Jump to content

Renton, Washington

Coordinates: 47°29′12″N 122°11′43″W / 47.48667°N 122.19528°W / 47.48667; -122.19528
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by ThosLop (talk | contribs) at 18:36, 7 December 2019 (→External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about Renton, Washington, United States. For the village in Scotland, see Renton, West Dunbartonshire.
Renton, Washington
City
Welcome sign
Welcome sign
Flag of Renton, Washington
Flag
Official seal of Renton, Washington
Seal
Location of Renton in King County and Washington
Location of Renton in
King County and Washington
Renton, Washington is located in the United States
Renton, Washington
Renton, Washington
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 47°29′12″N 122°11′43″W / 47.48667°N 122.19528°W / 47.48667; -122.19528
Country United States
State Washington
CountyKing
Government
 • MayorDenis Law
Area
[1]
 • Total23.61 sq mi (61.15 km2)
 • Land23.43 sq mi (60.70 km2)
 • Water0.18 sq mi (0.46 km2)
Elevation
46–410 ft (14–125 m)
Population
 (2010)[2]
 • Total90,927
 • Estimate 
(2018)[3]
102,153
 • RankUS: 303rd
 • Density4,325.97/sq mi (1,670.29/km2)
 City Proper
Time zoneUTC−8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes
98055–98059
Area code425
FIPS code53-57745
GNIS feature ID1512599[4]
WebsiteRentonWA.gov

Renton is a city in King County, Washington, and a suburb of Seattle. Situated 11 miles (18 km) southeast of downtown Seattle, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington, at the mouth of the Cedar River.

After a long history as an important salmon fishing area for Native Americans, Renton was first settled by people of European descent in the 1860s, and its early economy was based on coal mining, clay production, and timber export. Today, Renton is best known as the final assembly point for the Boeing 737 family of commercial airplanes, but it is also home to a growing number of well known manufacturing, technology, and healthcare organizations, including Boeing Commercial Airplanes Division, Paccar, Kaiser Permanente, IKEA, Providence Health & Services, UW Medicine, and Wizards of the Coast. As of 2018, the population in Renton is 102,153,[3] up from 90,927 at the 2010 census. Renton currently is the eighth-largest city in Washington and is the fourth largest in King County. Since 2008, the National Football League's Seattle Seahawks have had a training facility in Renton, the Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC),[5] which is the second-largest facility in the NFL at 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2).

History

Among the first European settlers in the present-day Renton area were Henry Tobin and his wife Diana. The town of Renton was accessed via the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad, the first railroad to be built to Seattle, and was in the vicinity of several coal mines that attracted entrepreneurs like Erasmus M. Smithers, who is credited with the founding and establishment of the town in 1875.[6] Smithers named Renton in honor of Captain William Renton, a local lumber and shipping merchant who invested heavily in the coal trade.[7] Smithers discovered coal there and brought in Charles D. Shattuck as the coal mine operator.

Renton was incorporated as a city on September 6, 1901,[6] when coal mining and timber processing were the most important economic industries in the area. The town was prone to flooding from the Cedar River and Black River. In 1916 the completion of the Lake Washington Ship Canal lowered the surface of Lake Washington by several feet which consequently eliminated drainage of Lake Washington through the Black River (in favor of the Ship Canal). The Cedar River was then diverted to drain into Lake Washington instead of into the Black River. As a result, the Black River largely disappeared, leaving only a few remnants. [8]The culmination of these actions reduced the threat of annual flooding.[9]

The population sharply increased during World War II when Boeing built their Renton Factory to produce the B-29 Superfortress.[10] Renton grew from a population of 4,488 in 1940 to 16,039 in 1950.[11]

The game company Wizards of the Coast also is headquartered in Renton. Providence Health System has centralized its administrative offices in Renton, along with Group Health Cooperative.

