Belltown
History
The Belltown area is located in the north end of downtown Seattle, north of Pike Place Market. Over the past ten years, Belltown has made a name for itself as a stage for local talent. Clubs like the Crocodile Café on 2nd Ave. spotlight local bands, making Belltown an area that draws a crowd to its hip and diverse nightlife. More sophisticated bars/restaurants like Axis and Flying Fish offer a variety of foods and spirits, always drawing a crowd in the evening hours.
Description
The Belltown neighborhood has recently experienced a rebirth, becoming one of the new, trendy areas in the city. Much of the growth in this area has been fueled by growth in the high-tech industry. A number of new, amenity-rich apartment and condominium properties have recently been built with many others in various stages of development. Companies such as RealNetworks and Immunex have redeveloped properties for their headquarters in this area. Also a number of new, "chic" restaurants have recently opened in this neighborhood.
Pike Place Market, made famous by their vendors throwing fish in many national ad campaigns, borders the southern edge of Belltown and continues to be one of Seattle’s most popular attractions. Farmers Market is a haven for local artisans to display their wares - from the freshest produce in Washington to the most unique handcrafted silver jewelry. The Belltown district is also a hub for Seattle’s nightlife. Many of the popular bars and music clubs reside in a labyrinthine-like walkway known as Post Alley. Among the most notable is Kell’s, a traditional Irish pub offering a wide-selection of food and spirits, in addition to live Irish music. Belltown is home to many of Seattle’s posh restaurants like Flying Fish, Brasa and El Gaucho.
Residents
Belltown is a hodgepodge neighborhood: By day, high-tech professionals, urban condo dwellers and office workers share the sidewalks with panhandlers, homeless and low-income residents; by night, it transforms into a bustling mecca for the city’s hottest clubs, bars and restaurants, along with its own very hip artists and musicians.
Rental Housing
The Belltown neighborhood has experienced Seattle’s highest concentration of new condominium and apartment development. Most of the residences in this neighborhood are found in larger complexes and high-rises. These newer properties offer the highest level of services and amenities in Seattle. The combination of "in-city" technology jobs with increased demand for downtown living makes the Belltown neighborhood our most expensive rental area. Many of the newer apartments rent for in excess of $2.00/sq. ft. In addition, parking is at a premium in this area. Almost all of the newer properties have underground, secured parking available. The charge for this varies from about $75 to $150 a month. If you do not need parking, and want to live in Belltown for less, there are a few older brick buildings that offer studio and one bedroom units in the $700 to $900 range.
Fun Stuff
The Belltown Theatre Center was founded in 1992 and continues to produce new works, in addition to offering acting classes. It occasionally showcases
performances by other theatre groups.
The original Cinerama was built in 1963 and was most recently purchased and restored to its original condition by Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen. It was reopened on April 23, 1999, and has been attracting huge crowds ever since due to its technologically advanced sound system.
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temporary housing
vacation rentals
