The suburbs are the new Seattle

Looks like Everett's getting a new University of Washington branch campus, something that's already been a boon for Bothell, which is also remaking itself as "pedestrian oriented." Suburban cities are also celebrating major centennials — Bothell's is next year, and there's been lots of anniversary hoopla in Tukwila, which one writer argues is the cradle of Puget Sound civilization. Seattle doesn't have a monopoly on urban history hereabouts.

In Redmond, the new mayor is trying to replace a more contentious city politics with consensus — how can you get any more Seattle than that?

Well, try Bellevue. Judging from a spate of articles in The Seattle Times, the increasingly dense Bellevue is pedestrian friendly, fighting global warming, is gay friendly, and is even trying to limit the kudzu of the nouveau riche, megahouses. Bellevue sounds like Seattle, but with decent schools.

And speaking of gay-friendly, the new "Capitol Hill" is Kent, at least for gay couples, reports the latest Seattle Weekly. The Hill's "gay flight" is the suburbs' gain.

A sure sign that something is going on is the new TV ad from Renton which aired during the Seahawks playoff game last week, featuring former Almost Live! comedian John Keister shilling for the town which, we're told, is "ahead of the curve." John Keister selling Renton? What's next, the ghost of Emmett Watson selling condos for Paul Allen?

At least one blogger thinks Keister, famous for his bashing of Renton and other south-end burbs, has sold out. But times do change. Maybe he's just proof that the suburbs are the new Seattle.

• Knute Berger is Mossback, Crosscut's chief Northwest native. He also writes the monthly Gray Matters column for Seattle magazine and is a weekly Friday guest on Weekday on KUOW-FM (94.9). You can e-mail him at mossback@crosscut.com.