As the local economic landscape continues to shift, a new breakthrough study shows Bellevue is giving Seattle a run for its money by getting better in almost every single way except still being Bellevue.
“It’s about to get a batch of new light rail stops, a business district buoyed by more than 25,000 new Amazon workers, it’s more diverse, and real estate is booming—very impressive,” said University of Washington economist Arthur Schell. “Unfortunately the data showed that the city is still very much Bellevue.”
Several Seattle residents admit they are stunned and worried about the former bedroom community of Bellevue becoming the better local city should it ever someday not be Bellevue.
“Oh no! Thousands of Amazon employees are going to work over there instead of Seattle? That’s a damn shame,” said Capitol Hill resident Heather Ripken. “And I’m sure all those young people with tech salaries and light rail access back to Seattle will still be choosing to live over there too, I mean, unless they realize before they sign a lease that it’s Bellevue. Hope they don’t because I would just hate it if we had less traffic and it was easier to score more affordable rent over here.”
Data gathered included a plethora of multiple sidewalks and buildings that have looked eerily lifeless since before the pandemic in addition to a lack of Seattle Center, Fremont Troll, and Pike Place Market.
