Downtown Preview
Join us as we launch Downtown Preview, a new event and networking series to reconnect you to the city center and each other. The exclusive series will highlight the projects, places and people reshaping and revitalizing downtown — with special early or unique access for DSA members and MID ratepayers.
December 2023: Behind the Curtain at SIFF Cinema
SIFF Cinema Downtown opened in December 2023, after a three-year closure. At our December Preview, DSA members got a sneak peek at renovations, a behind-the-scenes tour and, of course, some chocolate popcorn. SIFF Executive Director Tom Mara, Artistic Director Beth Barrett, and Associate Director of Festivals and Events Carley Callahan offered a brief history of the venue, an explanation of the iconic theater’s amazing AV and a preview of what’s to come.
November 2023: The Office of the Future
Attendees of our November Preview got a peek inside the “office of the future” at Gensler Architects Seattle. The $2.6 million workplace renovation in Park Place is designed for ultimate flexibility and ongoing evolution. Gensler’s co-managing directors and principals Ryan Haines and Kristin Jensen joined the event to share their new office concept and provide tours.
October 2023: A Deep Dive on Lid I-5
Guests of our October event got a deep dive on the monumental initiative to connect downtown’s core with adjacent neighborhoods: Lid I-5. In October 2023, the plan received a major boost as the Seattle City Council passed a resolution to endorse it. Guest speakers included Jack Cebe, development manager with Central Atlanta Progress, Jesse Canedo, chief economic development officer for the city of Bellevue, state Senator Jamie Pedersen and Scott Bonjukian, co-chair of Seattle’s Lid I-5 effort.
August 2023: Inside Cedar Hall with EQ Office
Our August Downtown Preview treated attendees to a special tour of Cedar Hall, a brand-new hospitality experience at the base of the 44-story U.S. Bank Center. Cedar Hall, which comprises the tower’s three-story lobby and entry levels, was designed as a communal meeting place for art, culture and retail. Zach Zaborowski, EQ’s senior vice president and Pacific Northwest, provided insights on the recently completed project and lead a short tour.
June 2023: Inside the Coliseum Theater with XO Seattle
More than 100 attendees joined our preview of XO23 — a temporary, contemporary art gallery in the renovated historic Coliseum Theater — in the former site of Banana Republic. The work of 60-plus artists will be on display in this landmark building through year-end. XO founders also co-created last summer’s popular art show with Forest For The Trees in Pioneer Square.