Compared with a year ago, the level of disorder on Third Avenue near Pike and Pine streets is “night and day,” says Julia Beabout of the Downtown Community Council.

“We are drastically better,” she says.

And yet.

“That’s so hard for people to believe.”

People still gather in the same area most nights. There are still break-ins. Retail in the corridor still struggles to find a toehold.

In August the city’s own program for reviving storefront businesses, Seattle Restored, backed out of a lease with Slice Bakery after a shooting nearby, telling the owners in an email, “In good conscience, our program can no longer place participants at this location due to safety concerns.”

For Mayor Bruce Harrell, the frustration of residents and shop owners is part of his challenges heading into a gen

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