I love this line from the anti-density website as to why downtown development would be a bad thing.

"Larger buildings with more people & activity in them will... make downtown Seattle more interesting, comfortable and will enhance the entire region's overall attractiveness. A truly urban and urbane CBD will increase Seattle's global prominence. It will draw yet more business and people to our region, thus increasing demand for new space of all types in every part of the region."

And God forbid, that should happen!!

I agree with David Sucher when he writes: "A truly urban and urbane CBD will increase Seattle's global prominence. It will draw yet more business and people to our region, thus increasing demand for new space of all types in every part of the region."

I firmly believe the most effective way to save the environment in the Puget Sound is to make Seattle as shitty a place as possible. In Sucher's words, let's reduce "Seattle's global prominence."

This is why I was happy to see Boeing move their headquarters to Chicago. This is why I'm happy to see Microsoft outsourcing jobs to India.

In fact, I think that true environmentalists in our region should try to take a page from the Sunni insurgents in Iraq. They should commit random acts of violent terrorism to give the message: Seattle is not open for business.

All you prissy, yuppy intellectuals who want your monorail and light rail and tunnel boondoggles, maybe it's time to think of moving someplace else. And don't let the door hit you on the way out.

I'm reminded of the woman who spoke up in favor of a rebuilt viaduct at this month's meeting of the 46th District Democrats: "I've been living here 81 years, and I like it just the way it is."

I agree with her entirely, and hopefully this 81-year-old will die soon so she can do her part to get the regional population under control.

Cressona,

You could also help by moving.

I think we should tear out the region's electrical, water, and sewer grid. Let's pretend it's the 14th Century, and everybody will leave. Terrific idea.

It is amazing how all this discussion gets played like bad church sermons. Camps of believers of all ilk.

Mostly bull shit.

Expanding population - need more housing. New jobs - need more housing.

Changes in families - condos are fine. Queers love condos. Baby boomers are going to give up the old house - more condos.

SOMEONE is making money - or none of it will happen.

In the midwest where some cities have shrunk by big numbers - lots of housing cheap.

No jobs, no new populations --- no pressure.

Seattle is a nice place to live, the city govt. is a puppet show.

Just what color should we paint the new condos? Should they be 15 stories or 16 stories?

Very funny shrunken thinking.

The real winners will be anyone who owns any real estate as the next wave of hiring hits and there is a regional housing crises - housing will jump in 30 per cent gains.

BUY NOW - BUY A SECOND UNIT NOW

I think Cressona should move too.

What we need are more people like the owner of the Lusty Lady building, who, according to today's Seattle Weekly, told Paul Schell and other big developers to shove it - he wasn't selling, even for $2 million - and then turned around a sold them thin air!

Bottom line for me is: let the heights go up if developers will agree to build more housing middle income people can afford, and fit their families into - without requiring a subsidy.

If they can't build that, then we shouldn't let them build any higher.

And as for subsidies - they should only go to the truly poor. Otherwise you'll make it even harder for developers to build less expensive market rate units.