North Rainier Landbanked Site Park Development

Fall 2023

We are happy to announce the beginning of construction for the North Rainier Landbank park. Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) would like to thank the community for their patience as we acquired 1.2 acres of land to create a large urban village park for the high-density neighborhood and for their participation in the design process. W.S.Contractors has begun to mobilize at the site, S. Charlestown Street between 34th and 35th Avenues S, just north of Safeway. The initial phase of construction will consist of removing the invasive Knotweed and contaminated site soil, which is projected to take two months. We anticipate completing the new multi-generational park in late summer 2024.   

Spring 2023

We obtained our revised SDOT Street Improvement Permit and SDCI Construction Permit and grant documents to incorporate the basic redesign/expansion that includes the second new parcel. In partnership with SDOT, we received confirmation that SDOT will install a crosswalk at 35th Ave S and S Charlestown St at the conclusion of construction. Final Permits and grant contracts have been obtained and we are in the process of advertising the project to secure a contractor for construction. Given the amount of earthwork, construction is planned for a summer 2023 start during the standard grading season with park completion summer 2024.  

Survey (Closed)

We previously collected textile and fabric designs to represent the diverse cultures and heritages of this neighborhood for the park artwork theme: Fabric of Community. In March 2022 we conducted a follow-up survey to select two additional designs submitted by the community that resonate with you. The selection of the community submitted fabric designs will be combined with designs in original survey.

Winter 2021/2022

Seattle Parks and Recreation applied for several grants to help fund this park development and we are awaiting final grant award letters. In Fall 2021 we purchased another adjacent parcel in the Rainier Valley (3638 34^th Ave S), expanding the size of the future park to be over an acre. This new park increases equitable access to parks for all. With this expansion and grant funding, we are working to update our construction permits in order to expand the park development to include the new parcel. A park naming process will be announced and construction is scheduled to start summer 2022 contingent upon receiving permits and grant contracts.

Summer 2021

Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Department of Transportation would like to thank the community for sharing feedback on textile and fabric designs to represent the diverse cultures and heritages of this neighborhood in the park and street design. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Fabric of Community survey that is now closed. We received 66 combined online and paper responses last summer, including several submissions for new fabric samples. Some submissions were received during our open house informational event, in the Safeway parking lot across from the future park on August 19, 2020, where we enjoyed conversations with at least 35 neighbors.

Seattle Parks and Recreation will send a final follow-up request for input including the new fabric samples. The ones with the most positive feedback will be incorporated into the park and street design. There will also be an opportunity to be involved in the park naming process in the coming months. The building demolition work is complete and park development work is scheduled to begin Spring 2022 (pending final grant awards in Fall 2021).

2019

Thank you to everyone who attended the final Open House in September. See presentation and notes from the event below.

2018

The project has grown from what was originally planned and we will now be doing some fundraising into spring of next year to enable doing the entire development including some sidewalk improvements. Seattle Parks and Recreation finalized the acquisition of a final parcel in the southwest corner for the future park. Acquisition of this 6,617 square-foot lot creates a total park size of almost one acre, creating a significant new neighborhood park consistent with the community's expressed interests. Please see aerial context map here and the updated schedule for the park below. Download the September 2017 presentation to the Seattle Design Commission for comprehensive information on the project.

2017

The next step is to move forward with the already-underway planning and design process, which will incorporate the new corner parcel. Thank you to everyone who joined Seattle Parks and Recreation's Planner and Project Manager and Cascade Design Collaborative's designers, at the September 2017 Rainier Court Festival. We appreciate the input and ideas you brought to the booth for this exciting new park development. The event was made possible through a partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), South East Effective Development (SEED) and Senior Housing Assistance Group (SHAG).

Thank you to everyone who attended the April 5, 2017 meeting and open house. Information from the meeting can be found below.

We originally acquired two parcels to provide more open space for the North Rainier community, the first parcel purchased in 2011 and another in 2016. The design goal was to incorporate accessibility features in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and provide access to open space within this high density urban village. Impervious surfacing shall be limited to 15% or less, excluding trail and circulation surfaces.

The Seattle Park District provides funding to develop this property into a park. Seattle Parks and Recreation will work with the community on the design and encourages community participation. Please watch this site for upcoming public meetings and please contact the project planner with any questions or concerns about this new community space.