Seattle Design Commission -- Recommedations

What We Do: In Depth

Recommendations

The Seattle Design Commission advises elected and agency officials on project design.

For large, complicated projects, the Commission formally publishes its recommendations to distribute to City officials. When warranted, it also testifies at public meetings, issues press releases, writes letters and op-eds and appears on the radio talk shows.

Examples include:

Civic Square (Public Safety Building Site)
- Public Safety Building Site Recommendations, September 2006
Waterfront Plan
- Endorsement of Plan, February 2006
- Support for DPD as Lead Agency, August 2005
- Public Forum Summary, 2003 (3.5 MB)
City Hall
- Civic Center Public Space Programming, January 2001 (1.7 MB)
SR 520 Replacement
- Premature to Support 6-Lane, October 2006
- Impacts of Pacific Interchange, October 2006
Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement
- No Public Advisory Vote, July 2006
- Support for Tunnel, February 2006
- Future of Alaskan Way, June 2005 (1.3 MB)
- Follow-up Letter, September 2004
- Preferred Alternative Recommendations, July 2004
- DEIS: Comment Letter, Abreviated Principles, Detailed Comments, all in June 2004
Monorail
- System Wide Design: Position Paper #1, March 2002
- Station Design and Targeted Route Issues: Position Paper #2, June 2002

For all projects it reviews, the Commission records the actions -- or its summary of recommendations -- in its meeting minutes. The Commission distributes its minutes to City Council, the Mayor's Office, the City's departments, and project proponents.

Last Updated: March 8, 2007

What's New

NEXT MEETING
April 3, 2008
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RECOMMENDATIONS
Viaduct Replacement
The Seattle Design Commission evaluated the two alternatives for the Viaduct replacement. Read the press release (1/19/2007) and letter (2/13/2006) to the Mayor and City Council. In an earlier letter (7/21/2004), the Commission evaluated all alternatives.

SR 520 Bridge Replacement
The Seattle Design Commission believes it is premature to endorse the 6-lane option for the 520 bridge replacement and that the best mobility and urban design solution might rest in a yet-to-be-developed hybrid alternative. Read the letter (10/6/2006) to the Mayor and City Council.

The Commission is concerned about the impacts of the Pacific Interchange and recommends honing a 4-Lane hybrid option for SR 520. Read the letter (10/31/2006) to the Washington State Department of Transportation regarding their Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Public Safety Building Site Redevelopment
The Seattle Design Commission recommends the Public Safety Building site be redeveloped to create a great public space to complete the City's civic campus. Read the report (9/2006).

Waterfront Plan
The Seattle Design Commission supports the City's Central Waterfront Plan and the Department of Planning and Development as the lead agency in its development. Read the letter (2/13/2006) to the Mayor and City Council, and an earlier letter (8/17/2005).

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

2006 Report
In 2006, the Design Commission reviewed $8.99 billion worth of public projects. For details, see the commission's annual report.

Seattle Design Commission

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