[NFBSea] FW: Waterfront Park is Buzzing

Tue Jun 4 06:31:31 UTC 2024

Passing on for your information.

Waterfront Park is Buzzing

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Seattle’s Waterfront (Dzidzilalich) stands on the lands and shared waters of the Puget Sound Coast Salish People, whose ancestors resided here since time immemorial. With gratitude, we honor the land, the water and its peoples.

It’s hard to bee-lieve that we are almost halfway through the year. The waterfront has been a hive of activity after ramping up construction of our improvements in Pioneer Square earlier this year. We are starting to see the fruits of our labor manifest like the steady maturation of trees planted and the 4.3 acres of new plant space (over three football fields!) starting to bloom. We also continue to build greener pathways for commuters, residents and tourists thanks to more than three miles of new bike lanes. Our green thumbs have been hard at work to bring the vision of the waterfront to life and we appreciate your continued support and patience in watching the seeds of the waterfront bud, bloom and blossom!

Below are a few program updates: 

*	The  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=a52baa2097&e=68d44d81d8> Pioneer Square East West Pedestrian Improvements Project expanded to Yesler Way and S Main St earlier this month. See  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=8e1e431bfd&e=68d44d81d8> flyer for more details. Also, have you visited the  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=6d87e5076f&e=68d44d81d8> Shoreline Alley crossings on S Main & Washington streets yet? You can take a look at how it came together thanks to our  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=3bd915fcc2&e=68d44d81d8> timelapse video!
*	Join us near Pioneer Square Habitat Beach over your lunch break on Wednesday, June 12! Learn more below. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently featured the beach, we encourage you to read the  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=d7f8d368b3&e=68d44d81d8> article to learn more about how it supports habitat restoration.
*	The Waterfront Fountain, by James FitzGerald and Margaret Tomkins, is one of two restored historic fountains on the waterfront. The bronze fountain <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=85e99cec6d&e=68d44d81d8>  components started getting reinstalled on Pier 58 in May.
*	The new elevated and realigned connection between Alaskan Way at Pine St and the intersection of Alaskan and Elliott ways is now open! It may take time to get used to the  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=0a1d9ba796&e=68d44d81d8> new traffic signal, so please use caution as people driving, biking and walking adjust to the new condition.
*	Construction of an  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=5d5b7c44f3&e=68d44d81d8> all-gender public restroom on the Park Promenade, between Union and University streets, is planned to begin later this month.

Although the waterfront is abuzz with construction, the waterfront is still open for you to explore during the summer months ahead. Our flowers and plants are in bloom and look forward to meeting you! 

JUNE 12 PIONEER SQUARE HABITAT BEACH CELEBRATION  HONORING NATURE, ART & HERITAGE

Get the scoop! Join us on your lunch break on Wednesday, June 12, between 11 AM and 1 PM, for a community event featuring informational booths on the Park Promenade by the Pioneer Square Habitat Beach.  

Enjoy complimentary Molly Moon’s ice cream while learning more about the environmental impact of the beach and chat with artist  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=574b5897a0&e=68d44d81d8> Buster Simpson, whose  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=8cca2920d1&e=68d44d81d8> permanent artwork, Migration Stage, is installed nearby. The artwork addresses the environmental forces that affect the marine and shoreline habitats. Come learn about our commitment to marine habitats and environmental stewardship and enjoy the gorgeous views of Elliott Bay while you’re at it.

In the meantime, you can read about habitat improvements and how we are helping keep Elliott Bay healthy in an  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=1ba862d2dc&e=68d44d81d8> SDOT blog we shared last month. 

  <https://mcusercontent.com/74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5/images/9b746b8e-cbfc-1aac-e40d-4288f80b03cc.png> 

An aerial view of the Pioneer Square Habitat Beach, which opened in July 2023.  

BUILDING A MORE ACCESSIBLE WATERFRONT

Waterfront Park is designed to ensure everyone feels welcome so it can be enjoyed by all. It is a waterfront created for all people, as a place to meet and engage with each other, a place to reconnect with the natural environment and a place to laugh and play. 

The Waterfront Seattle project team has been intentional about the planning and design of the park and sought out valuable community input, including a workshop led by Lighthouse for the Blind and a project-specific Disability Roundtable supported by the City of Seattle’s Disability Commission. We have incorporated an array of accessibility features intended to eliminate barriers that could limit the enjoyment of the space. 

You can learn more about some of these design features in  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=371b5fdb7f&e=68d44d81d8> this SDOT blog. 

  <https://mcusercontent.com/74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5/images/257e0493-a9a5-5f8b-1043-1c99a741bb26.jpg> 

Accessibility features such as detectable (tactile) surfaces, bollards and planted buffers will be present at intersections where people biking and walking will overlap. 

FREE WATERFRONT SHUTTLE IS BACK 

Our City partner,  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=de9d698a38&e=68d44d81d8> Friends of Waterfront Park, has brought back the  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=0286d0f571&e=68d44d81d8> free Waterfront Shuttle! Services started on May 24 and will continue through September. The Free Waterfront Shuttle, funded in part by the Seattle Historic Waterfront Association and King County, is an accessible transportation option for visitors to the waterfront with stops in International District, Pioneer Square, the waterfront, Belltown and Seattle Center - so don’t miss out on free rides to all your favorite Seattle destinations! Learn more at:  <https://waterfrontseattle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5&id=d5c6ce1530&e=68d44d81d8> waterfrontparkseattle.org. 

