Georgetown

A neighborhood, with an artistic flair, nestled into a highly industrial area. It can be easy to miss this eclectic mix of residences and businesses. It is bounded on the north by South Brandon Street, on the west by the Duwamish River (http://bitly.com/9vZ9KQ), on the south by Perimeter Road South (at Boeing Field http://bitly.com/fGtAJX), and on the east by Interstate 5.

History

If geographic surroundings were similar to about 100 years ago, residents of Georgetown could often be seen ladeling water from their houses—perhaps a motorboat or two when heavy winter rains encroach the Emerald City. However, thanks to the Army Corps of Engineers, the center of the neighborhood now lies one mile inland. This due to the straightening of the Duwamish River in the early 1900s. Carrying the label of the birthplace of King Country, the Georgetown area was claimed by Luther Collins in September 1851. The possession of the area was not without struggle, as native tribes assembled a resistance in 1855, leading to a sizeable conflict.

A few claim-to-fame facts: Rainier Beer found its beginnings in Georgetown, started by John Clausen and Edward Sweeny; Seattle’s first railroad began here in May 1874; Meadows Race Track hosted the first powered airplane flight in Seattle (1910) and Seattle’s first municipal airport built and named Boeing Field (1928).

Demographics and Income

A diverse, yet lower income neighborhood with most of its population being in their 20s, 30s and 40s—most are twenty-somethings. Not surprisingly, many residents are not married (due mainly to the industrial location). Another obvious component: the percentage of single males, ~34%. Asians and Hispanics are the next largest racial groups, behind Whites. Those with higher incomes live in the north, and the lower income households south of Boeing Field.

Culture

Smaller wallets did not put a stop to creativity for Georgetown residents, confirmed simply by creative businesses that have popped up in recent years. An artistic cohort is alive and well in this industrial-shadowed community. Check out some examples of these expressions in the “Local Business Tour” section below.

Real Estate

Less is more and age is vintage, right? Georgetown swears by it with most homes not making it to 1400 sq. ft. Homes were built, on average, in 1919. This is 30 years below the Seattle average. Want real estate that swims “upstream?” Invest in a Georgetown house and watch your value surge. One of the only neighborhoods where values have steeply climbed since the beginning of 2010, homes have gained almost $200,000!

Local Business Tour (Restaurants, Pubs, Coffee Houses, Shops and other Amenities)

Traffic and noise are to contend with, but the venues make up for it. Samples of "out-of-the-box" dining include Stellar Pizza (http://stellarpizza.com) - Occupying the Bertoldi building, and featuring daily-made dough and pizza sauce; The Corson Building (http://thecorsonbuilding.com) - A home, restaurant and community dedicated to food and its direct connection to celebration, community, and culture; Slim's Last Chance Chili Stack (http://slimslastchance.com) - An exclusive 21 and over venue featuring weekend live music; Tiger Lounge (http://tigerloungeagogo.com) - Bistro, coffee and martini lounge; Pig Iron Bar-B-Q (http://pigironbbq.net) - An overwhelming selection of fall-apart meats with a passion for hot rods and motorcycles; Ingallina’s Box Lunch (http://ingallina.com) - Box lunches with same day free delivery; Calamity Jane’s (http://calamityjanes.biz) - A restaurant and meeting house inspired by the real Calamity Jane (1852-1903)—serving a wide swath of dishes for every palette; Smarty Pants (http://smartypantsseattle.com) - A 21 an over sandwich and soup bar; Via Tribunali (http://viatribunali.net) - Literally built in Naples, after having shipped pieces of a 100 year old pizzeria back from Italy; Daimonji Sushi Grill (http://daimonjisushi.com) - Creative chef dishes with personable and quick service; and the list goes on...

Some surprising finds, other than the restaurants, are Screaming Flea Productions, Inc. (http://sfpseattle.com) - Award winning television company specializing in non-fiction, documentary, entertainment and corporate production; Fall Line Winery (http://falllinewinery.com) - An artisan producer of elegantly-styled wines, using fruit from the most prized vineyard sites in Washington State; and Bike So Good (http://bikesogood.com) - Offering inexpensive bicycle service and repair; A number of coffee shops can be found, such as Alki Bakery (http://alkibakery.com) - A quality family-owned bakery since its beginning at Alki Beach in 1985 and Fonte Coffee (http://fontecoffee.com) - The finest independent coffee roaster in the Pacific Northwest, founded by Paul E. Odom in 1992.

