Freeway Park Improvements
Updated: March 26, 2024
Spring 2024
SPR and the Design Team are currently working on coordinating/ documenting the 60% Construction Document Set. This set will be completed in April 2024 and will be reviewed by SPR Technical Staff. Another round of presentations to the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Seattle Landmarks and Preservation Board (LPB), and the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) will be scheduled following the completion of the 60% set for review/comments.
SPR & Freeway Park Association presented a briefing of the project to the Freeway Park Advisory Council in February.
While ongoing collaboration will continue throughout the Construction Documentation Phase, the project has targeted milestones for progress presentations/feedback:
60% Construction Documents - (April 2024) – Present to LPB, DAHP and WSDOT
90% Construction Documents - (July 2024)- Present to LPB, DAHP, SDC, WSDOT and Freeway Park Advisory Council
SPR is targeting to go out to bid in early 2025 with construction running throughout the year and completed in time to celebrate the Park’s 50th Anniversary in Spring 2026.
Improvement Project Overview
SPR has received $10 million in funding from the Washington State Convention Center Expansion Project as part of the public benefit package associated with the Convention Center expansion. The funding will repair, restore, and enhance Freeway Park. Of the $10 million, $750,000 is for activation within the park, and $9,250,000 is dedicated to capital improvements, covering construction (approximately $6 million), design and project management, permitting, sales tax, and contingencies.
The initial scope of the capital improvements is based on the Finding Freeway Park Concept Report, produced by the Freeway Park Association.
Our project team includes:
Walker Macy - walkermacy.com
3 Square Blocks LLC
Freeway Park Association - freewayparkassociation.org
Project Elements Funded in Phase 1
- Entire Park
o New lighting at existing light poles
o Architectural lighting spot improvements (i.e.: 8th Ave Underpass)
o New Wayfinding signage
o Landscape, irrigation, and drainage spot improvements - Upper Lawns
o Renovated restroom structure with 2 gender-neutral stalls
o 60% Planting/Irrigation - Seneca Plaza
o New larger plaza
o New paving and seating elements
o New planting and lawn terrace
o New lighting and signage
o New buildings: restroom with 2 gender-neutral stalls, concierge, storage
o Improved access to Canyon Fountain - Box Gardens
o Clean-up and tree removal
o 60% Planting/Irrigation - Pigott Corridor
o 60% Planting/Irrigation
Location
Freeway Park, 700 Seneca St, 98101
Budget
As a result of the Washington State Convention Center Expansion Project's proposed street vacations, $10 million has been paid to Seattle Parks and Recreation over the next twenty-one (21) months to repair, restore and enhance Freeway Park. This $10 million is part of the public benefit package associated with the Convention Center expansion. A portion of this money ($750,000) is focused on activation within Freeway Park; the remainder ($9,250,000) is dedicated to capital improvements at the park.
Schedule
Planning: 2019 - 2020
Design: 2020 - Winter 2023
Construction Documentation: Winter 2023 - Fall 2024
Bidding: Early 2025
Construction Begins: Spring 2025 - Spring 2026
Project Description
The scope of the capital project work builds on the Finding Freeway Park concept plan, produced by the Freeway Park Association, and includes infrastructure upgrades, lighting, wayfinding, and a new restroom. The design phase is expected to be complete with all necessary permits/approvals in hand by the end of 2022. The rough order of magnitude cost estimate to repair, restore and enhance Freeway Park is based on the Finding Freeway Park Concept Report, produced by the Freeway Park Association, which identifies areas of focus.
View information about the separate Jim Ellis Freeway Park Fountain Discharge Retrofit project here.
Landmarks
In July 2022, the City of Seattle Landmarks and Preservation Board designated Freeway Park a City Landmark. Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) and Landmarks Preservation Board finalized the Controls and Incentives Agreement in June 2023. View the Controls and Incentives document here.
Community Participation
One of the critical components of this project is public outreach. There is a very diverse set of stakeholders that surround and use the park. Together with our consultant team, we will engage with the adjacent Washington State Convention Center, surrounding business community, residents that live around the park, homeless individuals who use the park on a frequent basis, and other stakeholders and user groups.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey. It closed November 2019. See results below.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Project Kick-Off event on September 10, 2019, and everyone who joined us at the Open House and Panel Discussion on October 28, 2019. These events were great opportunities to learn more about the project and share your ideas for repairing, restoring, and enhancing Freeway Park. Your input was helpful and greatly appreciated.
View the events poster here.
Public Kick-Off Event 9/10/2019
- September 10, 2019 - Project Kick-Off Event Presentation
- September 10, 2019 - Project Kick-Off Event Summary
Open House and Panel Discussion 10/28/2019
Panel: Randy Gragg (Executive Director, Portland Parks Foundation); Alison Hirsch (Director of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism at USC School of Architecture); Kenneth Helphand (FASLA, Professor Emeritus in Landscape Architecture, University of Oregon); Charles A. Birnbaum (FASLA, FAAR, President & CEO, The Cultural Landscape Foundation); Iain Robertson (Associate Professor and Adjunct Faculty, University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences).
- October 28, 2019 - Open House and Panel Discussion Presentation
- October 28, 2019 - Open House and Panel Discussion Summary
- Online survey results Reference Information
Online Open House July 7 - August 5, 2020
Background Documents
- A New Vision for Freeway Park - A report prepared by Project for Public Spaces in January 2005
- Freeway Park Landmark Nomination - 2005
- An Organizational-Theory Focused Analysis of Seattle's Freeway Park - March 2016
- Finding Freeway Park Concept Report - November 2017
- Freeway Park RFQ Pre-proposal Meeting Sign-in Sheet - January 17, 2019
- Freeway Park RFQ Questions and Answers - January 22, 2019
- Freeway Park Improvement Project Design Development Presentation - March 2021
- Controls and Incentives Agreement with the City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board - June 22, 2023