better pedestrian pathways, and natural drainage features in its west parking lot. Construction started on the South Lot for a large mixed-use project, including a 14-screen cinema, apartments and townhouses; and the Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel. Focusing on Southeast Seattle. The City awarded nearly $8 million to two housing projects that will contribute to the revitalization of Rainier Valley. The Chubby & Tubby Apartments and the Douglas Apartments, both located near light rail stations, will be affordable to a range of working families. The City also provided first-time homebuyer loans to 22 households in southeast Seattle. More than $12.2 million has been given to assist 167 businesses disrupted by light rail construction. Of the businesses who received assistance from the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund to re-locate their business, 50 percent have relocated within the Rainier Valley. Moving forward in South Park. Our investments in South Park are moving forward and having an enormous impact on the community. The Late Night Program at the South Park Community Center attracts an average of 80 kids per night and the Boxing Club has been expanded and renovated. A group of residents was awarded a $50,000 Neighborhood Matching Fund grant to increase awareness and involvement in the South Park Action Agenda. Promoting the music industry. Seattle music enjoyed a great year in 2007 with more live music, more recorded music and more local music being sold and heard around the world than ever before. The Mayor moved the Vera Project to the Seattle Center, where it has become a national model for youth music programming with 17,000 kids participating in the music programs annually. The City also launched the Local Music Show on the Seattle Channel, a monthly video program of local music aired on TV, Web and video-podcast; and established a Nightclub Technical Assistance program to help nightclubs succeed in a growing city. Promoting the film industry. Seattle’s film industry is growing, contributing $14.5 million in combined total production budgets and 490 jobs. Permitting was up 40 percent from 2006, including three feature films, three Movies of the Week for television, and two major commercial productions. Welcoming North Highline. In 2007, the City continued its efforts toward annexing North Highline neighborhoods, including White Center and Boulevard Park and confirmed North Highline as a “Potential Annexation Area.” The City entered into an agreement with the King County Library System for the transfer of the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries to Seattle at the time of annexation. Neighborhood revitalization. The City invested a total of $8.84 million in funding for the 17th & Jackson project in the Central Area; the Northgate South Commons project in the Northgate area; and the Family Services’ Rotary Center for Families in southeast Seattle, supporting a total of 204 new jobs, 115 affordable housing units, 61,000 square feet of new commercial space, and leveraging more than $150 million in additional investment. Creating jobs. From 2002-2007, Seattle Jobs Initiative has placed more than 2,970 individuals in permanent jobs – the majority with benefits and at an average starting wage of more than $12 per hour. Supporting small contractors. From 2004-2007, the City provided $42.1 million in financial assistance to small and disadvantaged construction contractors through the Contractors’ Development and Competitiveness Center. Strengthening neighborhood business districts. To encourage investment in neighborhood businesses from 2003 to 2007, the City helped fund more than 107 completed façade improvement projects in seven neighborhoods, worth more than $814,475 in public investment. From 2003 to 2007, 90 business organizations received more than $767,600 in Neighborhood Business District Funding Awards. Work on the Broadway Action Agenda continues, with the City investing more than $200,000 in 2007 for efforts including community clean-up campaigns, work on the formation of a Capitol Hill Improvement District, and negotiations with Sound Transit for mitigating disruption to businesses during light rail construction. Supporting Seattle’s history & heritage. Six Seattle neighborhoods – Southeast Seattle, Ravenna, Columbia City, South Park, Ballard, and West Seattle – marked the centennials of their annexation to the city. Colorful street banners commemorated the milestone throughout Seattle neighborhoods. Plans are under way to restore the historic King Street Station to its past glory, and ensure it remains a vital transportation hub and portal to Seattle for the century to come. Saving Mercer Arena. The aging and mothballed Mercer Arena will be transformed into a new home for Seattle Opera Operations thanks to a 30-year agreement with Seattle Opera. The Opera will make approximately $40 million in capital improvements to renovate or replace the 80-year-old facility. Annual rent paid on the building will help support Seattle Center, and the Opera will pay ongoing maintenance and utility costs currently covered by the City. Engaging Seattle’s creative community. In 2007, the City invested in nearly 250 artists and arts and cultural organizations, supporting more than 3,600 events, classes and community festivals featuring 13,487 artists and serving an audience of well more than 1 million, including 182,600 students and youth.