Owing to its location at the confluence of three major freeways (I-5, I-405, and SR 167), Renton's economic development team has lured a number of specialty retailers that draw consumers from around the region, including Fry's Electronics and IKEA.[12] Some retail establishments were unwanted though, and the city successfully defended zoning restrictions on pornographic theaters before the U.S. Supreme Court in Renton v. Playtime Theatres, Inc.[13]

The Renton Public Library was built directly over the Cedar River and opened in 1966. It stretches 80 feet (24 m) across the river, next to Liberty Park, and was the main branch of the city's independent library system until its 2010 annexation into the King County Library system.

21st century redevelopment

The city government has encouraged redevelopment of industrial areas around Downtown Renton and near Southcenter since the 1980s. The first IKEA in the Pacific Northwest opened in Renton in 1994. The former Longacres horse-racing track was redeveloped in the 1990s to support offices for Boeing and the Federal Reserve Bank, which moved from its Seattle building.[14] Port Quendall, a land parcel in north Renton, is home to the Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC), housing the Seattle Seahawks Headquarters and training facility that opened in August 2008; before then, the Seahawks trained in Kirkland.[15]

In the mid-1990s, Renton undertook a major redevelopment effort to revitalize its downtown core, which had declined in commercial prominence since the opening of the Southcenter Mall in Tukwila in 1968. The many car dealerships that had previously occupied the center of downtown Renton were encouraged through economic incentives to relocate to a newly created auto sales zone close to the I-405/SR-167 interchange.[16] In place of the old dealerships downtown, a new transit center and parking garage were built in partnership with King County Metro.[17] The transit center is surrounded by several multi-family residential buildings and a small town square named Piazza Park, which hosts a weekly farmers' market.[18]

Renton Transit Center

Centered on former Boeing Co. property near the south shore of Lake Washington is a 68 acres (280,000 m2) residential and commercial development named The Landing.[19] To the north of the Landing, a hotel and office development on the lakefront called Southport is under development at the site of the former Shuffleton power plant, which was demolished in 2001. A 347-room hotel operated under the Hyatt Regency brand opened in June 2017.[20] Three 9-story office towers are currently under construction at the Southport site, and are expected to open in 2019.[20]

Geography

Renton is located at 47°29′12″N 122°11′43″W / 47.486622°N 122.195163°W / 47.486622; -122.195163 (47.486622, −122.195163),[21] on the southeast shore of Lake Washington.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.54 square miles (60.97 km2), of which, 23.12 square miles (59.88 km2) is land and 0.42 square miles (1.09 km2) is water,[22] most of which is the Cedar River.

Potential Annexation Areas (PAAs) include the communities of Fairwood southeast of Renton, the East Renton Plateau on the eastern edge of Renton, and West Hill northwest of Renton. These communities are large unincorporated urban areas that are encouraged by the King County Annexation Initiative[23] to incorporate as cities or annex into neighboring cities. As of 2012 these three PAAs are not part of the City of Renton, and not included in its demographics or statistics.

Renton one of the cities in the Puget Sound Region with an independent street grid system. Roads names beginning with sectional divisions (N 32nd ST) generally follow a latitudinal direction, while roads names ending in a sectional direction (Duvall Ave NE) generally follow a longitudinal direction. Many of the avenues in the city are named in honor of other cities in Washington.

Renton is bordered to the north by Newcastle, Washington. Along the east side of Renton is the Urban Growth Boundary established by King County,[24] as such there is no incorporated city directly east of Renton. The geographical characteristics of Renton's eastern border are varied and include (from north to south) the south flank of Cougar Mountain descending southward merging with the community of May Valley. The terrain then elevates south of May Valley to the communities of the East Renton Plateau before descending to the north bank of the Cedar River. Renton is bordered to the south by the city of Kent, Washington. The western border consists of the city of Tukwila, Washington, and finally the unincorporated King County community West Hill and Lake Washington to the northwest.[25]

