The Parklets are Coming! Now, What are They, Exactly?
We spell out a few pros and cons to this new addition to our fine urban landscape
By Mandolin Brassaw July 24, 2014
This article originally appeared in the August 2014 issue of Seattle magazine.
PROS
Parklets are miniature parks, funded, designed, built and maintained by the applicant (often a neighboring business) or community volunteers, so there’s no cost to taxpayers.
Parklets prioritize the pedestrian experience and aim to improve the neighborhood vibe, often with the addition of bike racks and seating.
CONS
Although the I.D. parklet did not take up existing parking spaces, on average a parklet usurps one to two parking spots in a city that is already notoriously difficult to park in.
Parklets are open to the public 24 hours a day, which has some residents worried they will become hotspots for homelessness, illegal activity and general late-night rowdiness.
Follow Us
Studio Sessions: Jo Cosme
The Seattle-based multimedia artist and 2026 Neddy Award winner challenges the postcard version of Puerto Rico and centers the persistence of its people.
Jo Cosme knows how seductive a postcard can be. The Seattle-based Boricua (Puerto Rican) multimedia artist works across photography, installation, video, sound, and interactive elements to examine and pull apart how Puerto Rico is seen, sold, and misunderstood from the outside. Trained in photojournalism, with a BFA in photography from Puerto Rico School of Fine…
Seattle’s Drag Brunch Has History
The city’s Sunday shows started long before the mimosas got bottomless.
There was a time not too long ago, when drag performances—now a mainstay of Seattle’s queer scene—were kept under wraps. And when brunches, complete with singing and dancing queens dressed in dazzling drag as you sipped mimosas, weren’t a Sunday staple. During the 1940s and ‘50s, an era largely shaped by restrictive laws and bias…
Studio Sessions: Sangram Majumdar
Working at the confluence of history, culture, and various painting traditions, UW associate professor Sangram Majumdar is one of this year’s Neddy Artist Award winners.
Discover the art of UW professor Sangram Majumdar, a 2026 Neddy Artist Award winner. Learn about his inspiration and upcoming Seattle exhibition at Cornish.
Rearview Mirror: A Georgian Dinner, Sidewalk Sips, and One-of-a-Kind Clothing
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
A new life for old clothes To celebrate one year in its current studio, the FXRY—a clothing repair service available via in-person appointments, home pickup, or mail-in drop off—is dropping its first collection. A small batch of reworked pieces, Second Mark will feature 13 vintage barn jackets, cropped, chain-stitched, and renewed into a completely unique, one-of-one…