The Brief
- Business owners in Seattle’s Leschi neighborhood say a surprise construction project has blocked customer parking and handicapped access just days before Mother’s Day.
- The city confirmed the contractor failed to provide a mandatory 10-day notice to adjacent properties or present a parking mitigation plan as required by their permit.
- Following local outcry, the city has paused the project until mid-August, with parking expected to temporarily reopen for the holiday weekend.
SEATTLE – Business owners in Seattle’s Leschi neighborhood are demanding answers after an unannounced construction project barricaded their storefronts during one of the busiest weeks of the year.
Leschi businesses ‘blindsided’ by marina project
The backstory:
The construction project at the Leschi Marina began Monday, without warning. It’s designed to provide electrical, sewer, and water services to a new facility.
Business owners say they arrived at work to find massive equipment and barricades blocking essential parking.
“It’s no secret—Mother’s Day is the busiest day in restaurants in the year, nationwide, hands down,” said Bart Evans, owner of BluWater Bistro. “So in a matter of days, before the busiest day of the year, have the city show up and barricade your restaurant?”…