Belltown hopes new park can curb violent crimes
SEATTLE -- An early Tuesday morning shooting dealt another set-back to crime-fighting efforts in Belltown.
A lot of Belltown neighbors say the dope dealing and nuisance crimes are getting better; not so with violent crimes.
But a plan to turn the troubled Bell Street into a public park could help.
Lucie Cehman says she had to watch her back when she opened a deli at Third and Bell three years ago. Worst was the drug-dealing outside her shop, but she says police have turned that around.
"They always come and check with us here if we have any problems, if we need any help with anything," Cheman said.
Newly available police statistics show property crimes are falling citywide, but violent crimes like homicides and assaults are on a troubling rise.
Saturation patrols along Third avenue and a focus on repeat criminals has cut 911 calls 10 percent in the neighborhood. Now, an effort to transform Bell Street into a walkable park could help even more.
"Folks want a safe corridor, they want a vibrant corridor, and they want a green corridor," said Joelle Hammerstad. "And so those were the principals we used."
The proposed park would run down Bell from 1st to 5th Avenues. Car traffic would drop to a single lane, with the space going to landscaped gardens and cafe-style seating.
That could attract tourists and drive-out the criminal element.
"It's a lot of slow, gradual, incremental improvement," Brian Zuagg said. "Ideally the park could be part of that."
The park's potential impact on crime comes with a cost, including the loss of 50 parking spaces. Another problem is that construction begins this spring, just as the tourist season hits full swing.
That could hurt Belltown businesses in the short term, but Behman is looking down the road.
"So if this will be a tourist area, this street, so it will get more business for us here," Cheman said.
City officials are talking with neighbors about that disputed construction timeline, and why delays could push-up the park's cost by a half-million dollars.
A lot of Belltown neighbors say the dope dealing and nuisance crimes are getting better; not so with violent crimes.
But a plan to turn the troubled Bell Street into a public park could help.
Lucie Cehman says she had to watch her back when she opened a deli at Third and Bell three years ago. Worst was the drug-dealing outside her shop, but she says police have turned that around.
"They always come and check with us here if we have any problems, if we need any help with anything," Cheman said.
Newly available police statistics show property crimes are falling citywide, but violent crimes like homicides and assaults are on a troubling rise.
Saturation patrols along Third avenue and a focus on repeat criminals has cut 911 calls 10 percent in the neighborhood. Now, an effort to transform Bell Street into a walkable park could help even more.
"Folks want a safe corridor, they want a vibrant corridor, and they want a green corridor," said Joelle Hammerstad. "And so those were the principals we used."
The proposed park would run down Bell from 1st to 5th Avenues. Car traffic would drop to a single lane, with the space going to landscaped gardens and cafe-style seating.
That could attract tourists and drive-out the criminal element.
"It's a lot of slow, gradual, incremental improvement," Brian Zuagg said. "Ideally the park could be part of that."
The park's potential impact on crime comes with a cost, including the loss of 50 parking spaces. Another problem is that construction begins this spring, just as the tourist season hits full swing.
That could hurt Belltown businesses in the short term, but Behman is looking down the road.
"So if this will be a tourist area, this street, so it will get more business for us here," Cheman said.
City officials are talking with neighbors about that disputed construction timeline, and why delays could push-up the park's cost by a half-million dollars.
How about better lighting and opera music. Bangers have a difficult time acting hard when they can't hear themselves "disrespecting" over the opera music. Or broadway musicals! Or how about shutting down the clubs they flock to?
This is a joke, right? Someone at KOMO posted an Onion article in advance of April Fool's Day, right? Please tell me this is a lame attempt to tease us.
Ok, so we'll need some new parks in: Belltown, Pioneer Square, another one by that park next to the Public Market, one by Mercer/Denny area, International District, Beacon Hill, Rainier Beach, MLK&Henderson area, one along University Way, all along Aurora Ave up to Greenlake, hmmmm am I missing anywhere?
 @todaysnews Yes, 600 4th Ave.Â
The last real upgrade to that part of town was having the monorail run overhead...
Stop & Frisk more likely to have an impact rather than a park.
You know what that park will attract? Those meddling kids in their van with that mangy dog. Better get out of here boys before they bust us.
WWSD WHat Would Scooby Do?
Didn't read the whole article or many of the comments...but adding a park to a troubled area makes no sense to me. It only allows the bad element to hang out on grass rather than asphalt. Â Doesn't deter crime. What a stupid idea. Â
 @magicmarker It wasn't a long article. How can you comment without reading it?Â
Mass executions would be a better solution........
