Joshua McNichols
Reporter
About
As KUOW's Growth and Development reporter and co-host of KUOW's Booming podcast, Joshua's "growing pains" beat sits at the nexus of housing, transportation, urban planning, government and the economy. His favorite stories also include themes of history, technology, and climate change.
Joshua holds a B.A. in Architecture from the University of Washington. Public Radio is his second career; architecture was his first. He is proud of the many odd jobs he's held in his life, such as salmon fisher, author, bike courier, and bed-and-breakfast cook.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: he/him
Professional Affiliations: The Society of Professional Journalists, Western Washington Chapter
Podcasts
Stories
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Businesses under the shadow of the viaduct can see the waterfront now
The Alaskan Way Viaduct used to tower over the businesses on Alaskan Way. Now, 70% of of it has been demolished. And businesses that once sat in its shadow are now blinking in the sunshine.
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Seattle plans to tap sales tax for affordable housing
For the State of Washington, the sales tax is a firehose of money. For ages, cities have wanted to poke a straw into that firehose and get just a teensy bit of what's flowing inside. During the last legislative session, cities finally got that wish.
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Seattle police reform could backslide if steps not taken, critics say
Ever since a First Nations woodcarver was fatally shot by Seattle Police in 2010, the police have been trying to prove to a federal judge that they have reformed. But critics say Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Seattle Police Officers Guild have made that goal harder to achieve.
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These gardeners must raise $2M to save their P-Patch
Here's why they think they'll succeed.
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Safety concerns grow on the Seattle street that scrapped bike lanes
Since the 35th Avenue NE redesign, there’s already been a fatal motorcycle accident and a cyclist hit. Some locals have started calling it the Durkan Speedway. That has the Seattle City Council raising questions about its safety. We wondered how dangerous 35th is now, so we rode it ourselves.
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This West Seattle parking lot is chock-full of drama
Seattle is famous for its neighborhoods – but epic growth is bringing big changes, and lots of tension. One place that tension’s bubbling over is in parking lots. They’re an obvious place to build housing, but merchants need them to draw customers.
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Seattle bill pits McMansions against backyard cottages
The fight to bring more backyard cottages and granny flats to residential zones in Seattle has a new twist. A bill that would make them easier to build – would also ban super-sized homes. That bill comes up for an important committee vote in the city council on Tuesday. It highlights the tension between people who want affordable places to live and people who need larger homes for growing families.
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Amazon, Microsoft back new push to house the homeless in Seattle
Some of the Seattle area’s biggest businesses are backing a $75 million fund-raising effort by Plymouth Housing to build homes for 800 homeless people.
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In Rainier Beach, neighbors have a dream, but developers are holding cards close to their chests.
In Rainier Beach, non-profit groups want any development that comes in to help the neighbors who live there now. And development seems likely, as recent upzones raise the height limit on some properties from four stories to twelve. Developers are holding their cards close to their chests. Rainier Beach is prepared to turn to civil disobedience if developers don’t listen.
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It's crunch week for people trying to save the Showbox
The Showbox is fighting for its survival. This week, the future of the storied Seattle music venue will be discussed at two public hearings: Tuesday afternoon at the City Council, and Wednesday afternoon before the Landmarks Preservation Board.