SEATTLE CENTER

WHATS NEXT
Report from the workshop held
13 September 2016
www.seattlecenter.com/whatsnext
CONTENTS
Executive Summary 1

Laying the Groundwork 3

Seattle Center 101 5

Feedback: Viewpoints 7

Feedback: Planning for Change 9

Feedback: Priorities 14

Looking Ahead 15

Participants 16

Appendices: www.seattlecenter.com/whatsnext

Executive Sponsors & Event Planning

City of Seattle
Kate Joncas, Deputy Mayor, Office of the Mayor
Robert Nellams, Director, Seattle Center
Ben Noble, Director, City Budget Office
Jackie Kirn, Seattle Center Redevelopment Project Manager, Office of the Mayor
Jill Crary, Redevelopment Director, Seattle Center
Julia Levitt, Strategic Advisor, Redevelopment, Seattle Center
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Amy White, Deputy Director, Employee Engagement and Community Relations
Alana Knaster, Community Relations Project Manager
Seattle Center Foundation
Jane Zalutsky, Interim Director

Consulting Team
Event Planning & Facilitation
Steve Killian, Point B Consulting
Communications & Outreach
Marianne Bichsel, Bichsel Public Affairs
Tim Ceis, Andrs Mantilla, Ceis Bayne East Strategic
Amalia Martino, Latina Creative Agency
Content, Analysis, & Planning
Katie Oman, KO Projects

All event photos Auston James Photography unless otherwise noted

December 2016

Dear Friends,

On behalf of Seattle Public Schools and the City of Seattle, we thank all of those who attended the
Seattle Center: Whats Next? event this past September. This all-day working session brought more than
100 participants together to envision a revitalized future for Seattle Center. Seattle Center is our Citys
most important gathering place for arts, culture, entertainment, and education. Mayor Murray
convened this event to generate creative thinking to make Seattle Center as iconic as Central Park and
Millennium Park.

Seattle Public Schools and its Memorial Stadium have always been an important part of Seattle Center.
Memorial Stadium serves as a venue for athletics and events for students and the public, and stands as a
memorial to Seattle students lost in World War II. Seattle Public Schools is now planning to build a new
Memorial Stadium and high school to serve Downtown, Magnolia, and Queen Anne. The new high
school and stadium will be exciting additions to Seattle Center.

Seattle Public Schools and the City of Seattle are excited about the future of Seattle Center and to work
together to make it a truly outstanding asset for our City and students.

Sincerely,

Edward B. Murray Betty Patu Larry Nyland

Mayor 2016 Board President Superintendent
City of Seattle Seattle Public Schools Seattle Public Schools