Schools

Want education with a twist? Check out the old and new here: Stucco Italiano (http://stuccoitalianoinc.com) - Owned by Aaron Cohen, an expert in wall finishing techniques who teaches this distinct Italian tradition; School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (http://sancaseattle.org) - A non-profit dedicated to improving the mental and physical health of children via the creativity of acrobatics and circus arts; Seattle Drum School (http://seattledrumschoolgeorgetown.com) - All ages enjoy instruction in drums, bass, guitar, piano, brass and more; South Seattle Community College (http://georgetown.southseattle.edu) - Focusing on programs in industry, apprenticeship, and safety & health training; The Flight Academy (http://theflightacademy.com) - Pilot training, trips and an unlimited simulator; Galvin Flying (http://galvinflying.com) - Flight training of over 17,000 pilots since 1930; Rainier Flight Service (http://rainierflightservice.com) - Strategic focus, besides flight instruction, in scenario-based techniques for the purpose of risk management; and Wings Aloft (http://wingsaloft.com) - Over 33 years offering rental planes and in-flight pilot training.

Recreation

Families in the area enjoy the amenities at Georgetown Playground (http://bitly.com/bKGI5a), complete with play area, wading pool, soccer field, half basketball court, and softball field. Other recreational-like places: Jet City Crossfit (http://jetcitycrossfit.com) - Offering varied, intense and functional workouts; and Oxbow Park (http://bitly.com/hYTrTF) - Features a play area and P-Patch, but the real attraction is the Hat ‘n Boots structure (http://bitly.com/fIm3PH) designed by Seattle artist, Lewis Nasmyth in 1953.

Medical and Wellness Facilities

Clinics per se are not available in Georgetown, but a couple of facilities which could be helpful are: Swedish Home Care Services (http://swedish.org) and North American Rehab (http://www.northamericanrehab.com/) - Not a walk-in business, but a supplier of rehab products. For immediate medical attention, the best bet is getting to the VA Medical Center (http://va.gov) in North Beacon Hill (http://bitly.com/9r2WI0).

Spiritual Centers and Churches

Four spiritual communities dot the northern half of the neighborhood... Society of St. Vincent de Paul (http://svdpseattle.org/) - Part of a worldwide organization of lay Catholics who help low income families, the homeless and seniors with basic needs; Korean Central Baptist Church of Seattle (http://bitly.com/fhSNjd); Georgetown Community Church (http://on.fb.me/hpwDwk); and New Direction Missionary Church (http://spag.es/eAlpoK).

Transportation Access and Tips

Quick access to major routes such as I-5, and Highway 99 & 509 reduce the feel of "isolation" in Georgetown. Roads connecting to South Park (http://bitly.com/gfrk0K) and the Beacon Hill (http://bitly.com/gG2SA0) give superb local access. Any Boeing Field employees seeking a short commute, inexpensive housing and an artistic population will feel right at home.

Summary

While Georgetown is not an area for the faint of heart, it does provide a fairly comfortable city dwelling despite the industrial submersion. Carrying a rich history and showcasing many “firsts,” it is a neighborhood to be contended with. An extremely creative and edgy crowd continue to transform it, pushing the envelope on human innovation.

The overall feel in Georgetown is very “scene,” for want of a more descriptive word. The area is defined by a creative, chic feel and retail locations. Stores and shops in the area run a gamut from record stores, to barber shops, to bakeries, to scooter shops, to waxing salons, to web design, to art galleries and recording studios. The retail locations mostly take advantage of an open planned, brick wall spaces that used to be used for manufacturing and industrial spaces. The otherwise hardened interiors are consistently transformed into warm, inviting interiors that you want to visit and spend days in.

It’s a great idea, as long as you’re in Georgetown, to stop by the Georgetown Brewing Company. The selection is limited, but that keeps things concise. The choices are as follows: 9 lb Porter, Chopper Red Ale, Roger’s Pilsner, and Manny’s Pale Ale. The beers are delicious (I lean toward darker varieties), at about $6 per growler fill (tax included), this rates at around the cheapest in town too. Don’t go Saturdays, that makes you trendy and a follower. Embrace your inner alcoholic by going on a weekday (extra points for drinking during the daytime) and enjoy the free samples.

