Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul • Hacker News Board

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#61

Post by Splines » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:22 PM UTC

seathrowa wrote: post #32

edgyswingset wrote: post #19

I recently moved to the eastside and haven't been experiencing much disdain for being a tech worker. Most of my spare time is spent heading into the cascades to hike the amazing trails, though.

The eastside is less obsessed with preserving an image of itself as a "gritty" place. Parts of the eastside (I'm looking at you, downtown Bellevue) are sort of obsessed with the opposite — shows of ostentatious wealth. The Cascades have a lot of great hiking and are reason enough to live on the eastside :). If you don't already, get an "America the Beautiful" pass ( http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm ) which wil…

Also if you have a 4th grader don't forget about https://www.everykidinapark.gov/

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#62

Post by txru » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:22 PM UTC

seathrowa wrote: post #29

txru wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems to me that the fact that Capitol Hill was the unique, Bohemian, and affordable neighborhood that it was in your memories was just an accident of the 20th century. It's: * Right next to downtown * Has great views and * Has very easy access to a major road, I-5. Why on earth wouldn't having credentials like that make it prime property, even if a certain retailer didn't exist? But from 1950 - 1990, nobody wante…

> * Right next to downtown * Has great views and * Has very easy access to a major road, I-5. > Why on earth wouldn't having credentials like that make it prime property, even if a certain retailer didn't exist? Crappy transit (49 is your only bus route for many parts of the hill and is slow and only runs on Broadyway; 10/11/43 serve very specific areas); I wouldn't call the I-5 access great (the intersection at Denn…

Bus routes can be fixed, that's a months-years problem. I'm sure the city will adjust at some point, probably before 2018, to give Capitol Hill really amazing service.

I was exaggerating a bit... but the highway basically runs right beside the length of the neighborhood. It's pretty convenient to get on, even if Denny is totally packed.

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#63

Post by drewrv » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:25 PM UTC

mattress wrote: post #9

Took a job in Bellevue in April and moved from Philadelphia to Seattle. So far it's a been an interesting experience. I've encountered many people hostile to software engineers in general. A bunch of people immediately ask if I work for Amazon with a hint of disdain after I state my occupation. So it hasn't felt super welcoming so far. I get it, even in some neighborhoods in Philadelphia the same thing is happening.…

What I find hilarious is that the most hostile people weren't even born in Seattle. John Criscitello has no right to speak on behalf of native Seattleites.

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#64

Post by rm_-rf_slash » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:26 PM UTC

xxpor wrote: post #44

rm_-rf_slash wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a severely under-appreciated point about housing costs. I live in a college town and rents have been climbing to the degree where the ratio of income to housing expenses is the highest in the nation, leaving New York and San Francisco in the dust. Every once in a while there will be more proposals to build condos over existing houses or apartments. We've been here before: housing stock is considerably increas…

>I live in a college town Boulder? Because if so, PLEASE vote down the land use issues on the ballot. http://www.citylab.com/housing/2015/10/they-are-coming-for-o...

Ithaca, where we don't have the luxury of flatness so everything's hemmed in by the lake and the hills, like a reverse geography San Francisco

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#65

Post by zardo » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:26 PM UTC

sushisource wrote: post #25

nicpottier wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Capitol Hill is the most glaring change to me in the past 5 years. One of the neatest and most unique neighborhoods in the city, in a way iconic to how Seattle was seen is now filled with brand new condos and multi-use buildings. For god sakes there have been gay-hate crimes on Broadway. Yes, tons of new development has happened in SLU, but that area wasn't much of an established neighborhood to live in befor…

I still have yet to have anyone explain to my why "grit" is a desirable trait in a neighborhood. I can understand wanting diversity, unique cultures, but that absolutely does not conflict with a general quality of life increase.

You can think of "grit" as meaning mixed wealth. It's desirable because people are more likely to use their wealth pro-socially, rather than buy a new BMW every other year, if they don't live in an enclave isolated from the economic struggles of the rest of society.

