Seattle council approves plan to save The Showbox
Aug 13, 2018, 7:22 AM | Updated: 4:50 pm
The Showbox. (KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
Seattle council members unanimously voted to expand the Pike Place Market Historical District to include the Showbox. Developers want to demolish the music venue and turn it into a 44-story apartment tower.
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“The Showbox isn’t going anywhere,” councilmember Lorena Gonzalez said during Monday’s council vote.
But the plan isn’t permanent — at least not initially. The current proposal calls for The Showbox to be included in the historical district for up to two years. During this time, Seattle wants to study whether to make the move a permanent one.
The city says it wouldn’t be the first time it has expanded the boundary over the years.
The idea was put on the table by a Councilmember Kshama Sawant as efforts to save The Showbox gained momentum.
Developers have filed plans to demolish the iconic downtown Seattle venue and the apartment building.
Last week, Historic Seattle and a few other nonprofits submitted a nomination to give The Showbox landmark status. However, that does not guarantee The Showbox will continue to be used a music venue if saved.
With the current planning process for the proposed demolition and tower construction, Seattle City Council has until October to act.
8-0 UNANIMOUS! The @SeattleCouncil approves expanding the boundaries of the Pike Place Market to include the Showbox. We couldn’t have done it without every tweet, message and signature. YOUR HARD WORK helped us get this passed #SaveTheShowbox
— #SaveTheShowbox (@SaveShowbox) August 13, 2018
KIRO 7 contributed to this report.
