1st & Battery Portal Porch

Updated: August 14, 2023

The Portal Porch was opened to the public on August 25, 2023.The Portal Porch was opened to the public during a ribbon-cutting and ice cream social event on August 25, 2023. 

Project Overview

^{A rendering of the Portal Porch (for illustrative purposes only)}

Background

The Portal Porch itself is an approximately 1,800 square foot public space.  
We asked the Belltown community in February 2022 what their preferred "Use and Features" for this space would be. Based on the feedback we received, we developed three concepts. We then asked the Belltown community in October 2022 which design they preferred the most. 

Based on what we heard from the past community surveys, the Portal Porch will have:

• Seating and benches in solid and robust materials
• Round planters that will house trees and plants
• Solar powered pedestrian-scale lights

NOTE: These site improvements are not intended to prevent a school or other public facility from being built on the site. Rather, the Portal Porch will remain in place while we figure out long-term solutions for the site.  

Outreach

We have shared the potential construction impacts of the Portal Porch with the neighbors in the immediate area before we started construction. You can see the Construction Notice mailer below: 

• 1st Ave and Battery Street Portal Porch Mailer (Spring 2023)

Project Map

Funding

Thanks to Councilmember Andrew Lewis, we secured $500,000 for the design and construction of this space.