Areas of Renton

Downtown Renton
In 2015, ESRI estimated that in Downtown Renton the total population was 3,019 and the average household income was $50,809.[26]
North Renton
In 2015, ESRI estimated that in North Renton the total population was 8,211 and the average household income was $79,387.[26]
Northeast Renton
In 2015, ESRI estimated that in Northeast Renton the total population was 44,626 and the average household income was $93,556.[26]
Southeast Renton
In 2015, ESRI estimated that in Southeast Renton the total population was 39,066 and the average household income was $78,424.[26]
Southwest Renton
In 2015, ESRI estimated that in Southwest Renton the total population was 3,551 and the average household income was $64,661.[26]

Climate

Renton has a warm-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) with warm and dry summers mixed with cloudy, wet and cool winters, with a precipitation regime typical of the Pacific Northwest. Being located in a partial rain shadow and shielded from the coastal summers, Renton has more of a climate influenced by the interior than many other areas nearby.[citation needed]

Climate data for Renton, Washington
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 64
(18) 		71
(22) 		81
(27) 		86
(30) 		92
(33) 		100
(38) 		104
(40) 		99
(37) 		96
(36) 		86
(30) 		74
(23) 		69
(21) 		104
(40)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 43
(6) 		47
(8) 		54
(12) 		61
(16) 		67
(19) 		72
(22) 		79
(26) 		80
(27) 		73
(23) 		62
(17) 		52
(11) 		45
(7) 		61
(16)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 32
(0) 		35
(2) 		39
(4) 		42
(6) 		47
(8) 		53
(12) 		56
(13) 		57
(14) 		51
(11) 		44
(7) 		39
(4) 		34
(1) 		44
(7)
Record low °F (°C) −10
(−23) 		−5
(−21) 		10
(−12) 		25
(−4) 		27
(−3) 		33
(1) 		38
(3) 		34
(1) 		28
(−2) 		24
(−4) 		−1
(−18) 		3
(−16) 		−10
(−23)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 5.3
(130) 		4.5
(110) 		4.1
(100) 		2.9
(74) 		2.1
(53) 		1.7
(43) 		0.9
(23) 		1.2
(30) 		1.8
(46) 		3.4
(86) 		6.1
(150) 		5.8
(150) 		37.1
(940)
Source: Weather.com[27]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880200—
1890406103.0%
19004121.5%
19102,740565.0%
19203,30120.5%
19304,06223.1%
19404,48810.5%
195016,039257.4%
196018,45315.1%
197025,87840.2%
198031,03119.9%
199041,68834.3%
200050,05220.1%
201090,92781.7%
2018 (est.)102,153[3]12.3%
source:[28]
U.S. Decennial Census[29]
2018 estimate[30]
Seattle Car and Foundry works (Paccar) plant in Renton 1916.

The 2019 median income for households in Renton is $70,661, while the mean household income is $89,808. The per capita income is $49,624 – 9% of families and 12% of individuals are below the federal poverty line, while 15% of those under 18 and 9% of those 65 years or older are below.[31]

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 90,927 people, 36,009 households, and 21,849 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,932.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,518.5/km2). There were 38,930 housing units at an average density of 1,683.8 per square mile (650.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 54.6% White (49.4% Non-Hispanic White), 10.6% African American, 0.7% Native American, 21.2% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, 6.2% from other races, and 5.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.1% of the population.

There were 36,009 households of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.3% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.16.

The median age in the city was 35.2 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 33.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 10.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

Economy

Renton Public Library straddles the Cedar River

Boeing Commercial Airplanes,[32] Boeing Capital,[33] Providence Health & Services,[34] and Wizards of the Coast have their headquarters in Renton.[35]

The Boeing Renton Factory has operated since World War II when it manufactured the B-29 Superfortress; currently, it produces the 737 airliner. The Renton plant produced the Jetfoil and Pegasus class hydrofoils in the 1970s. As of 2001, 40% of all commercial aircraft in the air were assembled in Renton. Boeing remains the largest employer in Renton, which is home to over 10,000 employees and three of the aerospace giant's six major business divisions: Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Boeing Capital Corporation and the Shared Services Group. The local newspaper in the 1970s, the Record Chronicle, proclaimed the city the jet capital of the world.

