Appearance and Pedestrian Environment
Since the inception of OBO, we have set in motion several important built environment improvements in the neighborhood. These include:
Façade Improvement: With eleven businesses at the west side of Othello station — a district gateway, we supported exterior painting, new awnings, new blade signs, and removing bars and installing security film on windows.
Marketing and Promotion
Why do we say hello? When answering the phone, when introduced to someone—a friend, a family member, a neighbor, anyone at all—saying “Hello” is a common greeting spanning culture and language. “Hello” is the beginning of a conversation, the end of strangers, and the opening to friendship, community, and inter-connectedness.
By embracing the simple act of saying “O! Hello Othello!” we celebrate the Othello community’s character of incredible diversity, vitality, and forward-looking optimism. “Hello” exudes the warmth of the people of many cultures who live and work here, as a universal greeting, a sign of welcome, and an invitation to make connections. And it is at the core of the community’s identity.
On Board Othello created the O! Hello Othello brand to convey our vibrant and welcoming district where all are welcome. The brand has been embraced widely—by residents, business owners, property owners, and developers—as a fun representation of Othello’s cultural diversity and our aspiration to attract new businesses and residents. We developed marketing materials around this brand, including this website, stickers, and video, and translated the brand into 40 languages, for banners which are hung along MLK as you pass through the neighborhood. Come say hello!
Events
- Othello International Festival: This free event, organized by the Othello Park Alliance (link), is a celebration of music, food, arts, and activities as diverse as the cultures residing in the Rainier Valley.
- Othello Summer Celebration: Since 2018, this community summer kickoff celebration includes free music, face painting, food, and family fun on the corner of MLK and Othello.
- Othello Park Pictures: View movies on the lawn of Othello Park with neighbors! Each summer On Board Othello organizes movie nights.
- Othello Block Party: Held at the end of July, this annual all-day festival celebrates the vibrant music, visual arts, culture, small businesses, and activism that define South Seattle. (link)
