Five council members float alternate plan for Northgate

By Bob Young
Seattle Times staff reporter

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive

In the continuing battle over how best to redevelop Northgate Mall and the surrounding area, a majority of Seattle City Council members made it clear that they stand with neighborhood groups — and against a deal Mayor Greg Nickels had negotiated with the mall owner.

In a bit of political gamesmanship, five council members took up the mayor's challenge to act on Northgate. They acted, but not in the way Nickels wanted. They outlined a plan yesterday that they said would please community activists and still lead to redevelopment.

"This is not anti-mayor, it's pro-community development," Councilman Nick Licata said at a news conference yesterday. Licata said he wanted to see a more transparent process for mall redevelopment, more housing in the area, and possibly the daylighting of Thornton Creek, which flows through a pipe under the mall's south parking lot.

Leaders of five neighborhood groups signed a letter supporting the council plan, which was largely shaped by Councilman Richard Conlin.

Nickels, the mall owner, developers and other business people said the council blueprint would stymie investment.

"This proposal would take us in the wrong direction by creating more process, and not a single job," Nickels said in a written statement. "If this council won't act, I will work with a new council in January."

Two lame-duck council members — Judy Nicastro and Heidi Wills — along with Council President Peter Steinbrueck, also supported the proposal.

For months, Nickels has prodded the council to approve a deal he privately negotiated with the mall owner, Simon Property Group. The mayor's deal would relax regulations on Simon in exchange for promised redevelopment. Simon also would give the city a 2.7-acre parcel that it could use for open space and storm-water retention.

A top Simon executive said the council plan was unacceptable. "We are not interested in further negotiations," said Arthur Spellmeyer III in a letter to Conlin.

Bruce Lorig, whose company wants to build housing and retail space on a slice of the mall's parking lot, said the disagreement between the council and mayor renders his plans uncertain. Steve Leahy, president of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, also blasted the council plan.

At issue is Nickels' proposal to stimulate mall redevelopment by scrapping a layer of regulations known as a General Development Plan, or GDP.

Nickels has argued that the GDP, which is unique to the Northgate area, saddles developers with costs that others in the city don't face. Meanwhile, Simon says Northgate continues to lose ground to Lynnwood's Alderwood Mall, which will open a mammoth expansion next year.

Northgate has made modest improvements in recent years, but the 53-year-old mall has a somewhat stagnant image.

The council's proposal would keep the GDP in place but make it easier to amend, said Conlin. Neighborhood activists say the extra regulations force developers to create a cohesive design for large properties, instead of developing them in a piecemeal fashion.

Under the council's plan, GDP amendments would require a new process involving a citizen advisory committee. "That process seems excruciating," said Lorig.

Council members contend their proposal would be better for developers because it would fend off costly lawsuits threatened by community groups.

What remains unclear is whether Simon would redevelop the mall under the council plan, or let its investment wither. Council members are betting that Simon will not walk away from the mall.

But the council's strategy of calling Simon's bluff makes some mall business owners nervous. "It's all a poker game," said Heather Jensen, owner of Alana, an antique and estate jewelry store. "I just know Simon is a big business and will go the course of least resistance."

Times business reporter Jake Batsell contributed to this story.

Bob Young: 206-464-2174.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company