King Street Station Restoration

Updated: February 2, 2012

New: EPA case study for Historic Preservation and Green Construction

Video: Before and After photos

King Street Station Update, Aug/Sept (pdf)

King Street Station Rehabilitation: Phase 2A & Interior Improvements

King Street Station featured at American Public Transportation Association Conference
Click here to read the report on sustainable rehabilitation for King Street Station

Podcast: King Street Station Restoration Project Overview

Overview

King Street Station is a public asset that is an important part of Seattle’s history. For over one hundred years it has improved connections, serving as a gateway for millions of travelers coming into Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The station has spurred economic growth and helped establish Seattle as a major metropolitan city.

Unfortunately, heavy use and neglect over time have caused King Street Station to fall into disrepair. For years the station has been unable to keep up with the demands of a growing number of commuters and travelers.

March 5, 2008 marked the start of a new era for King Street Station with the City of Seattle’s purchase of the landmark building from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company.

Under city ownership, King Street Station will undergo a $50 million renovation that will achieve the following goals:

• Restore the building’s historic character and grandeur
• Upgrade facilities to meet present and future needs of rail and transit users
• Enhance passenger safety and security
• Promote sustainable design with a LEED building certification
• Support efforts to transform the station into a modern transit hub

Scope of work

• Replace existing roof with original terra cotta tile roof
• Repair lighting and remove microwave dish on clock tower
• Fix the four tower clocks to make them operational
• Restore interior finishes and exterior building facade
• Remove suspended tiles from lobby to restore original ornate ceiling
• Complete seismic and structural upgrades

Schedule

The restoration is divided into separate phases to repair major elements of the station:

Phase I: Completed July 2009. Station roof fully restored with new terra cotta tiles replicating the original roof tiles. Salvaged glass tiles replace broken ones for the pyramid above the clocks. The four clocks repaired and restarted. Improved lighting installed to illuminate the tower clocks and pyramid. The cracked finial atop the pyramid repaired, and exterior around clocks cleaned.

Phase IIA: Completed August 2011. Installation of a new geothermal well field connected to a heat pump system providing energy efficient heating and cooling for the station. Electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems have been upgraded. Non-historic enclosure on the west including the non-functioning escalator has been removed to restore the station exterior façade.

The Jackson Street Plaza has been transformed into a new public pedestrian plaza. The drop-ceiling in the main waiting room is removed.

Phase TI: Begins March, 2011. Amtrak baggage, ticketing and office facilities will be upgraded to modern standards. Anticipate completion date in early 2012.

Phase IIB: Begins Winter 2011. It will complete building seismic upgrades and restoration of interior and exterior historic architectural details, including the waiting room’s ornamental plaster work. It will complete the distribution upgrades of the building’s mechanical and electrical systems.

Building Access Improvements include: Reopening of the Jackson Plaza entrance to allow station visitors to use a new elevator to access lower station area.  Restoration of the grand staircase connecting the Jackson plaza to the lower station entrance will be reopened to the public at the end of Phase IIB, anticipated to be completed by Spring 2013.

Multi-modal hub planning: Began September 2010, on-going.

Cost & Financing

Restoration of King Street Station is funded by contributions from city, state, and federal governments as well as nonprofit organizations. The voter-approved Bridging the Gap levy provides $10 million to the project. Funds from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Washington State Historical Society, the South Downtown Foundation, and 4Culture contribute $40 million to the project. This support makes is leveraged by the Bridging the Gap fund and supports all aspects of the project noted above. Restoration work by the Seattle Department of Transportation began in summer 2008. WSDOT and Amtrak previously purchased new exterior awnings, restored the entryway foyer and waiting area restrooms at a cost of $4 million.