Office of the Mayor | 600 Fourth Ave, PO Box 94749, Seattle, WA 98124 | 206-684-4000 | seattle.gov/mayor
Executive Summary
Laying the Groundwork
From its beginnings as a civic gathering place in the 1920s Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams spoke about Seattle
through its establishment as a city department after the 1962 Centers roles, purpose and operations, noting that the
Worlds Fair, Seattle Center has been one of the citys most campus does more than enhance our quality of life. It is a
treasured assets. On September 13, 2016, Mayor Edward significant economic engine for our region, leveraging $13
Murray invited community leaders to help begin to develop million in public funding to generate more than $1 billion in
a vision for transforming Seattle Center as our population economic impact. It does this by partnering with non-profit
grows and as we continue to be a global center for innovation, organizations and businesses, and then investing in things
technology and creativity. that make the campus one of our citys most-loved gathering
One hundred sixteen people representing Seattles arts and places.
cultural leaders, students, architects, business people, Seattle With this background, participants were set for the days core
Public Schools officials, policymakers, and community discussions and worksessions.
leaders gathered for a full day to make recommendations to
Feedback: Viewpoints
the Mayor. The participants rolled up their sleeves and took
up the task of envisioning transformative change at Seattle Workshop participants were asked to consider several
Center. questions and help identify key objectives and complexities
for Seattle Center planning.
The Big Picture
A number of common themes from this exercise were:
Mayor Murray opened the day by challenging the group to
create a vision for Seattle Center that would build community, What does vibrancy mean for Seattle Center?
celebrate Seattles cultural identity, and meet the changing Diverse activities and visitors
needs of our diverse residents, as well as maintain sustainable A magnetic destination
operations. Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools Dr. Strong partnerships
Larry Nyland joined the Mayor in welcoming he group and How do we know were thinking big enough?
asking for their ideas about how to balance the needs and Innovation & transformation
uses of School District property for a new high school and Diversity & inclusion
stadium with opportunities to create a great civic space on Relevance for the future
the campus. Both pledged their commitment to working
Top Opportunities?
together on Seattle Centers future. Capitalizing on near-term opportunities
Martha Choe, past Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation executive Engaging diverse input
and Seattle City Councilmember, provided examples of great Strengthening partnerships
civic spaces around the world. From Millennium Park to the Seattles prosperity
Luxembourg Gardens, these spaces shared key attributes Top Challenges?
including great design, accessibility, and programs that Identifying and securing funding
consistently draw diverse audiences. This underscored Addressing Seattle Public Schools needs
that new investments in Seattle Center must serve its core Strengthening Seattle Centers brand
purpose: to create exceptional events, experiences and Overcoming Institutional Inertia
environments that delight and inspire the human spirit to
Addressing access
build stronger communities.
Seattle Office for Civil Rights Director Patricia Lally
emphasized the importance of engaging diverse communities
and working to overcome racial and social disparities. We
must cherish our diversity and create places and programs
to attract people from across our city, throughout the region
and around the world.
Attendees also hear presentations about the future needs
of the school district, an overview of current Seattle Center
programs and partners, the Seattle waterfront and much
more.

1
Feedback: Planning for Change
Sam Assefa, Director of the Seattle Office of Planning and
Community Development, introduced a second exercise:
examining the northeast quadrant of the campus, the biggest
opportunity for transformative change at Seattle Center. This
area includes the Mercer Garage, the block that includes
KCTS, Mercer Arena, and Seattle Public Schools property
(Memorial Stadium and parking lot), totaling more than 14
acres. For the first time in decades, the opportunity exists
to consider this area holistically and plan for transformative
change that will create social, cultural, and economic value.
In groups, participants were asked to develop a mix of land
uses and activities for northeast quadrant properties that
would:
Propose a transformative vision for Seattle Center
Build community dialogue, equal access, & cultural
diversity
Address Seattle Public Schools needs for a high
school and stadium
Help sustain Seattle Centers operations, balancing
public value with the need for revenue
Ideas included: new community centers, a market promenade
with music, art, and food; shared use of new buildings for
education, community, and cultural uses; and even a new