This idea is the epitome of Seattle politics and politicians. The ONLY way to curb violence and the criminal element in Seattle proper is to get the cops out of their damn cars and ACTUALLY walking a beat in the neighborhoods. I for one would feel a whole lot safer knowing that there were and are cops walking my neighborhood but this also means that these cops should also be approachable and interact with the public and not be a wall flower like I often see the cops especially DT.It's pretty apparent that the city council and the mayor are worried more about the cities urban image than actually improving the image that Seattle has become, One of police thuggery, rampant crime with no implementation to curb let alone alleviate it and the ongoing push and pull between the OPA and the Chief ( nazi ) Diaz.
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Do we REALLY need another damn Park? No we need a city council and a mayor that will actually use their f**** brains and realize that we have a much bigger issue facing this city and it's NOT whether or not we need another .2 acre park in an area of the city that will be frequented by criminals and bad elements and not the soccer mom/s and newborns of Issaquah and other more affluent areas.
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Hey Seattle " elected " officials...... Get your head out of your donors asses and actually take a look around at the problem we really have or come the next election, you WILL BE REPLACED!!!!
 There was a park at 4th and Bell (or very close by) that was completely overwhelmed by local troublemakers- it's now a dog park for the last several years.  Losing 50 parking spaces in this area would keep a lot of people out of the area as it's pretty hard to park a car there as it is.  Seems to me the concrete jungle crowd now wants more open space and the several parks in the area are too far and the crime issue is just an excuse. If the police are checking in with them, they are getting much better service from the police than many people in Seattle.Â
How about forcing Seattle police to live in Seattle- maybe then they'll actually care about the neighborhoods in the city where they draw their paycheck. They certainly make enough money to afford the costs unlike many people.Â
It's a bit of a tourist area already, for criminals. Yeah sure, criminals are so scared of parks! These idiot politicians scare me more than the criminals!
This is ridiculous! So much so that I can't even make a witty comment about it.
"... drive-out the criminal element.."
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Where do they think the criminals and the homeless will go, to Boise? They'll just move over to Ballard or other densely populated areas within Seattle.Â
If every good person in Belltown went down from their condos and shot just one drug dealer problem solved!! Yeah I said it.
EPIC FAIL!!!
That will work now the headlines will read "an overnight shooting in belltown park"
New park in Belltown = New homeless shelter in Belltown.
Yes, lets take the money that could be spent on more police patrols and put it into a park. Did this park start off as being anti crime or a way to lure in more people to the local shops and the anti crime was an after thought to get people on board when people complained of the cost and the loos of traffic lanes. I can see the mayor having a play in taking away traffic lanes. I can also see the mangled thinking that we don't have to pay for more police and that we don't have to pay for more policeman's retirement funds.Â
You want to curb violent (and other) crime? Start with replacing the judges and prosecutors. Come up with a fair law curbing the decades of delays for executions and stop recycling violent offenders. On the other hand you could put a park in bell town. (I almost choked on that one).    Â
YES ! ! ! BRILLIANT ! ! ! We all know that downtown parks have forcefields around them that make crime impossible ! Seriously, I'll bet the first body in this new park will be found in less that 30 days after it opens.
It's real simple - stay away.
This is a great idea! Everybody knows that criminals never operate in parks. Iâm glad they didnât waste the money on something silly and useless like more police officers. Seattle has finally gotten serious about being tough on crime. I feel much safer.
What a joke.
Geeze here we go again with Belltown its been a rat hole for the past 100 years and putting new paint on something changes nothing...
Sounds like the crooks will have a much nicer place to shoot each other.
That's a totally discriminatory statement against stabbers...
 @Throbbinhood LOL.Â
 @Throbbinhood The current plans don't provide enough space for the stabbers. Another park is going to have to be built on Blanchard to accomodate the overflow.
I think they need you on the city council!
I lived 2 blocks from there - they are NUTS. Â Total waste of resources, only the criminal element will go there. Â Why on earth would tourists go there? Â Tourists are walking north-south from Pike Place Market or Westlake to Seattle Center, they are not going to take an east-west detour to get there. Â Won't happen. Â We're only a block from the Sculpture Park now, thank goodness, and it feels much, much safer.
Our weak society is very skilled at sugar-coating problems
A park? You'd have to be a criminal mastermind to figure out a way to commit crime in an area with a park nearby.
Nice! A place for the criminal element to congregate, some benches to hang out on--no more standing, a little greenery for people to urinate in, and of course, "cafe-style" seating for those people who think saying it'll be a safe, vibrant, green place to eat deli sandwiches will make it so.
"And so those were the principals we used."
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Um...principles maybe?Â