Seattle Developer Makes Search for Tenants a Popularity Contest

First rolled out last year to help crowdsource ideas for tenants for the renovation of a 4,250 sf building in Washington, D.C., the website Popularise is getting its first tryout outside the district at a new 13-story office building in Seattle.

1 minute read

September 24, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Swedish developer Skanska is turning to the website Popularise, and their new neighbors in the "Amazonia" district of Seattle, to provide ideas for the tenants of the vaulted, open-air "Market Hall" envisioned for the ground floor of their new 13-story office building.  

"Skanska hopes Popularise will solve a common developer conundrum," says Allecia Vermillion. "Public
input is a critical part of securing city zoning approval, but the
citizens who write letters or take the time to turn up at a Tuesday
night public meeting overwhelmingly skew towards opposition, be it to
the project specifically or change in general. As for the opinions of
the young, tech-savvy types who will eventually work in this building,
says Picard, "How do you tap into the voice of other people who care
with their dollars but don't necessarily care with their evenings, or by
writing a letter to city council?"

Accordng to Vermillion, "This is the first time Popularise has been
used outside DC, according to Skanska. Since then, projects in Baltimore
and Oklahoma City, and the rebuild of the old Magnuson Park firehouse have signed on as well."

Thanks to Lauren Kuester

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 in Seattle Met

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

7 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6 - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine