SEATTLE — Last weekend's crane collapse was a somber reminder of how quickly Seattle is growing. Cranes are not going away any time soon, as dozens more significant projects are planned for the coming years.
According to the Downtown Seattle Association, 35 developments are scheduled to be completed in the city's core this year. 33 projects should be done next year. And in 2021, 86 projects are scheduled to be completed.
“I think it's part of the city, I think we just have to get used to,” said Chamaine Bekius, a hairstylist at 14th Ave. Hair on Capitol Hill.
The historic wooden building housing the salon is dwarfed by high rise apartment buildings, which are going up around it. Cranes swing over streets and sidewalks, hoisting rebar, glass, and plywood into the sky.
“I’ve lived here 30 years, and this is the craziest that it's been,” Bekius said, noting that all the development has brought a lot more customers into the salon.
According to the City of Seattle, cranes are required to construct concrete and steel buildings above six stories.
