The health of downtown is a key driver in whether Seattle can attract entrepreneurs and companies from elsewhere in the country to relocate or set up

An order by Amazon.com for workers to report to their desks five days a week has flooded Downtown Seattle sidewalks with people.

The Downtown Seattle Association’s Revitalization Dashboard shows foot traffic in neighborhoods where Amazon’s offices are located (South Lake Union and Denny Regrade) at 74% of that of January 2019. Overall, downtown-area foot traffic was 9% higher than it was a year ago, though only 57% of the pre-pandemic average.

Amazon's mandate that its employees to return to offices five days a week began in January. New data released Friday shows how neighborhoods around the company's office towers were affected. Pictured are the Amazon Spheres and the company's re:Invent tower.