Written by Today’s Seattle Times included a special column on Renton’s downtown rejuvination, written by Kirkland free-lance writer Jackie Smith.
Click here to read it!
I thought it was cute that she started her tour at the Common Ground, which I had just recommended in the column I posted last night. (see below)
I’d say the writer pretty much captured most of the interesting joints downtown, although I noticed that Lidya’s Boutique now has “For Lease” signs up? Is it going out of business? I never had a chance to venture in — anyone else?
On a semi-related note, I fear that even a moderate earthquake will devastate the older buildings downtown. I lived in Santa Cruz, CA just after the 1989 earthquake, and its downtown was pretty much flattened, with 8 people killed. It’s still recovering, almost 20 years later. I fear the death toll and devastation would be much higher in Renton, given the greater number of apartments above store fronts in unreinforced buildings. Someone told me that the oldest buildings are owned by just a few people, making redevelopment and improvements challenging. But, as Renton continues to reinvent itself, the less-than-stellar condition of some of these buildings will only become more apparent, especially as other buildings are overhauled (like the entire block that Armondo’s is a part of, or the recent freshening-up of the Renton Western Wear store). The City will need to address the issue one way or another.