Kubota Garden Improvements

Early 2026

Kubota Garden is a public American-Japanese garden in South Seattle that started as a beautiful vision of Fujitaro Kubota, a Japanese emigrant. You are invited to learn more about Fujitaro's story.

Kubota Garden Foundation and Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) have several projects currently underway. The 55th Ave S Sidewalk Improvements, Parking Lot Expansion, and Visitor Center projects are in various stages of planning and design. These projects are in response to the growing number of visitors at the Garden and aim to create a welcoming, gracious, and culturally significant experience at the Garden.  

Current Projects:

Kubota Garden Visitor Center

The 1990 Kubota Garden Master Plan identified the need for a Visitor Center to provide services that would improve the visitor experience. Please visit our engagement hub to participate in the project.

With yearly increases in visitorship, as well as meeting the expectations of garden visitors, the need to provide additional facilities has gained importance. The new facilities would be located within a natural, historic, and culturally significant landscape, with its structures designed to be secondary to the Garden setting. The anticipated primary uses would include:

• A welcoming space with a reception/exhibit area
• A small gift shop
• A meeting room to accommodate program events and indoor exhibitions
• Restroom facilities
• Outdoor courtyards and decks for informal gatherings
• An office space.

Planning phase is funded by a $500,000 King County Parks Capital and Open Space Program grant. SPR and the Kubota Garden Foundation are working together to secure additional funding sources. Contact Rachel Banner at Rachel.Banner@seattle.gov for more information.

55th Ave S Sidewalk Project

Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has begun work on its 55th Ave S project adjacent to the Garden. This project will help establish formal sidewalks and drainage, helping with pedestrian access and reducing flooding and debris entering the Kubota Garden’s koi ponds and Mapes Creek. Learn more on SDOT’s project webpage.

Parking Lot Expansion Project

The Parking Lot Expansion Project will help alleviate visitor capacity issues and increase accessibility. The project will include stormwater improvements with rain gardens to filter sediment before it enters the Garden ponds. Additionally, an updated Gathering Plaza will provide a larger, accessible, pedestrian-friendly entry that includes a small kiosk with information about the Garden. The design and permitting process is currently underway and is expected to be at 100% Construction Documentation by the end of 2025.

The Parking Lot Expansion design is funded by the Seattle Parks District Major Projects Challenge Fund. Construction of the project is not currently funded and is anticipated to cost roughly $2.8 million. Determination of Non-Significance for Parking Lot Expansion

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has determined that the Kubota Garden Park Lot Expansion Project does not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment. An environmental impact statement is not required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c). This decision was made after a review of a completed environmental checklist and other information on file with SPR. This information is available to the public on request.

The Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) was issued on August 11, 2025, under 197-11-340(2). The lead agency, Seattle Parks and Recreation, will not act on this proposal for 14 days from the date of issuance (August 25, 2025).

Download the DNS document for additional information.