dog park. Participants tried to balance civic and cultural uses
with revenue-generating development.
A number of planning ideas were shared by a majority of
groups, including:
New open space to the east of International Fountain
Underground parking in all new development
Affordable housing or artists housing in commercial
development along Mercer Street
New cultural facilities, including a theatre,
community center, or Native American cultural center.
Many people noted the importance of enhancing vibrancy
and vitality through investments in programs as well as
buildings. A partnership between Seattle Public Schools and
Seattle Centers cultural groups was seen as an important
element of several plans. There was also widespread
consensus that the campus perimeter could be opened up
through new development, with an emphasis on stronger
neighborhood connections and more welcoming gateways.
Feedback: Priorities
At the end of the day, participants were asked to identify and
prioritize specific actions that would help propel Seattle
Center forward in the months ahead. Three priorities rose
far above the rest:
1. Establish common ground between the City of
Seattle and Seattle Public Schools
Cement an agreement about Memorial Stadium and a
planned high school.
2. Engage a broader constituency for feedback
Solicit more feedback from youth and students,
communities of color, Native Americans, seniors,
people with disabilities, and people representing each
Seattle neighborhood to guide planning.
3. Create a process and timeline for action
Develop a detailed plan to guide progress, possibly
including an update to the Century 21 Master Plan.
Looking Ahead
Beginning in November 2016, the Seattle Center: Whats Next?
team took the discussion about Seattle Centers future on the
road. Our team is interviewing people throughout the city to
gather feedback and ideas. The results of these efforts will be
documented as a supplement to this report.
The City of Seattle, in partnership with the Seattle Center
Foundation and Seattle Public Schools, is developing a
holistic plan to move toward the transformation of Seattle
Center, to be announced in early 2017.
To those who participated in the September 13th discussion,
thank you for your time, energy, and ideas. We hope you
will help bring the issues and questions from the discussion
back to your organizations, companies, communities, and
neighbors. We want your feedback and we want you to help
keep the conversation going.
To stay up to date, send us additional feedback from the
workshop, or connect others to the project, please visit
www.seattlecenter.com/whatsnext.
2
Laying the Groundwork
The Discussion Seattle is a city in the midst of transformative change. People
are moving here at record rates - last year alone we welcomed
On September 13, 2016, Mayor Edward Murray invited
nearly 25,000 new residents. We have also become a global
community leaders for a day-long discussion to develop a
center for technology, aerospace, health, philanthropy, and
vision for transforming Seattle Center. They represented
the arts. Our businesses and institutions make meaningful
Seattles arts and cultural leaders, students, architects,
investments in our community, create and sustain jobs,
business people, Seattle Public Schools officials, policymakers
and attract new talent from all over the world. This is an
and others. The event was a chance to talk about Seattle
important moment in the citys history and an opportunity to
Centers history and successes, as well as its challenges and
do something big at Seattle Center
opportunities for growth.
Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools Dr. Larry Nyland
The discussion, hosted by the Seattle Center Foundation, was
joined the Mayor in welcoming input on a vision that would
held in order to:
balance the needs and uses of School District property for a
Share highlights of important work to date involving new high school and stadium with opportunities to create
Seattle Center a great civic space on the campus. As Seattles student
Explore how Seattle Center continues to evolve in population grows, more high school facilities will be needed,
response to growth in the city and the region particularly in the Downtown area. School District plans
development is just beginning, but the Memorial Stadium
Gather best thinking around the challenges and
property in Seattle Centers northeast quadrant will be a
opportunities for the Northeast Quadrant
pivotal site in future planning. Murray and Nyland pledged
Identify and prioritize actions to propel Seattle Center their commitment to working together on Seattle Centers
forward and Seattle Public Schools future.
The Big Picture
Throughout the day, people heard from dozens of speakers
about issues that will impact Seattle Center planning. Mayor
Murray opened the discussion by challenging the group to
create a vision for Seattle Center that would build community,
celebrate Seattles cultural identity, and meet the changing
needs of our diverse residents, while maintaining financially
sustainable operations.
Anish Kapoors Cloud Gate at Millennium Park | image courtesy City of Chicago

