Departments | Services | Staff Directory | My.Seattle.Gov
Seattle.gov Home Page
Seattle.gov This Department
Link to Seattle Design Commission Home Page Link to About Us Link to Contact Us Link to Design Commission Home Page Championing civic design excellence in Seattle's public realm
What We Do: In Depth

Project Reviews


At its meetings on the first and third Thursday of every month, the Seattle Design Commission reviews the following kinds of projects:

  • Capital Improvement Projects
  • Right-of-Way Projects
  • Major Projects

The commission's actions from these reviews are written in each meeting's minutes. 

Project managers can read about how to prepare for these reviews in the Design Commission's Project Review Handbook.

Capital Improvement Projects (CIP)
The Design Commission's primary purpose is to review the design of the City's Capital Improvement Projects. Reviews include:

  • parks and community centers
  • libraries
  • fire and police stations
  • road improvements
  • public utility structures

Right-of-Way Projects
The Design Commission reviews private development projects when they affect the City's right-of-way, such as:

  • street use permits
  • skybridge permits
  • street and alley vacations
  • objects in the right-of-way
  • sign permit special exceptions

Major Projects
The Commission reviews the City's largest and most complex projects, sometimes in collaboration with other commissions, boards or agencies. Examples include:

  • Master Plans
    • High Point Redevelopment
    • Central Waterfront Plan
  • Transportation Infrastructure
    • Seattle Monorail Project
    • Sound Transit Link Light Rail
    • Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement
    • South Lake Union Streetcar
    • State Route 520 Bridge
    • Mercer Corridor
Last Updated: February 12, 2007

Next Meeting
See the agenda for the next Design Commission meeting.

Recommendations
SR520 Vision
The commission supports the WSDOT's vision for the SR520 corridor in Seattle, which was developed through an inclusive community design process. (9/2012)

Downtown Sign Code Amendment
The commission cannot at this time support the downtown sign code amendment. (2/15/2011)

See more recommendations. Also, read the minutes of the commission's project reviews.

Visual Resume

The Grass Blades
See the AIA award-winning The Grass Blades at the Seattle Center and how the Design Commission's review made a difference in the development of this project. Open the Visual Resume.

photo by Benjamin Benschneider

Annual Report
small jpg 2010 Design Commission Annual Report
2010 Report
In 2010, the Design Commission reviewed $1.1 billion worth of public projects. For details, see the commission's annual report. 

Seattle Design Commission
  • Navigate to:

  • Seattle.gov Home Page
  • Business In Seattle
  • Living in Seattle
  • Visiting Seattle
  • City Services
  •  

  • Mayor's Office
  • City Council
  • City Departments
  • My.Seattle.Gov
  •  
  • We're Here to Help...

  • Questions / Complaints
  • FAQs
  • Employee Directory
  • City Customer Service
    Call (206) 684-CITY (2489)
  • Follow Us

  • CityLink Blogs
  • Social Media Sites
  • Data.seattle.gov
  • © Copyright 1995-2013 City of Seattle
  • Privacy and Security Policy