The Soundside Advantage

Written by Andrea H. Reay, President/CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce

Current forecasts show that our booming Puget Sound Region will continue to grow with projections estimating another 1.8 million people moving to our region in the next 30 years. That will put our population at over 5.8 million by 2050. Where will all these newcomers to the Pacific Northwest live and work? Here at the Chamber, we are doing our part to encourage many of them to find a home for their business and family to grow here in the Southside.

We track and catalog our work at the Chamber and, over the last three years, we have seen interest and requests for relocation assistance increase by over 30% from 2016 to 2019. These requests are primarily from businesses looking to move or expand just outside the Seattle city limits, but they are also from new workers from across the world that are now looking to build a home in the Pacific Northwest. Businesses and individuals reach out to find not only data and information, but also to hear from a trusted and credible source about a community that could soon become home.

Together, the five cities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila make up the Soundside Region—one powerful destination.

The Soundside has a lot to offer beyond affordability to businesses and families looking to call our region home. Here are the top 5 reasons:

1. Location. Location matters. Where you choose to live as well as where you choose to locate your business can have the greatest impact on your success. The Soundside location is very desirable because of its proximity to transportation. Major highways, rail, the airport, and shipping ports are more easily accessible here than other parts of the Puget Sound. This allows for greater ease and less gridlock for moving people and goods throughout our region.
2. Workforce. All businesses need workers and all workers need jobs. The Puget Sound has one of the most educated and skilled workforces in the country, making our community highly sought by both employers and employees.
3. Pro-Business Mentality. Our local policy makers and leaders understand and encourage investment in our communities. There are also real tax incentives to build or grow business here, such as the Opportunity Zone Program.
4. Quality of Life.  Restaurants, shopping, entertainment, arts and culture, outdoor recreation, parks, and green space all impact the sense of place we have as a community. In the Soundside, we have miles of accessible beach access for hiking or kayaking, award-winning restaurants, and endless activities from art shows and festivals to music and performances year-round. This all makes living in the Soundside entertaining and enjoyable.
5. Opportunity. With the increased development in Seattle, buildable land and properties that are open to redevelop have dramatically decreased over the last 10 years. However, there are still opportunities to build or redevelop property in the Soundside and, with such convenient access to downtown Seattle and Bellevue, many property developers are accepting the opportunity to grow here in the Soundside.

For more information about relocating or expanding in the Soundside or the tax initiatives mentioned above, please visit the Chamber website at www.SeattleSouthsideChamber.com or send an email to Andrea@SeattleSouthsideChamber.com or give our office a call at (206) 575-1633.

This blog article was written by Andrea H. Reay, President/CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce – “A voice for business, a leader in the community.”  Seattle Southside Chamber has served the communities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac and Tukwila since 1988.  For more information about the Chamber, including a full list of member benefits and resources, please visit their website at www.SeattleSouthsideChamber.com.