City of Seattle

Edward B. Murray, Mayor

Department of Transportation
Scott Kubly, Director

MEMORANDUM
Date:

January 22, 2016

To:

Street Vacation Reviewers

From:

Moira Gray, Seattle Department of Transportation, Street Vacations

Subject:

Street Vacations for the Washington State Convention Center; Clerk File 314338

The Seattle City Council has received a petition from the Washington State Convention Center
contained in Clerk File 314338 to vacate rights-of-way in the Denny Triangle neighborhood in
the area bounded by Howell Street, Boren Avenue, Pine Street and 9th Avenue. The project is in
City of Seattle Legislative District 7. The vacation petition is for the following rights-of-way:
1. The alley in Block 33, Sarah A. Bells 2nd Addition between Howell St., Terry Ave.,
Olive Way, 9th Ave.;
2. The alley in Block 43, Sarah A. Bells 2nd Addition between Howell St., Boren Ave.,
Olive Way and Terry Ave.;
3. The alley in Block 44, Sarah A. Bells 2nd Addition between Olive Way, Boren Ave.,
Pine St. and vacated Terry Ave.;
4. Olive Way between 9th Ave. and Boren Ave. - a subterranean portion proposed to begin 8
feet below the surface; and
5. Terry Ave. between Howell St. and Olive Way
The rights-of-way and the associated project are more fully described in the attached
information. If you are interested in commenting on the proposed vacation please review the
attached materials describing the vacation proposal. Comments that are submitted will become
part of the permanent public record and will be included in the recommendation to the City
Council.
Return your comments to: Moira Gray, Seattle Department Transportation, PO Box 34996,
Seattle, Washington 98124-4996, or e-mail comments to moira.gray@seattle.gov.
Please be sure that your name is clearly identifiable, and if you are responding as a representative
or staff of a public agency, private company or community group please include your title and
organizations name when returning your comments.
PETITIONER: Washington State Convention Center
PETITIONER CONTACT: Jane Lewis, Pine Street Group, jane@pinest.com, 206.340.9217
Seattle Municipal Tower
700 5th Avenue
Suite 3800
PO Box 34996
Seattle, Washington 98124-4996

Tel (206) 684-ROAD / (206) 684-5000

Fax: (206) 684-5180
Hearing Impaired use the Washington Relay Service (7-1-1)
www.seattle.gov/transportation

COMMENTS REQUESTED BY: Please provide comments by March 9, 2016.

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project is anticipated to be available in midFebruary providing opportunity for review before submitting vacation comments to SDOT.
Please contact Street Vacation Staff at 684-8272 if you have any questions. Thank you for your
review and timely response.
Attachments:
SDOT Vacation Documents

SDOT Street Vacation Petition Summary - Clerk File Number: 314338

Project Proponent: Washington State Convention Center (WSCC)
Project Summary: Washington State Convention Center Addition
The proposed project is the construction of an addition to the existing convention center which is
located a half block to the southwest of the project. The convention center opened in 1988 and
has since expanded twice with new facilities. The addition would allow the convention center to
approximately double in size and reduce the potential for losing event proposals which WSCC
estimates to be close to 300 events in the last five years. The primary goal of the addition is to
allow the new and existing facilities to operate in complementary fashion - one facility would
hold an event while the other would be loading in or out.
The project site consists of three blocks which collectively form the proposed Washington State
Convention Center Addition Project. The three block site is bordered by Howell Street on the
north, Boren Avenue and I-5 to the east, Pine Street to the south and 9th Avenue to the west.
Terry Avenue and Olive Way divide the site on the interior. Within these blocks, the project is
divided into 3 specific sites designated Sites A, B and C. Site A is the largest site on the south
portion of the proposed development and is proposed to be the new convention center addition
including an exhibition hall, meeting rooms and ballroom. The two northern blocks of the project
site are Sites B and C which will include co-development partners and may include apartment
and commercial respectively. A major component of the project is a below grade exhibition hall
that would span the entire project site below the three blocks and the intervening streets and
alleys.
Rights-of-way proposed for vacation:
1. The alley in Block 33, Sarah A. Bells 2nd Addition between Howell St., Terry Ave.,
Olive Way, 9th Ave.;
2. The alley in Block 43, Sarah A. Bells 2nd Addition between Howell St., Boren Ave.,
Olive Way and Terry Ave.;
3. The alley in Block 44, Sarah A. Bells 2nd Addition between Olive Way, Boren Ave.,
Pine St. and vacated Terry Ave.;
4. Olive Way between 9th Ave. and Boren Ave. - a subterranean portion proposed to begin 8
feet below the surface; and
5. Terry Ave. between Howell St. and Olive Way
Neighborhood: Denny Triangle neighborhood of the Downtown Urban Center
City of Seattle Legislative District: 7
Zoning: Downtown Mixed Commercial DMC 340/290-400; the WSCC is also considering a
Planned Community Development process as a component of the project.
Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) MUP Numbers and Addresses:
the project is divided into 3 sites:

MUP 3020176: 1600 9th Avenue, Site A;

MUP 3018096: 920 Olive Way, Site B; and
MUP 3020177: 1711 Boren Avenue, Site C.

