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Smith Tower Sold, New LEDs on Columbia Center & More

The top Seattle news stories you should be reading today

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First we thought Capitol Hill’s Kingfish Cafe was closing for good after announcing its goodbyes on its Facebook page. But it appears the restaurant’s owners are merely taking a break, cites King 5 News, before opening “a series of Kingfish Cafes” around the city. Everyone can calm down now! You have until January 25 to visit the eatery as it currently stands in all its glory.

Smith Tower, the iconic 489-foot Pioneer Square building that recently celebrated its 100th birthday, sold yesterday for $73.7M to real estate investor company Unico. That’s a big time increase from its 2012 purchase price of $36.8M. According to Curbed Seattle, the new owners plan to “modernize the elevator” and “upgrade facilities on the Observation Deck/Chinese Room at the top of the tower.” No word on what exactly that means, but I’m hoping it doesn’t translate to ripping out all of the original elevators (it’s one of the few buildings left on the West Coast to still employ elevator operators) or ridding the Chinese Room of its ornate detailing and hand-carved ceiling. But this is Seattle, where we obviously respect the past.

Mayor Ed Murray wants to add more tent cities to help Seattle’s homeless population. His proposal “would allow three tent cities on unused lots in non-residential zones,” Komo News reports. His proposal will go to the Seattle City Council.

As rents around the city continue to rise, Washington state lawmakers are stepping in. Should a rent hike exceed 10 percent, a new bill being introduced would require landlords to give tenants 90 days notice, rather than the existing requirement of 30 days. Read more about the proposed bill at Crosscut.com.

I thought something looked different when I passed the Columbia Center the other night: Expect a colorful new LED light show to illuminate the building’s three rooftops on floors 43, 61 and 76. MyNorthwest.com reports that it’s the first time ever that lights will adorn the tower. The official unveiling is tomorrow at 5 p.m. and, of course, the lights will glow blue and green in honor of the big ‘ NFC Championship game between our Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

 

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way. 

What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common?  According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot.  “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.

The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture.  This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.

Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).

WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…