Freeway Park Improvement Project
Project Summary
Seattle Parks and Recreation has $10 million for capital improvements and activation at Freeway Park. The Washington State Convention Center gave this funding to the City as part of an historic public benefit package associated with their expansion project. The public benefit package was a direct result of the work of the Freeway Park Association as part of the Community Package Coalition.
The resulting capital project, led by Seattle Parks & Recreation with landscape architects Walker Macy is an exciting opportunity for Freeway Park to receive much-needed attention to its aging infrastructure and historic architecture as well as add new park amenities that reflect the needs of a 21st century public space. Freeway Park Association is honored to help steward this important project. Funding details and allocation, project history and phase 1 project elements are all explained below.
For questions and media inquiries, contact FPA Director, Riisa Conklin at riisa@freewayparkassociation.org.
Questions for Seattle Parks & Recreation should go to: Rhys Harrington at rhys.harrington@seattle.gov.
Funding Details
The Community Package Coalition, an alliance of community organizations serving neighborhoods adjacent to the three-block Washington State Convention Center Addition came together to ensure that the $1.6 billion expansion – to be built, partially, on publicly owned land, by a public entity, and using public funding – provided a suite of public benefits commensurate with its size, scale and impact.
The Freeway Park Association was one of eight organizations who worked for two years to develop a successful partnership with the WSCC and realize a shared vision to build a well-connected, accessible, people-centered city. This partnership demonstrates what is possible when developers and community organizations work together.
The package put over $80 million into investments for public open spaces, safe crossings for people walking and infrastructure for people biking, and homes affordable to working families. For information on all the Community Package projects visit www.communitypackage.org
Freeway Park Funding Allocation: $10 million total / $9.25 million for the Capital Project
Soft Costs – $3.75 million
SPR Project Management
Consultants/Design – ($2.3 million)
Landmark Nomination etc.
Contingencies
Tax/Other/Misc costs
Hard Costs (construction) – $5.5 million
Updated infrastructure
New infrastructure
New park amenities
Park Activation via Freeway Park Association – $750K
Project Details
The Freeway Park Improvements Project is managed by Seattle Parks & Recreation in partnership with the Freeway Park Association. FPA has been collaborating with SPR for almost 30 years in a dynamic partnership that is a model for how public and private entities can effectively work together. Visit the City’s website to see up-to-date project information and community outreach documents.
Freeway Park is an extremely complicated site, built in 1976 as a bridge to reconnect pedestrian flow to Downtown Seattle; it is over an interstate highway with multiple city streets flowing above and below. When developing the scope and priorities for improvements, the project team had to consider all of the maintenance and upkeep associated with a 45 year old elevated park.
After identifying $23 million in park improvements, the project team needed to value-engineer the project to meet both basic needs and community priorities within the $9.25 million budget. Phase one of the Improvement Project manages to meet the varied needs of the park with limited funding while leaving a plan in place for phase two.
The entire park will be given a significant face-lift with a focus on lighting and wayfinding, two priorities identified by the Finding Freeway Park Project in 2017. The Upper Lawns restroom structure will finally be renovated and reopened with two new gender-neutral stalls. Seneca Plaza, the heart of the park, will see the majority of the major improvements and the majority of the construction budget. A new series of structures tucked in the corner of the plaza will allow for regular activation, outreach services and hygiene stations all managed by full-time staff. Pigott Corridor and the Box Gardens will be cleaned-up and prepped for major renovation in phase 2 of the project.
(Update April 2024) SPR and the Design Team are currently working on coordinating/documenting the 60% Construction Document Set. This set is now in the review process by SPR Technical Staff. Another round of presentations to the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Seattle Landmarks and Preservation Board (LPB), and the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) will be scheduled following the completion of the 60% set for review/comments.
60% Construction Documents - (April 2024) – Present to LPB, DAHP and WSDOT
90% Construction Documents - (July 2024)- Present to LPB, DAHP, SDC, WSDOT and Freeway Park Advisory Council
SPR is targeting to go out to bid in early 2025 with construction running throughout the year and completed in time to celebrate the Park’s 50th Anniversary in Spring 2026.
FPA will continue to work closely with SPR to ensure that the entire package of improvements identified by the project team are fully funded and realized in the near future.
Project Elements Funded in Phase 1:
Entire park
New lighting at existing light poles
Architectural lighting spot improvements (e.g., 8th Ave Underpass)
New Wayfinding signage
Landscape, irrigation and drainage spot improvements
Upper Lawns
Renovated restroom structure with 2 gender neutral stalls
60% Planting/Irrigation
Seneca Plaza
New larger plaza
New paving and seating elements
New planting and lawn terrace
New lighting and signage
New buildings: restroom with 2 gender neutral stalls, concierge, storage
Improved access to Canyon Fountain
Box Gardens
Clean-up and tree removal
60% Planting/Irrigation
Pigott Corridor
60% Planting/Irrigation
A brief timeline of FPA’s role in the project:
2017 – FPA worked with landscape architects Site Workshop to identify community priorities for park improvements.
2018 – FPA works with Community Package Coalition to secure $10 million for park improvements.
2019 – FPA helps to select Walker Macy landscape architects to lead the Improvement Project.
2019 – present
FPA helps to select community members to serve on the Improvement Project Advisory Committee.
FPA advises on community outreach plan with 3 Square Blocks.
FPA meets with project manager and design team regularly
For questions and media inquiries – contact FPA Director, Riisa Conklin at riisa@freewayparkassociation.org or 206.229.4996.
Questions for Seattle Parks & Recreation should go to: David Graves at david.graves@seattle.gov or 206-684-7048.
The Freeway Park Fountain Discharge Retrofit Project is a separate project. Both the Seattle Park District and the Real-estate excise tax contributed to the $1.2 million budget for this project.
Seattle Parks and Recreation awarded the fountain retrofit construction contract to reroute the discharge from the American Legion, Paul Piggott, and Canyon Cascade fountains from the storm drains to the sanitary sewer to JEM Contractors. This project was developed to upgrade the fountains to meet the new water quality code that was approved in 2012.
The work to complete the retrofit of the Canyon Cascade Fountain began in January 2023 but was delayed due to design concerns from WSDOT. We resolved those issues with a new steel tank design in May 2023. Thank you for your patience as we work to return all three fountains to operation by May 2024.
If you have questions or need more information about the Freeway Park Fountain project, contact Morteza Behrooz at: Morteza.Behrooz@seattle.gov or (206) 612-8780