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#66

Post by zardo » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:33 PM UTC

ulysses wrote: post #57

xxpor wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The 2010 census is fairly useless for Seattle at this point. Almost 100,000 people have moved here since then (16%)

2015 estimate: 662,400 2010 estimate: 608,658 Assuming every one of those 53,742 people was male, the ratio would go from 50% female to 45.9% female.

It if I can't blame my dating troubles on demographics I might have to consider that I am less desirable a mate than I like to imagine.

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#67

Post by drewrv » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:35 PM UTC

sushisource wrote: post #25

nicpottier wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Capitol Hill is the most glaring change to me in the past 5 years. One of the neatest and most unique neighborhoods in the city, in a way iconic to how Seattle was seen is now filled with brand new condos and multi-use buildings. For god sakes there have been gay-hate crimes on Broadway. Yes, tons of new development has happened in SLU, but that area wasn't much of an established neighborhood to live in befor…

I still have yet to have anyone explain to my why "grit" is a desirable trait in a neighborhood. I can understand wanting diversity, unique cultures, but that absolutely does not conflict with a general quality of life increase.

Grit is something I used to like about Seattle. This was a city of lumberjacks and fishermen and dock workers.

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#68

Post by thieving_magpie » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:36 PM UTC

wfo wrote: post #53

mattress wrote: post #9

Took a job in Bellevue in April and moved from Philadelphia to Seattle. So far it's a been an interesting experience. I've encountered many people hostile to software engineers in general. A bunch of people immediately ask if I work for Amazon with a hint of disdain after I state my occupation. So it hasn't felt super welcoming so far. I get it, even in some neighborhoods in Philadelphia the same thing is happening.…

Seattle has never been particularly welcoming to newcomers; people there tend to be insular and it can be hard to make friends if you don't already know people (even before the amazon/tech stuff -- plenty of articles about 'the seattle freeze' that predate it). Being from there helps. Not being in tech helps -- there are so many new software engineers meeting one just isn't very interesting. You can hardly blame peop…

Yeah, I'm not all that concerned with making friends with people that are hostile about my profession. That's so petty.

>partly because the countless new techbros with no respect for Seattle culture who spend 11hrs/day at work and don't have time to develop a personality romping around town give it a real bad reputation

What does that even mean? I hear this all the time and I honestly have no idea how to "respect Seattle Culture". I'm nice to people and I enjoy everything Seattle has to offer. If you want a pat on the back for living in Seattle longer, sorry. I don't care.

I'd also point out that this hasn't been my experience at all. Everyone here has been very nice, welcoming, and helpful. I feel like Seattle natives really sell themselves short. It has been a great experience.

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#69

Post by s73v3r » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:37 PM UTC

mattress wrote: post #9

Took a job in Bellevue in April and moved from Philadelphia to Seattle. So far it's a been an interesting experience. I've encountered many people hostile to software engineers in general. A bunch of people immediately ask if I work for Amazon with a hint of disdain after I state my occupation. So it hasn't felt super welcoming so far. I get it, even in some neighborhoods in Philadelphia the same thing is happening.…

"But you have no right to complain about this gentrification when you are operating newly built apartment complexes, charging a premium to tech workers. And then go on to say you have Amazon prime. Screw you, Owen."

Are you saying that it's the people that are opening the apartment complexes that are complaining? Cause otherwise I'd imagine the average resident of the neighborhood isn't running apartment complexes.

Re: Seattle, in Midst of Tech Boom, Tries to Keep Its Soul

#70

Post by placeybordeaux » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 5:41 PM UTC

Kluny wrote: post #20

tacos wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Marrying young and endless dinner parties where first-time homeowners proudly declare "granite countertops!" like checking that box on a list of materials is some major achievement. A bit painful. But there's a dirty, edgy, interesting indoor culture there caused by the shitty weather. It sprouts up around everything from sex to music to art on occasion. Go find it.

Is that the only option available for married life? Surely it's possible to marry someone who is interesting and continue doing interesting things after you're married?

> everything from sex to music to art on occasion.