Moving from downers to uppers, Espresso by Design is one of the authentic café alternatives to chains like Starbucks and Tully’s. The people are very personable, the beverages are well crafted, their pastries are delicious, and the sandwiches a filling and savory.

Georgetown is a historic and semi-industrial neighborhood to the south of Downtown Seattle, running along the Duwamish River and bounded by railroads to the North and the Interstate 5 Freeway to the east. The Rainier Brewery began here in 1882, and following the completion of Interstate 5, the large red "R" sign of the brewery served as a landmark that could be seen from the freeway. In 2000, this iconic sign was replaced by a green "T" for Tully's Coffee, which now occupies the old brewery.

Though it's a bit rough around the edges, there are plenty of deals for first-time homebuyers looking for somewhere affordable close to the city. Most of the residents of Georgetown are singles and younger couples, especially artists. In Georgetown, you'll find many old brick warehouses turned into artist lofts. Although the residential areas of Georgetown are surrounded by industry, they are surprisingly quiet, with a very tight-knit community feeling.

Many more people work in Georgetown than live here. In addition to residential neighborhoods, Georgetown is also home to South Seattle Community College, Boeing Field, and numerous warehouses. Though there's not much here for families, this is likely to change over the next few years, as new restaurants, shops, and businesses have begun to move in to once-industrial areas of the community. Several new condo buildings and artists' studios have recently sprung up. Since the 1990s, a bit of a revival has brought new energy into the area. There is certainly great potential for growth, and it seems to be happening now, making Georgetown one of the most popular up-and-coming areas of the city.

Back when Georgetown consisted of a couple of shops and a few blocks of cute single-family residences, it was a great place to live. A quick commute to the city, but far enough away to enjoy the peace and quiet. Since then, the industrial district of Seattle has overtaken the Georgetown neighborhoods, making it less of a great place to live and more like the tiny house that refuses to sell in the middle of progressive buildings. The neighborhoods are few and far between, but they are still pretty well maintained, aside from the apartment complexes which haven't been updated or kept-up since they were built. The residents of the area deal with quite a bit of traffic that came with the growth of business and industry in the area. Boeing Field, South Seattle Community College and several warehouse and wholesale businesses don't really lend the area to a family-friendly environment.

Supposedly Georgetown is Seattle's oldest neighborhood. It is located in the southwest portion of the city and contains a lot of industrial land. The area is constantly under construction and locals seem to love watching the neglected buildings come to life with modern shops, local businesses, and hip new restaurants.

Housing in the area is affordable and the neighborhood is really close-knit. This is a huge drawing card for people moving into Georgetown. There seem to be a lot of singles or younger couples moving into the neighborhood. Some of the most popular housing sold consists of artist's studios and new condos. The sidewalks are clean and tidy and for the most part residents take good care of their homes.

During the second week of July each year is the Georgetown Garden Walk that features wonderful gardens that residents have achieved in their own backyards. Off on some of the not so main streets are some amazing old homes with beautiful landscape. Perennials grow with little assistance in Seattle, so the the garden walk really displays the beauty of the greenery in Seattle.

The neighborhood of Georgetown is located in the heart of south Seattle. It is a largely industrial area with a small patch of single-family homes. Georgetown is a neighborhood where there is the potential for much growth, and, it’s happening.

This historic neighborhood is located south of the city. Georgetown boasts industry, commerce, and charming tree-lined streets tucked in between old brick factories, artist lofts, Seattle’s first railroad and office parks. This area, which runs along the Duwamish River, has enjoyed an upswing over the recent years.

Living in Georgetown means living among families, shared occupancies, some new condos, and a growing artist population that is taking advantage of the affordable studio space. The neighborhood is quaint and colorful: huge trees tower over the streets and two-story roofs. Residences range from bungalows and small box homes to brick houses and Tudor/Victorian styles. They come in all colors down here, from bright green, robin’s egg blue and one yellow house with a bright orange door. Despite the industrial surrounding, the streets are quiet with a mix of neatly mowed lawns and bursting English-style gardens.

Residents here are strong on local pride. They’ve watched their abandoned historic buildings bloom into a revival of restaurants and shops. There is a local park, of course, and ball field included in the mix.

If you have an artistic or urban-industrial bent and like the idea of getting in on an upstart neighborhood and enjoy a fixer-upper home, Georgetown could be your place.