Paccar has traditionally been a large employer in the city as well with its Kenworth Truck plant located in Renton's industrial area on the south end of Lake Washington. In 1907 the Seattle Car Mfg Company also known as the Car Company moved to a large manufacturing plant in Renton after demand for the company's railroad equipment exceeded the capacity of its Seattle plant. The Car Company was the only manufacturer of train cars on the west coast.

The Renton plant expanded to foundry capabilities in 1911, and Seattle Car and Foundry Co merged with the Twohy Brothers of Portland in 1917 and became the Pacific Car and Foundry Company or Paccar. During the great depression the Renton Paccar plant developed power winches for use in the logging industry. When World War II arrived the Renton manufacturing switched its production towards the war effort, and by the war's end in 1945 had built 1,500 Sherman Tanks. In the second half of the 20th century there was not enough repeat business for Paccar-built train cars as rail equipment in 1965 came to only 1/3 of the company's sales. Thus the Paccar Renton plant began manufacturing structural steel until the 1970s recession. In the early 1980s the Paccar Railcar Division; the last remnants of the original Pacific Car and Foundry Co closed down. In 1993, a new Kenworth assembly plant opened on the former site of Pacific Car and Foundry.[36]

Top employers

As of 2016[37] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Boeing Company 16,774
2 Valley Medical Center 2,547
3 Renton School District No. 403 1,540
4 Federal Aviation Administration 1,450
5 Providence Washington Regional Services 1,414
6 Paccar 1,144
7 Group Health Cooperative 932
8 City of Renton 713
9 McLendon Hardware 641
10 King County Total 555
11 Kroger Total 451
12 Wizards of the Coast 445
13 Renton Technical College 378
14 Lumicor Inc 378
15 Health Point Total 372

Education

Renton Technical College, originally opened in 1942 as a war production school, offers associate degrees and certificates of completion in professional-technical fields.

The Renton School District provides K–12 public schooling.[38] Additionally, the Issaquah School District[39] as well as the Kent School District[40] serve small portions of unincorporated Renton neighborhoods. The Tahoma School District serves a small portion of Renton along Maple Valley Highway, as well as the majority of Fairwood, a census-designated place between Renton and Maple Valley.

The Renton School District includes the following high schools (grades 9–12):

Middle schools (grades 6–8):

Elementary schools (K–5):

  • Benson Hill Elementary School
  • Bryn Mawr Elementary School
  • Campbell Hill Elementary School
  • Cascade Elementary School
  • Hazelwood Elementary School
  • Highlands Elementary School
  • Honeydew Elementary School
  • Kennydale Elementary School
  • Lakeridge Elementary School
  • Maplewood Heights Elementary School[41]
  • Renton Park Elementary School
  • Sartori Elementary School
  • Sierra Heights Elementary School
  • Talbot Hill Elementary School
  • Tiffany Park Elementary School

The southern region of the Issaquah School District includes the following schools in unincorporated Renton neighborhoods:

The northeastern region of the Kent School District includes the following schools in unincorporated Renton neighborhoods:

  • Meeker Middle School
  • Northwood Middle School
  • Carriage Crest Elementary School
  • Fairwood Elementary School
  • Glenridge Elementary School
  • Ridgewood Elementary School

The northern region of the Tahoma School District includes schools that serve Renton but are located in Maple Valley and surrounding areas:

  • Tahoma High School (Maple Valley)
  • Maple View Middle School (Covington)
  • Shadow Lake Elementary School (Maple Valley)
  • Cedar River Elementary School (Maple Valley)
  • Tahoma Elementary School (Hobart)

Sister cities

Renton, Washington's Sister Cities are Nishiwaki, Hyogo (established 1969), and Cuautla, Jalisco (established 2001).[42]

