"Streetcar destroying Westlake"?!?! What are you talking about?? Instead of a huge pain, the streetcar will be a huge asset. Now, if you are only referring to construction-related pain, that's only temporary and is part and parcel of any infrastructure improvement.

You've got to be kidding me. "Streetcar destroying Westlake"??

That is part of the freakin' construction process. No different than when a street needs to closed due to CONSTRUCTION or placement of a crane. If anything, I could see the Streetcar getting extended to the campus.

If you haven't driven the Streetcar route as of late, you'd see that what little construction remaining is final installation of switch machines and overhead wire support which from my last drive along the route last week is half way completed.

Hopefully Dudley knows more about turning on a computer than development and real estate....

On the Friday before Labor Day, the city quietly announced that Westlake is becoming a two-way street because of the streetcar.

The trolley has narrowed a key, four-lane avenue connecting downtown to South Lake Union and Mercer Street to basically one lane heading north and one lane turning right onto Mercer.

Westlake was a lovely boulevard that extended downtown to the lake. After construction is done it will be a disaster, traffic-wise. Its left lanes now come to an unnatural, abrupt stop as they approach Mercer.

It would be nice if everyone would drive less and take mass transit, but there will always be a lot of vehicle traffic between downtown and the neighborhoods to the north, not to mention the Mercer interchange.

The trolley will be nifty but it duplicates existing bus service (Metro routes 17 and 70 follow basically the same path, without eliminating right of way) and in my opinion is mostly a costly amenity to sell Allen's condos and offices.

Actually, Brier, you are completely off base. By turning Westlake into two ways, you increase traffic flow on a relatively unused stretch of road in Seattle. Further, 9th Avenue will be two ways at some point in time as well. We always complain about one-ways in Seattle... now you won't have to.

The Streetcar is a fantastic addition to South Lake Union, one that should be eminated and connected to other urban cores, such as the University district.

Further, the streetcar will be much more efficient than a bus, much more timely, and connecting to the Light Rail in 2009 which will allow a MSFT'y to bring their bags to work, jump on the street car which will connect to the light rail, which will take you to the airport without ever touching a cab, freeway, or parking lot.

Yes, I am positive that the streetcar was a huge selling point to MSFT.

Jason: Please, please, no toy trains to the U-district. The UW-Eastlake-South Lake-Fairview route is well served by existing bus lines and Eastake Avenue cannot handle the car capacity constraints that sharing the road with P.A.'s trolley would entail. Think, people. Just because you can connect two points on a map doesn't mean that you've found a new train route.

Has anyone heard when they would be occupying the space and if these would be relocated existing employees or additions?

Anyone heard when this is happening and if the employees would be new additions or relocations?

Hi Corey, doesn't sound like new additions, just shuffling folks around. Here's the timeline for occupancy:

South Lake Union, 400 employees by March '08
111 South Jackson, 120 employees by April '08
505 Union Station, 20 employees by September '07

South Lake Union will also have room for 150 people from other offices to drop by and work.