  <https://mcusercontent.com/74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5/images/0c836dbc-ef47-152e-5cf3-235adeab3cc6.jpeg> 

The Free Waterfront Shuttle is ADA accessible. Photo by Riwa Sabbak, courtesy of Friends of Waterfront Park. 

TEAM SPOTLIGHT

Meet some of our wonderful team members who continue to contribute to this once-in-a-generation project.

  <https://mcusercontent.com/74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5/images/401d9a97-3835-ba43-7ea3-2729cb42a87d.jpg> 

Kyle Butler, Finance & Project Controls Manager

I have been part of Waterfront Seattle since... 
June 2022 

My favorite spring activity on the waterfront is... 
Walking to the Pier 56 picnic tables on a lunch break to catch the view. 

My professional background is in... 
Municipal finance and budgeting. I have over a decade of experience building complex city budgets and capital plans. I started out at the City of Kirkland where I developed a broad base of knowledge in a small city setting and I came to Seattle in 2020 where I have specialized in complex financial plans, funding strategies, and high-profile projects like the West Seattle Bridge repairs, the Transportation Levy Renewal proposal, and of course the Waterfront!  

My key contributions to the project include: 
Managing the Office of the Waterfront’s budget process each year and working every day with the Project Controls team to ensure that we are communicating effectively with our funding partners and getting our bills paid on time. 

My proudest moment on this project is… 
Securing funding in the 2023 budget to purchase a building at the foot of the Pike Place Hillclimb for use by the Suquamish and Muckleshoot Indian tribes for a Tribal Interpretive Center, helping the City fulfill a longstanding promise from the Seawall permitting process. 

My favorite memory of working on the waterfront is... 
Any time I get a chance to talk about the waterfront and all the improvements as part of a tour or presentation – it is fun to share our excitement for the program with others! 

My favorite things outside of work include... 
Going camping with my family – my wife, two girls, and two dogs all climb in our truck camper, and we get out for about 30+ nights a year across all of Washington State. I also love going to UW football games, especially when I get to ride my bike there!

  <https://mcusercontent.com/74d6f1b443703d02c3eb093c5/images/58a2b6a1-8d3a-b5c8-a36a-8607e26c8c8e.jpg> 

Lauren Jones, Executive Assistant

I have been part of Waterfront Seattle since... 
August 2022

My favorite spring activity on the waterfront is... 
Walking the Park Promenade to view all the new plantings and finishing my walk at Pier 62 to enjoy the view before I make my way up the hill to the Market to grab some good food. 

My professional background is in... 
Operations and administration. I began my professional career in social services working in direct service environments and then moving to program administration, and coordination. I have provided operations support and program administration within the Human Services Department and the Department of Education and Early Learning. In addition, I managed grants and contracts through their full lifecycles prior to joining the Seattle Department of Transportation Director’s Office where I learned about large scale capital projects, process, policy, and management of a large city department. I joined the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects to expand my skillset and utilize tools I gained after gaining a master’s degree in public administration. 

My key contributions to the project include: 
My alternative title could also be “generalist” because I do a lot of everything related to the daily workings of the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. I work behind the scenes supporting the Director and entire City team. I act as a liaison between other City departments, government entities, City Council, the Mayor’s Office, non-profit and community partners. 

My proudest moment on this project is… 
So far it has been the recognition this hard-working team has received from the media, most recently via Crosscut and ARC Seattle. Many do not understand the complex work that goes on daily with such a large scale and visible projects with a small City team leading the project in our office. 

My favorite memory of working on the waterfront is... 
The tribal blessing during the honorary naming ceremony at the Elliott Way opening. The blessing was given by members of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Suquamish Tribe as the City recognized honorary name, Dzidzilalich, of the street. For every resident of Seattle, we must recognize that we stand on the lands and shared waters of the Puget Sound Coast Salish People, whose ancestors resided here since time immemorial. With gratitude, we honor the land, the water, and its peoples.

My favorite things outside of work include... 
I love watching basketball. I enjoy cooking, trying new restaurants in the city and spending time with my family. I always enjoy beating my kiddos at a game of HORSE.  

My favorite spring activity on the waterfront is... 
Walking to the Pier 56 picnic tables on a lunch break to catch the view. 

My professional background is in... 
Municipal finance and budgeting. I have over a decade of experience building complex city budgets and capital plans. I started out at the City of Kirkland where I developed a broad base of knowledge in a small city setting and I came to Seattle in 2020 where I have specialized in complex financial plans, funding strategies, and high-profile projects like the West Seattle Bridge repairs, the Transportation Levy Renewal proposal, and of course the Waterfront!  

My key contributions to the project include: 
Managing the Office of the Waterfront’s budget process each year and working every day with the Project Controls team to ensure that we are communicating effectively with our funding partners and getting our bills paid on time. 

My proudest moment on this project is… 
Securing funding in the 2023 budget to purchase a building at the foot of the Pike Place Hillclimb for use by the Suquamish and Muckleshoot Indian tribes for a heritage center, helping the City fulfill a longstanding promise from the Seawall permitting process. 

My favorite memory of working on the waterfront is... 
Any time I get a chance to talk about the waterfront and all the improvements as part of a tour or presentation – it is fun to share our excitement for the program with others! 

My favorite things outside of work include... 
Going camping with my family – my wife, two girls, and two dogs all climb in our truck camper, and we get out for about 30+ nights a year across all of Washington State. I also love going to UW football games, especially when I get to ride my bike there!

Follow us on social media, links below, to stay up to date on all of our projects!

With gratitude,
Waterfront Seattle 

Thank you for being a part of the Waterfront Program. 

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