HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole - 22 Sep 2025 - Agenda - Pdf
CITY OF RENTON
AGENDA - Committee of the Whole Meeting
6:00 PM - Monday, September 22, 2025
7th Floor Conferencing Center
1. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE FOR DOWNTOWN
a) Presentation
Economic
Development
Update
COW, September 22, 2025
Gina Estep, CED Administrator
Amanda Free, ED Director
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Heart
Block
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Heart Block
Projects Update Legacy Square & Gateway
Piazza
Pavilion
Under Construction
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Legacy Square
Activation
Event Management Team
•RFQ Process 9 proposals demonstrating wide-ranging
expertise
•Selected The Workshop & EnJoy Productions Team
approach to management and activation.
•Past Experience Managed major events including Sound
Transit, Mariners, Seahawks, Ivar’s 4th of July Fireworks, West
Seattle Summer Fest and originated Bumbershoot Arts
Festival and Summer Nights at the Pier Concert Series.
•Recommended by Seattle Sports Commission connection
and City Communications Team.
•World Cup Experience Activation for World Cup related
events and activities will be the focus for June and July 2026.
•Post World Cup Activation Support existing community
events and transition into a to Live Entertainment and
Concert series for the remaining summer weekends.
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World Cup
Ready
Region Ready
•Seattle Sport Commission In partnership with the Seattle
FIFA World Cup Local Organizing Committee the FIFA World
Cup 26 Watch Party Playbook was issued on 9/15/25.
•Regional Partnerships Seattle Metro Chamber issuing Game
Day Ready Playbooks for Small Businesses.
•Focus on Heart Block City focus will be on Heart Block
activation.
•Internal Teamwork Heart Block Activation will require
support from multiple city departments : Public Works, Parks,
Police, Communications, and Community and Economic
Development.
•Planning Work will begin on internal planning necessary after
Event Management has set the schedule of events.
•Partnerships Continue to explore community organizations
and partners for events and activation for Legacy Square.
Sounders are interested in partnering for the Grand Opening.
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Vertical World – Recruiting partners
& reimagining the transit center (once Metro relocates)
Why Vertical World?
•Generates high foot traffic -- experiential activation
•Broad appeal: All ages, family friendly, daily
users,popular with Boomers to Gen Z
•Proven PNW locally-owned family business since
1987 -- the first indoor climbing gym in the US
•Complements existing businesses and drives
vitality and livability in the heart of downtown
Next Steps
•Council to surplus the lot, subject to agreed-
upon terms
•Upon approval to surplus, Council to consider the
PSA based on fair market value.
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VisitRenton
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VisitRenton - Renton Community Marketing
Campaign – Preparing for the 2026 launch
•Logo New design developed
through community immersion
and feedback that reflects
Renton's collective spirit.
•Branding Selected colors and
themes rooted in Renton's
character and natural beauty.
•Website Redesign underway to
improve navigation and user
experience.
•Community Calendar Building a
central hub for all Renton events.
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VisitRenton Logo
•Cultural Mosaic – Reflects Renton’s diversity, creativity,
innovation, and welcoming spirit—coming together as a
vibrant whole.
•Hub-and-Spoke Design – Inspired by a map, the logo
positions Renton as “the middle of everywhere,” a central
connector in the region.
•Colors Inspired by Nature – A palette drawn from Renton’s
outdoors, with shades like Cedar River Deep and Coulon
Park Mint.
•Symbolism in the Design –
•Wave at the base = connection to water (lake & river).
•Leg of the “R” = airplane stabilizer, a nod to aerospace history.
•Backbone of the “R” = exclamation point, symbolizing
Renton’s energy and excitement.
Graphic Symbolism
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Building for
World Cup 2026
BUILD THE EXCITEMENT
Startup425 – Is your Business Game Day Ready?
September 25th in partnership with the Chamber
Business Think Tanks – Partnering with Chamber
to outreach and explore opportunities with
business by district
Event listings on VisitRenton – FIFA Takeover!
Business Education
Partnerships
Business Support
Focus on Small Businesses leveraging
and being ready for summer of 2026 AG
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Creative
Economy
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•Legacy Square the future heart
of our public facing Live and
Immersive Arts programing.
•Art of the Square – Celebrating
motion, movement &
community
•Event Coordinator has been
charged to identify events that
"elevate the arts in Renton"
•Hired an art team to develop
design and theme; preparing
an RFP for the art pieces.
•2026 Staffing - Will be pursuing
an internship "Live and
Immersive Arts Program
Specialist"
•Downtown Art - Beyond the
Square.
•Signature mural contract,
•Downtown banner updates,
•New lighting with RDP.
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Arts Events &
Opportunities
•Summer Arts – River Days
Chalk Contest & on-going
monthly Art Lounge
•Art Grant Program –
Completed 4 rounds of
grants in 2025
•Artist Studio Tour –
Successful inaugural event
•Upcoming Events –
•Costume Swap (with
Sustainability Division)
•Costume Contest at Olde
Fashioned Halloween (with
Renton Downtown
Partnership)
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Arts & Culture Master Plan
•Community Engagement & Economic Impact –
Building on past work to ensure projects reflect
community interests and demonstrate value to the
local economy.
•Interdepartmental Team Approach – Investing in a
collaborative team strategy to guide art initiatives.
•Finalizing Plan – Plan will be presented to Council
before the end of the year.
•Next Steps – Outline implementation timeline,
budget considerations, and key project milestones.
Cultivating Renton’s Creative Economy
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Paint With Purpose
Assisting businesses go
from mess to mural.
First ever graffiti removal program
•3 projects in contracting
•Downtown
•Benson Cascade
•Highlands
•1 project fully approved & permitted –
painting starts this week
•Property owners provide matching
funds + 10-year maintenance
•14 artists on the roster (and growing!)
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Philosophy
& Focus
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2025 / 2026 Philosophy & Focus
Acquisition of Compton Lumber property –
Opportunity for Parks Maintenance Shop and
potential resource center
Acquisition of Stoneway property – Opportunity
to build out PROS plan and establish family
focused activation to help build foot traffic
Strong partnerships with local businesses –
Hyatt Floating Pickleball was an idea pitched by
Economic Development
Potential Acquisition of key connection
from Heart Block to the Cedar River ---
Building out the Civic Core Plan
Real Estate Market conditions = Opportunities for
Renton to achieve business plan goals.
Cities can't compete in hot market conditions. Our
focus --- capitalize on current market conditions to
secure and deliver desired future needs
and livability improvements.
Downtown Recruit and drive-up family friendly foot
traffic and elevate the ARTs in Renton.
Strength in numbers Strengthening business
partnerships -- assisting in their success.
Clean and Green Graffiti, clean & safe public spaces,
beautification of our iconic spaces like the Cedar River.
Placemaking Incremental elevation of placemaking
throughout the city, which includes elevating the arts.
Business Recruitment & Retention New hire with sole
focus on recruitment and retention.
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Partnerships &
Innovation
•Floating Pickleball Economic
Development pitched the idea to
the Hyatt and helped connect
the two businesses.
•More Pickleball?? Based on
this summer's success and
partnership, the business
is exploring opening a pickleball
facility in Renton.
•Banners Collaborated with City
Comms Team to create new
updated banners for the
downtown in partnership with
RDP.
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Thank
you!
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