Existing Site Descriptions: current uses on the project site include:

Site A between Olive Way, Boren Ave., Pine St. and 9th Ave.: This site includes the King
County Metros Convention Place Station and a vacant commercial building. A portion
of Terry Ave. and the alley in Block 32 have been previously vacated to form the larger
block. The alley in Block 44 is located on the northeast corner and bisects the site for half
a block. The southeast corner of this site is elevated over I-5 and requires an air
rights/ground lease through the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Site B between Howell St., Terry Ave., Olive Way, and 9th Ave.: This site is a small
irregularly shaped block containing a commercial building with two restaurants, a surface
parking lot and a temporary modular office building.

Site C between Howell St., Boren Ave., Olive Way and Terry Ave.: This site contains a
vacant commercial building and surface parking lot.

Rights-of-way proposed for vacation within the development site:

The alley in Block 33: The alley is on Site B and is a 16 foot wide, 1,601 sf paved alley.
It does not continue in the next block to the south but does continue to the north where
the street alignment changes and is oriented in a more westerly direction.

The alley in Block 43: The alley is on Site C and is a 16 foot wide 3,186 sf paved alley.
The corresponding alley in the block to the south is the alley in Block 44 which is
proposed for vacation. The alley right-of-way continues in the block to the north.

The Alley in Block 44: The alley is on Site A and is a 16 foot wide, 2,879 sf paved alley
that terminates midblock between Olive Way and Pine St.

Terry Ave. between Howell St. and Olive Way: This segment is 9,874 sf. and is
designated as a Green Street. It is one-way northbound and does not extend south of
Olive Way.

Olive Way between 9th Ave. and Boren Ave. proposed to begin 8 feet below the surface:
The petitioner is requesting a subterranean vacation (below 8 feet) and vehicular
circulation at the surface grade would continue. The vacation footprint for Olive Way is
38,109 sf.

There is a grade change across the entire project site of approximately 54 feet, sloping from
southeast to northwest. All the parcels abutting the rights-of-way proposed for vacation are
under the control of the WSCC.

Reason for Vacation: The petitioner is requesting the vacations to allow for the development of
the three block site as an addition to the existing convention center together with two blocks of
potential co-development.
The large scale area requirement for convention activities such as meeting rooms, exhibition
space and ballroom on Site A requires flexibility across the block above grade and exhibition
space and service functions would be continued below grade under all the sites. The vacations of
the alleys for Sites B and C would allow flexibility in the siting of the proposed co-development
including compatibility with the below grade loading areas, setbacks, open space and on-site
public benefits.
The vacations would accommodate the construction of a 150,000 sf below grade exhibition hall
under the entire footprint of the project site. The below grade exhibition hall would require
adjacent same level truck loading and unloading with the ability to drive trucks directly into the
exhibition hall. The size and service access requirements for the hall would require the vacation
of a subsurface portion of Olive Way.
The vacation of Terry Avenue would allow the function of this street to be dedicated to large
scale truck maneuverability and egress from the below grade exhibition hall. Pedestrian
circulation would also be accommodated. No construction is planned in the street area.
Project Information:
The proposed project consists of approximately 2.385 million sf of total development on three
blocks.
The proposed project includes an above grade exhibition hall on Site A. A below grade
exhibition hall and adjacent service and loading is proposed under the entire three block
development site.
Site A: Proposed Convention Center Program:
8 stories above grade (195 feet in height);
250,000 sf of exhibition space;
125,000 sf of meeting rooms;
60,000 sf of ballroom space;
25,000 sf of street level uses including retail and restaurants;
Three levels of parking (approximately 700-800 vehicles); and
Below grade exhibition hall with connection to loading bays (approximately 17) and
service areas on Sites B and C.
Below-Grade Connections:
Continuation of the exhibition hall on Site A with connections under Olive Way and
Terry Ave. and the alleys to service and loading areas on Sites B and C.
Proposed Co-development sites could include:
Site B: Potential above grade residential use

28 stories (289 ft in height) with approximately 385 units;

8,000 sf of street level uses; and
Connection to service and exhibition areas on Sites A and C.

Site C: Potential above grade commercial office use could include

16 stories above grade (244 ft in height);
575,000 sf of office space;
10,000 sf of street level uses; and
Connection to service and exhibition areas on Sites A and B.
Public Benefit (as proposed by the petitioner):
On-site public benefits include:
Voluntary building setbacks around all three blocks of the proposed development;
Pedestrian improvements: A wider sidewalk on the north side of Pine St., east of 9th Ave.
which would be created by re-aligning the curbline;
Publicly accessible open space: a pedestrian plaza at 9th Ave. and Pine St. at the
southwest corner of the site with flexible open hardscape, enhanced landscaping and
seating;
Wayfinding: special wayfinding and signage for the public within the project vicinity on
all sites;
Public art: expand the existing WSCC art program in key locations on the project site,
including interior pieces that are visible to the outside; and
Bike network improvements: 2 Bikeshare stations within the project vicinity.
Off-Site public benefits include enhanced connections to Capitol Hill and the existing WSCC:
Pedestrian right-of-way improvements are proposed for areas that are not located on the
project blocks on Pine St., Pike St., 9th Ave. and 8th Ave. including: improved crosswalks,
sidewalks and pedestrian lighting; enhanced landscaping; street furniture, and overhead
canopies.
Additional Information: The entire vacation petition may be accessed at:
Washington State Convention Center Vacation Petition Clerk File 314338