Seattle’s Finest Features – How Tyler McKenzie Sees It

We are pretty impressed with Seattle.

That’s why we advocate some of Seattle’s cool individuals like Cliff Avril in our recent post. To raise the spirit of Seattle even higher this January (as if the Seahawks entering Super Bowl XLIX isn’t enough), we sought out a likeminded Seattlean to share his wealth of appreciation for this city.

Tyler McKenzie is Managing Broker of John L. Scott Real Estate/Seattle-South Lake Union and 2015 President, Seattle King County Realtors.

His credentials and contribution to the excellence of this city ooze from his veins and into this article. We asked Tyler what makes Seattle thrive. How is it unique? His answer is a tribute to this beloved city that will make any Seattlean proud.

Some may remember the old, more depressed Seattle, a city where, in the late seventies as Boeing was nearing financial collapse, someone erected a billboard urging “Will the last person leaving town please turn out the lights?”. Those days are far off in the rear view mirror. Built on the shoulders of scrappy pioneers looking for gold during the Klongdike rush, savvy businessmen running booze from Canada during Prohibition, the Seattle of today still has rebelliousness in its bones…..if ever politely so. The Grunge Era has given way to smooth lattes, bike lanes, Sound Transit and a more genteel way of life. Lovers of the arts, food, microbrews, the outdoors and so much more will find what they seek in the twenty first century city.

In the most recent decade, Seattle has become more of a world renowned destination than ever before. 21st Century technology companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Adobe and Google are attracting new hires from across the globe. Amazon alone will be bring sixteen thousand new employees to its South Lake Union headquarters in the next twenty four months. Orders for Boeing’s airplanes are likely to keep its production lines humming for decades to come. Starbucks continues its domination of the worlds’ boutique coffee store market. Bio-med and medical research, lead by institutions such as the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, entice great scientific minds to our doorstep. Microsoft founder and billionaire, Paul Allen, has just committed to adding yet another medical research facility to the South Lake Union corridor and, of course, his erstwhile partner, Bill Gates, through the Gates Foundation, is handing out more in philanthropic funding than any human being in the history of mankind.

Add to all of this Seattle’s exciting sports scene and you can’t go wrong. The Seahawks are poised to travel to their second Super Bowl championship in as many years and Seattle’s dynamic soccer franchise, the Sounders, are cementing their stature as one of the great Major Soccer League teams of all time, and with a fan base breaking attendance records earning respect from leagues around the globe. We may soon see a revitalized basketball franchise and National Hockey League team, too. Great chefs, chart topping performers, some of the country’s most respected authors and filmmakers all call Seattle and surrounds home.

Yet, with all this excitement, it’s easy to forget that Seattle also offers quiet neighborhoods, more green space than pretty much any city on the planet, bodies of water as far as the eyes can see. The Olympic and Cascades mountain ranges flank the city while Mt. Rainier proudly keeps its crown as THE volcano on the continent. In the summer, cruise ships line the waterfront, carrying eager passengers to Alaska’s breathtaking vistas. Canada’s thriving Vancouver is only a two hour drive to the north. Travelers may also hop the Victoria Clipper to Vancouver Island and Victoria, where high tea at the Empress Hotel awaits.
Simply put, Seattle has it all….and the secret’s out!

Thank you, Tyler, for sharing this impressive outlook of Seattle’s present condition. You captured the essence of Seattle’s diversity and distinction.

What do you think makes Seattle great? Join us on Twitter at @psmoving to share your thoughts with us and Tyler @RE_Leader.