HomeMy WebLinkAbout24_Mayors Newsletter_0105172016 was a very good year for the City of Renton
As we move into a new year, it’s worth looking back at some of the positive things that occurred in our
community in 2016.
The Boeing Company celebrated its 100th anniversary, 75 of those years in our city. As the state’s largest
employer, Boeing has played a significant role in our community for the past seven-plus decades,
providing quality careers for thousands of people. There was a time when nearly every family had
members, or at least close friends, employed by Boeing. And while the local workplace has significantly
diversified in recent years, aerospace continues to be the foundation of the state’s economy.
Production of the Next-Generation 737 and the new 737 MAX will reach 47 airplanes a month in Renton
in 2017, with plans to reach an astonishing 52 airplanes per month in 2018. It’s great to be able to brag
that every 737 flying around the world was
built in our community and took its maiden
flight from the Renton Municipal Airport.
The biggest news for Renton in 2016 has
been new development and jobs. There are
billions of private investment dollars being
spent on a number of projects currently
underway, including three new hotels and
several major office complexes. A spring
opening is planned for the Hyatt Regency
at Southport on Lake Washington which will
be one of the nicest hotels and conferencing
centers in the entire region.
Group Health is completing a large office campus and pharmaceutical distribution center in the valley,
which will result in about 1,500 new local jobs, and IKEA will soon be opening its new 420,000 square
foot retail store. Valley Medical Center is beginning a major redevelopment that will provide Renton
with a new, state-of-the-art cancer treatment center.
We opened our second new library, this one in the Highlands as part of the Sunset redevelopment
project that will provide long overdue public and private investment in this community. The project
includes quality new housing for all income levels anchored by a beautiful, 4-acre community park.
Revitalization of Renton’s downtown community has been a city priority for decades, dating back to
when major retailers fled city centers to create shopping malls. There has been significant progress
towards this vision. A beautiful mixed-use development will soon open at South Second Street and
Main Street, with market-rate housing above retail stores. Work will begin soon to transform South
Main Street from Third Avenue north to Mill Street from one-way into two-way traffic. Part of creating
a pedestrian friendly downtown that is vibrant day and night, seven days a week, requires diverting
commuter traffic away from downtown streets.
The Cartona Building (former Renton Western
Wear) has completed a beautiful renovation
and new tenants are already in the building.
Other buildings in downtown have been sold,
or are in the process of being sold, with exciting
plans for future development. The former city
hall property at 200 Mill St. may be sold for a
quality development project and the Transit
Center will be moved this year to Grady Way,
opening up new opportunities in the core of
the downtown.
A very positive partnership between Renton Police and the Renton African-American Pastoral Group
continued to strengthen this past year with a commitment to continue to build and nurture these
relationships. And we made major strides in our goals to be a more inclusive community, working
closely with the Mayor’s Inclusion Task Force on a host of important issues. The most visible success
story for the year was the first Renton Multicultural Festival that was a huge success.
We also made progress in addressing our most vulnerable members of the community, working with
local churches to help provide food for the homeless and temporary space to maintain the operation
of the Renton Clothes Bank, which has served our community since 1965 and was facing closure last
month.
We ended the year with the annual Clam Lights
at Gene Coulon Park and a successful tree
lighting and holiday event in the downtown that
was enjoyed by thousands of local residents.
2017 promises to be another exciting year
as many projects will celebrate with ribbon
cuttings, and additional projects, currently on
the drawing board, will move forward. As a
city, we will continue to find ways to improve our service to our residents and business community,
maintaining our commitment to provide a safe and healthy community for everybody.
JANUARY 5, 2017
This Week
from the Mayor
Denis Law, Mayor
VOL. II, NO. 1
The Lofts at Second and Main will feature market-rate
housing and first floor retail stores. It opens this spring.
Feedback
Comments, questions or suggestions, or
just want to share all the great things that
are happening in the city, please e-mail me.
Thanks for reading.