Transportation

Renton is served by King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses. Clayton Scott Field (KRNT), located just north of downtown Renton, houses several facilities that offer charter services and flight training.[citation needed]

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "2017 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 1, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  4. ^ "Renton". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  5. ^ "The Virginia Mason Athletic Center". Seahawks.com. Seattle Seahawks. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Rochester, Junius (December 2, 1998). "Renton, Captain William (1818–1891)". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on May 15, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  7. ^ Williams, David B.; Ott, Jennifer (2017). Waterway: The Story of Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal (First ed.). Seattle: HistoryLink.org. pp. 121–123. ISBN 978-1-933245-43-0.
  8. ^ "Black River disappears in July 1916". Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  9. ^ "Boeing in Renton". Boeing. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  10. ^ "Renton, Washington population". World Population Review. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  11. ^ "IKEA to build a new, 2 story store at current location in Renton". rentonwa.gov. City of Renton. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  12. ^ Boba, Eleanor. "U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of City of Renton in Playtime Theatres case on February 25, 1986". HistoryLink.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  13. ^ "Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Opens Its New Seattle Branch Building in Renton". Reuters. April 7, 2008. Archived from the original on November 24, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  14. ^ "Virginia Mason Medical Center". Archived from the original on October 16, 2015.
  15. ^ "City of Renton History: 1990 to 2000". City of Renton. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  16. ^ "City of Renton History: 2000 to present". City of Renton. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  17. ^ "Piazza Park". City of Renton. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  18. ^ "South Lake Washington". rentonwa.gov. City of Renton. Archived from the original on March 10, 2008. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
  19. ^ a b Miller, Brian. "On the Block: Southport is a game-changer for Renton, with Class A offices and plans to expand". www.djc.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  20. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Archived from the original on May 27, 2002. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  21. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 20, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  22. ^ [1] Archived January 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine additional text.
  23. ^ "Countywide Planning Policies". Archived from the original on May 13, 2008.
  24. ^ "Incorporated Areas of King County / city area". King County. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  25. ^ a b c d e "City of Renton". City of Renton. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  26. ^ "Monthly Averages for Renton, WA". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  27. ^ Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850–1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 331.
  28. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  29. ^ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  30. ^ "Renton, Washington Population 2019 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)". worldpopulationreview.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  31. ^ "."Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), Boeing Commercial Airplanes; retrieved on May 15, 2012.
  32. ^ About Us – Overview Archived February 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Boeing Capital; retrieved March 14, 2011.
  33. ^ Corporate Offices Archived February 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Providence Health & Services; retrieved March 14, 2011.
  34. ^ "Contact Us Archived June 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine", Wizards of the Coast; retrieved May 2, 2010.
  35. ^ "106 Years in Paccar History". PACCAR Inc. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013.
  36. ^ "Major Employers Renton". Renton Economic Development. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  37. ^ "Renton School District boundaries". Archived from the original on June 26, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  38. ^ "Issaquah School District, Liberty High School". Archived from the original on November 14, 2001. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  39. ^ "Kent School District". Kent School District. Archived from the original on May 15, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  40. ^ Community Leader, Principal Judy Busch Retires Archived December 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Renton Reporter
  41. ^ City of Renton Archived September 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Rentonwa.gov. Retrieved on August 16, 2013.
  42. ^ "Part VI – What do you get an NBA star for his birthday?". The Oregonian. July 27, 2008. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  43. ^ Clint Eastwood swam here Archived October 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, SammamishReview
  44. ^ "Jimi Hendrix Memorial". www.jimihendrixmemorial.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  45. ^ "Zach Lavine, born in Renton, Washington". Archived from the original on February 2, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  46. ^ "Part V – The stories this bike could tell". The Oregonian. July 27, 2008. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  47. ^ "Doug Sisk Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Renton, Washington.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Renton,_Washington&oldid=929712744"