DSA Access With Feliks Banel
A series focused on issues impacting downtown
A Focus on Downtown Retail
When:
Wednesday, May 21
4–6 p.m.
4:30–5:30 p.m. program with networking before and after
Where:
U.S. Bank Center
1420 Fifth Ave.
Level 2, The Arbor Room
Seattle, WA 98101
Cost:
$40 (includes drinks and appetizers)
Based on your feedback, our DSA Access series has moved off Zoom and to a brand-new event space at U.S. Bank Center in the heart of downtown. In our final event of our three-part spring series, we’ll host a moderated conversation on the state of retail in the center city. Since January 2024, there have been 57 retail and restaurant openings downtown with some recent exciting announcements of more to come this spring and summer.
Join us as we discuss the city’s retail recruitment and retention plans and DSA’s efforts to support the growth and vitality of center city retail. What type of retailers are looking to locate downtown? What are the draws and obstacles? And what can Seattleites look forward to in the coming months? We’ll cover all that and more with moderator Feliks Banel and our panel.
Open to DSA members and MID ratepayers.
Panelists
Tiffini Connell
President, West Coast Commercial Realty
Tiffini is president of West Coast Commercial Realty (WCCR) with offices in Washington and California. In addition to ownership and management, she is an award-winning commercial real estate broker and industry advocate. She has worked on thousands of transactions, amounting to several million square feet. Her company currently represents over 9.5 million square feet of commercial space on an exclusive basis, plus dozens of sought-after and high-profile tenants.
Midge McCauley
Founder, Downtown Works
Midge has been at the forefront of the urban retail industry since her days working with legendary retail developer and real estate visionary Jim Rouse. She is president of Downtown Works, a national retail consulting firm with offices in Seattle. As part of our ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown, DSA recently partnered with Downtown Works to support the growth and vitality of center city retail.
Markham McIntyre
Director, Seattle’s Office of Economic Development
Markham joined OED in early 2022 as interim director and was later promoted to the department’s director in August 2022. In this role he’s leading the mayor’s Downtown Activation plan, which includes a variety of initiatives to address the fentanyl crisis, recruit more street-level businesses to the urban core and create events to draw people back downtown. Prior to this role, he spent nearly a decade at the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce in a variety of roles.
Moderator
Feliks Banel
Historian, Producer & Host, KIRO Newsradio
Feliks Banel is a producer, host and historian for KIRO Newsradio and podcast host/producer for parent company Bonneville/KSL. He was deputy director of MOHAI from 1999-2006 and has produced multiple Emmy-nominated pieces for KCTS and the Seattle Channel.
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Past Events
A Conversation With Seattle Chief of Police Shon Barnes
April 30, 2025
Seattle Chief of Police Shon Barnes was just eight months shy of retirement when opportunity came knocking. As he told DSA members, the chance to lead the Seattle Police Department was too great to pass up. Chief Barnes and DSA President & CEO Jon Scholes discussed the new chief’s perspective on downtown’s public safety challenges; the promising trend of higher applicant numbers; why perception of public safety is important; the work of the CARE department and more.
Meet a Few of Downtown’s New Execs
March. 25, 2025
The spring DSA Access series kicked off on March 25 and featured three leaders recently named to head up major downtown institutions and attractions: Jennifer LeMaster, president & CEO of the Seattle Convention Center; Rachel Ligtenberg, executive director of Pike Place Market PDA; and Scott Stulen, director & CEO of the Seattle Art Museum.
Moderated by KIRO Newsradio host and historian Feliks Banel, the panel discussed what drew each of them to their roles, their upcoming plans for their organizations, the importance of returning downtown and more.
A Council Candidate Conversation
Sept. 26, 2024
It’s election season and ballots will arrive in your mailbox in a matter of weeks. Locally, Seattle voters will be asked to decide between two candidates for the City Council’s citywide Position 8, currently held by Tanya Woo.
Our first DSA Virtual Access of the fall season featured both candidates — Woo and Alexis Mercedes Rinck — for a moderated conversation about issues impacting downtown. Host Feliks Banel and the candidates discussed downtown revitalization; specific measures to address public safety; the city’s budget; voter concerns and more.
