Discovery Park - Capehart
Parks and Green Spaces Levy
Project Information

Address: Discovery Park

Project Status

Thank you Seattle!
This restoration of approximately 27 acres from military housing to mixed forest and meadow is now complete, and the plantings are in establishment phase.

Approximately 50 single family homes were removed from this old military housing site prior to Parks taking over the property, but the hard surfaces were left behind for future removal. Work being completed under this restoration project includes the removal and recycling of 4,500 cubic yards of the concrete and asphalt, importing approximately 20,000 cubic yards of wood mulch, and planting of approximately 12,000 native trees and plants.

The entire 24 acre, Capehart Housing Area at Discovery Park became the property of the City on Friday, October 22, 2010. The $11.1 million purchase was funded by a combination of state and county grants as well as proceeds from the sale of surplus City property.

Establishment of new vegetation will last for approximately two to three years, with a variety of volunteer efforts for plant and tree installation to happen over the same period.

A public meeting was held in early November. The community learned about the project and the effort to restore the area to a more natural state. The scope of work includes removing all hard surfaces, roads, sidewalks, and building footings; re-grading the area, preparing the space for planting, and installing a variety of native trees and shrubs.

Seattle Parks and Recreation selected ESA Adolfson as the design consultant for this project. The goal is to restore the site to natural habitat with a variety of meadows, forest thickets, and under story vegetation typical of the area.

Nuprecon LC started preparation for demolition of the former Navy Capehart Housing complex in early spring 2010 and finished in late summer 2010, turning the 24-acre site over to Seattle Parks and Recreation in October 2010.

Previously, Parks removed the children's play structures, the NEX Mini-Mart, and the Maintenance Building 750 that were located there.

Project Description

This project will provide habitat restoration to approximately 24 acres of land.

Demolition of the existing housing units by the Navy has been completed and the property has been turned over to Seattle Parks for restoration efforts.

The general approach will be to create local habitat that is typical of Discovery Park, and in particular since the City began habitat restoration of the first portions of Fort Lawton back in the 70's. Included will be a variety of meadows, forest thickets, and typical under story vegetation.

This project was recommended by the West Point Citizens Advisory Committee as part of the 2005 revision to the list of projects recommended in the 2004 Memorandum of Agreement, between King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks and the City of Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, for use of mitigation funds pursuant to Section 1(d) of the West Point Settlement Agreement (Ordinance 121488).

Community Participation

Please watch the Events section above for details of next meeting as they become available.

Public Meeting #1 11/10/2010

• Agenda
• Notes

Important Links

• Seattle Parks & Recreation
• Parks and Green Spaces Levy
• Discovery Park

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