Martha Choe, past Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation executive

and Seattle City Councilmember, highlighted traits of great
civic spaces around the world. From Chicagos Millennium
Park to Paris Luxembourg Gardens, these spaces shared key
attributes:
Inspire and enliven the human spirit
Interesting architecture, landscaping, and design
Engaging and activated spaces
Democratic and inclusive community spaces
Rich diversity of offerings
Safe, accessible, accommodating, comfortable
Well-maintained and sustainable
Reflect unique culture or history
Great public and private leadership
Looking at other great civic spaces emphasized the need to
have new investments at Seattle Center focused on its core
purpose: to create exceptional events, experiences and
environments that delight and inspire the human spirit to
build stronger communities.

3
As the city grows, Seattle Centers roles as a place for civic
dialogue, a destination for visitors from around the world, a
home for diverse cultural and civic institutions, and a resource
for our whole region will become even more important.
Seattle Centers reason for being is to enhance everyones
quality of life. It provides open space to gather and play. It
provides a venue for community events from naturalization
ceremonies to charity runs and walks. It is a home for
experiences that touch our spirit and inspire our thinking.
Investing in Seattle Center helps make Seattle a wonderful
place to live for ourselves and for future generations.
Seattle Office for Civil Rights Director Patricia Lally emphasized
the importance of engaging diverse communities and
working to overcome racial and social disparities. Through
the City of Seattles Race and Social Justice Initiative, issues of
social equity have become an integral part of planning for all
of Seattles public institutions.
Though Seattle Center hosts a diverse range of activities,
visitors, and programs, more work is needed to engage
historically underrepresented communities. Working to
eliminate race-based inequities is a critical part of creating
a vibrant and sustainable Seattle Center. Developing a plan
for the future of this public place will depend on effectively
engaging communities of color and other underserved
communities in project leadership, decision-making and
dialogue.
Background Information
Attendees also heard presentations that provided vital
background information ranging from district-wide school
plans to an overview of Seattle Center programs, partners,
and activity.
The subjects and presenters of these sessions were:
A Vibrant Hub: On Stage and Behind the Scenes at
Seattle Center | John Merner and Alana Knaster
Design Principles: Century 21 Master Plan | Jill Crary
Getting Here: Transportation and Parking | Eric Tweit
and Julia Levitt
Race and Social Justice Initiatives | Patricia Lally
Seattle Public Schools Planning | Flip Herndon
Uptown 2035: Urban Design Framework | Lyle Bicknell
and Jim Holmes
Waterfront and Lake2Bay | Marshall Foster and Thatcher
Bailey
What People Really Think: Seattle Center Public Opinion
Poll | Jane Zalutsky
Materials from these presentations are available at
www.seattlecenter.com/whatsnext
See page 16 for detailed speaker info
4
Seattle Center 101
Armed with background information, participants prepared
for a series of interactive exercises. Seattle Center Director
Robert Nellams gave an overview of Seattle Centers inner
workings both as a city department and a beloved civic asset.
Seattle Center was born out of a public and private
commitment to a shared vision. From the creation of the
Civic Center in 1928 to the 1962 Worlds Fair, businesses, civic
organizations, and elected officials have partnered to create
a great public place to gather, showcase art and culture, and
enjoy rest, sports, and entertainment.
1962 Seattle Worlds Fair | image courtesy Seattle Center
Memorial Stadium opened in 1947, Memorial Wall was dedicated in 1951
image courtesy Seattle Public Schools Archives
More than 50 years after its founding as a city department,
Seattle Center is still the heart of the city. Through all these
years it has remained agile evolving and adapting as our
community has grown and changed. Experiences at Seattle
Center continue to touch us individually, knit us together as a
community, and help us share our collective humanity. Like
New Yorks Central Park or Millennium Park in Chicago, Seattle
Center could become an iconic part of our citys identity.
The campus is home to over 30 arts, culture, and science
organizations, which host more than 12,000 events each
year. These groups also provide thousands of hours of
5
education and outreach programs for students, seniors, and
underserved communities throughout the city. Many of
these organizations, among them some of Seattles flagship
arts institutions, would not exist without the facilities and
services Seattle Center provides.
Seattle Center also partners with dozens of community-
based cultural groups to produce programs like Festl.
Through events drawing on the worlds cultural traditions,
these programs support and enhance cultural stewardship,
innovation, and creativity in diverse neighborhoods
throughout King County.
Festl: Spirit of Indigenous People | image courtesy Saddleburn Media
Public funding plays a fundamental role in Seattle Centers
social, cultural, and economic impact. Each year, Seattle
Center leverages about $13 million public dollars to earn
more than $27 million from a variety of sources, including
commercial activity, facility leases, parking, and Monorail
revenue. This combination of public support and earned
income allows Seattle Center to fulfill its varied roles as a
steward of civic assets, a vibrant gathering place, a nonprofit
partner, and an entertainment venue.
Whats more, Seattle Centers activities, its nonprofit and
business partners, and its visitors have a collective economic
impact of more than $1 billion annually. It directly and
indirectly generates more than 15,000 jobs, $400 million in
wages, and $40 million in tax revenue. It is an economic
engine, an international destination, a cultural icon, and a
valuable public asset.
Transformative change at Seattle Center will require balancing
new capital investments and expanding public activity with
the earned income and private investment needed to sustain
operations into the future. Thoughtful development will
help Seattle Center continue to generate social, cultural, and
economic value for decades to come.
 Seattles Population 1890 - Present
800,000
2016
1962 Whats Next?
700,000
Century 21 Exposition
Worlds Fair
600,000
1909
Alaska Yukon
population of Seattle

