Editorials / Opinion

Seattle Times letters to the editor

Protecting views prevents progress

The view from Lake Union Park at the south end of Lake Union with renderings of buildings included. Potential zoning changes could lead to taller buildings that would obscure some views of the Space Needle. (SPACE NEEDLE CORP.)

Regarding Monday’s article, “Needle, Needle, who’ll see the Needle?” [NWMonday, March 11]:

The issues here are a few people and a private company (the Space Needle Owners) trying to prevent economic advancement, construction jobs, high-tech and medical employment and housing from proceeding for sake of their views. One can see the Space Needle from a tremendously broad area of the city. Why should the aforementioned city and employment advances be kept at bay for these complainers?

I was in Paris recently. It seems there were many city locations where I could not see the Eiffel Tower. The same is true in any big city with any big visual landmark.

One of the arguments against removing the Alaskan Way Viaduct was that the “average family” was going to lose a magnificent view of the Puget Sound and city. We know what happened there.

When I moved to Seattle in 1977, one could drive south below Denny Way on First Avenue and look to the right and see Puget Sound most all the way to Pike Place Market. One could drive down Queen Anne Avenue from the top of the counterbalance and drive all the way to Mercer Street looking at the Sound.

Progress is progress.

–William Carroll, Normandy Park