Yesler Terrace Pocket Park III

Review Status

On March 18, 2021, we reviewed the design development phase (90% design phase) for the Yesler Terrace Pocket Park III. At this meeting we voted to approve the design development proposal for the Yesler Terrace Pocket Park III project with several recommendations.  We will review the project again during a subcommittee meeting.  

Project Description

In 2006, Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) began planning for the redevelopment of Yesler Terrace. The new 31-acre master planned community will include replacement low-income housing, market-rate housing, two community centers, 2.5 acres of open space, and other neighborhood improvements. More than 12,000 people will live at Yesler Terrace when fully built out.

As part of the redevelopment, SHA petitioned to vacate (permanently close) several streets. In the vacation petition, SHA proposed several public benefits, including three pocket parks. The pocket parks are part of the Green Loop, a connected network of public open spaces included in the redevelopment master plan.

From 2009 to 2011, we reviewed the petition to vacate streets in Yesler Terrace. At that time, SHA identified the locations of the pocket parks but not their precise configuration, programming, and design. We are reviewing the design of this public benefit.

The street vacation conditions outline key features of the pocket parks: each must be 12,000 square feet, have 70 linear feet of frontage on a public street, and accommodate both active and passive uses. Design elements for this pocket park include active play areas, gathering space, open lawn, and garden area.

March 18, 2021 Meeting

September 3, 2020 Meeting

Attend a Meeting

Since mid-March 2020 we have transitioned to an online meeting format.  Our meetings are being held in a manner that reflects guidance from the AG office that authorizes online meetings during the term of Governor's Proclamation 20-28

For information on how to access an online meeting, please click on our calendar and select the project meeting you would like to attend.

We hold our meetings on the first and third Thursdays of every month in the Boards and Commissions Room, located on lower level 2 (L2) of Seattle City Hall at 600 4th Ave. Our meetings generally begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. Please click here to see the agenda of upcoming meetings. We post our agenda approximately 7 days prior to the meeting. If you are interested in an upcoming meeting, contact us at (206) 615-1349 or at  SDC_Administration@seattle.gov.

Make a Comment

For information on how to provide public comment for a specific project that we are reviewing, please click on our calendar and select the project meeting you would like to attend. If you would like to submit a written comment for a specific project please send us an email at SDC_Administration@seattle.gov at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting. 

When you attend a SDC meeting, we provide a time for members of the public to comment. We ask people to sign up when they attend a meeting - we use a sign in sheet to keep track of attendance and to see who wants to speak. We also use this sheet to send notice of future meetings on the project you came to follow. We generally limit comments to two minutes per person. When there are larger groups of people who want to speak on the same topic, we ask that the group appoint a spokesperson to speak for the group. We give groups up to five minutes for public comment. It is helpful to also submit your comment prior to the SDC meeting.  This will allow more time for the commission to consider your comment.  See below for more information.

Do you want to submit a written comment? Submit your written comments by emailing:  SDC_Administration@seattle.gov; Please be sure to include the name of the project in the subject line. Please submit your comments prior to the day of the project review.  This will allow more time for the commission to consider your comment.

Seattle Design Commission

Address: 600 4th Avenue, 5th Floor, Seattle, WA, 98124
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 94788, Seattle, WA, 98124-7088
Phone: (206) 684-0435
sdc_administration@seattle.gov

The Seattle Design Commission advises the Mayor, City Council, and City departments on the design of capital improvements and other projects and policies that shape Seattle's public realm.