Transforming Third Avenue
June 20, 2024
Third Avenue is one of the busiest transit corridors in the country, but it falls well short of being the best pedestrian experience. DSA’s Third Avenue Vision and a recent Urban Land Institute Northwest report are generating renewed momentum for a reimagined corridor. Enhancing public safety, improving maintenance, upgrading infrastructure and creating a more welcoming environment are essential to transforming this critical north-south spine through downtown.
During the final event in our spring Virtual Access series, we heard Vice President of Planning & Community Impact Andrew Iltis from the Downtown Denver Partnership. He spoke about that city’s $172 million renovation of the 16th Street Mall, which has inspired conversations in Seattle. We were also joined by Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess and King County Metro Director of Mobility Chris O’Claire on needed public safety, infrastructure and transportation improvements.
City Council Update — New Council, New Leadership
May 16, 2024
New faces, fresh perspectives and a new president have produced a far different atmosphere, set of priorities and approaches in Seattle City Council chambers. At the second in our spring Virtual Access series presented by Amazon, heard from new Councilmembers about issues impacting downtown, including public safety; the fentanyl crisis; homelessness; the importance of a vibrant downtown for all of Seattle and more. Councilmembers Joy Hollingsworth (District 3), Maritza Rivera (District 4) and Tanya Woo (citywide Position 8) joined us for the discussion.
Peer Downtowns: Issues and Advancements
April 25, 2024
On Thursday, April 25 we kicked off our 2024 spring Virtual Access series presented by Amazon. After a brief winter hiatus, this popular DSA program returned with a discussion on revitalization in peer downtowns; namely, Denver, San Francisco and Philadelphia.
Like downtown Seattle, urban areas across the country are grappling with concurrent — and sometimes intertwined — issues that are impacting revitalization, including the fentanyl crisis, public safety concerns, and lagging office environments. Our panelists discussed those trends and also the positive developments happening in their communities, including growing residential populations, evolving political environments and changes to their retail cores.
Markham McIntyre, director of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, kicked off the meeting with an update on the mayor’s Downtown Activation Plan.
The Transformation of Downtown’s Waterfront
Nov. 16, 2023
If you’ve been near Seattle’s waterfront recently, you’ve seen the amazing transformation taking shape. Our final fall Virtual Access event was a conversation with three of the people involved in achieving this new vision: Seattle Center Director Marshall Foster, Elliott Bay Connections Consultant Leslie Koch, and Friends of Waterfront Seattle President & CEO Joy Shigaki.
Watch the Webinar
Office and Commercial Space in Downtown Seattle
Oct. 26, 2023
Speculation around the potential use of urban commercial space is one of the most persistent post-pandemic issues. What is the potential for conversions to residential? What’s the state of the market? And how are workspaces being designed to further the value of in-person work and collaboration? Our October panel unpacked these questions and more with HKS Seattle Principal & Office Director Doug Demers, Skipstone President A-P Hurd, and Newmark’s Seattle Office Executive Managing Director Jesse Ottele.
Watch the Webinar
Fentanyl: Seattle’s Public Health Emergency
Sept. 21, 2023
King County is on pace for more than 1,000 overdose deaths this year, with most taking place in Seattle due to fentanyl. What’s the status of our community’s efforts to address this crisis? What can we learn from public health officials? The first event in our fall Virtual Access series dug into this difficult issue with UW Center for Community-Engaged Drug Education, Epidemiology and Research Director Caleb Banta-Green, Purpose. Dignity. Action. Medical Director Dr. Cyn Kotarski, and Downtown Emergency Services Center Executive Director Daniel Malone.
Watch the Webinar
Local and National Urban Recovery
May 18, 2023
Our second spring Virtual Access event dug into downtown revitalization — here and across the country. Attendees heard from the head of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development along with experienced urban leaders from across the country. Panelists included University Circle President Kate Borders, and Alliance for Downtown New York President Jessica Lappin.