500,000
Pacific Exposition
400,000

300,000

200,000

100,000

0
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Investing in Civic Value

At certain moments in time, Seattleites have felt compelled
to invest in civic and cultural infrastructure to stock up the
chest of civic value for the future. In each case, investment
followed a long period of rapid population growth:

ll 1909 The Alaska Yukon Pacific Exhibition, whose

campus later became the University of Washington,
was held after 20 years of rapid growth begun by the
Gold Rush. Suddenly, Seattle had become a real city
and not just a remote outpost.

ll 1962 By the early 1960s, Seattle had become the

center of the Jet Age. The Worlds Fair celebrated this
new identity and catapulted the city onto the global
stage. The huge investment in the Fairs buildings and
grounds were intended to serve the growing city for
decades.

ll 2016 Today, more than 50 years after the Worlds Fair,

were in the midst of another boom. What investment
will we make now in our citys future?
Our predecessors thought big and brought public and private
investment together to benefit the people of Seattle. To take
advantage of this new opportunity - participants were urged
to think BIG and make meaningful investments in our shared
values at Seattle Center.
Naturalization Ceremony for U.S. Citizens | image courtesy Jal Schrof

6
Feedback: Viewpoints
Transformative change at Seattle Center is a huge
undertaking. Participants were asked to consider several
questions to identify key objectives, complexities,
challenges, and opportunities. A number of common
themes emerged:

What does vibrancy mean

for Seattle Center?
Diversity of activities and visitors
Mix of programming: quiet and loud, still and
active, tourists and locals, old and young
Accessible & welcoming for everyone
Round-the-clock activity including restaurants and
nightlife
A place to be not just do

A magnetic destination
A beautiful place - a must-see for visitors

How do we know were

Safe, welcoming, accessible, and well-maintained
Consistent aesthetic & brand identity

Strong partnerships thinking big enough?

Thriving organizations housed at Seattle Center
Strong partnerships with groups and cultural
organizations in diverse communities
Connections to businesses and residents in the
Uptown neighborhood
Innovation & transformation
A concrete plan for a big investment
Make Seattle on par with NY, Paris, LA, while
keeping it authentically Seattle
Harness strength of arts, tech, and science in
Seattle
A vision that inspires and challenges us

Diversity & inclusion

Engage diverse and overlooked communities
Be sure everyone sees themselves in Seattle Center
A welcoming Seattle Center identity

Relevance for the future

Thinking beyond present-day limitations
Build Seattle Center to serve future generations
Balance big with sustainability

7

Top Opportunities?
Capitalize on near-term opportunities
Available land in the northeast quadrant - more
than 14 acres of developable space
Opportunity for more open space in the heart of
the campus
Create the political will to get it done soon
Engage a Broader Constituency
Include diverse communities in planning, especially
historically underrepresented groups
Engage youth to generate ideas, especially
students
Address race, social justice, equity and inclusion in
planning efforts
Strengthening partnerships
Build partnerships between Seattle Center and
Seattle Public Schools
Support and strengthen existing arts & culture
organizations
Develop support in non-profit and business
communities so the plan can transcend politics
Seattles prosperity
New residents & visitors
Economic & business growth
Global reputation for excellence
Top Challenges?
Identify and Secure Funding
Engage private funding partners - philanthropy,
businesses, and the public
Think differently about managing capital,
operations, and governance issues
Addressing School District needs
Plan for new Seattle high school and stadium
to serve students from downtown and the
surrounding area
Build partnership between Seattle Center and
Seattle Public Schools
Connect Memorial Stadium with the rest of Seattle
Center
Differentiate Seattle Centers brand
Create a common narrative, brand, and identity for
Seattle Center
Align civic goals including Waterfront & HALA
Create a common vision with Seattle Center
resident organizations
Overcome Institutional Inertia
Engage private sector leadership in Seattle Center
planning
Implement transformative change within a City
department
Create public will for action
Maintaining access & vibrancy during
transformation
Addressing Access
Solve parking for near and long-term
Improve transit service to Seattle Center and assess
future effects of Sound Transit 3 vote in November
2016.
Connect Seattle Center with Lake2Bay and
Waterfront plans.
8
Feedback: Planning for Change
Mercer Street
Immediate Opportunities
Sam Assefa, Director of the Seattle Office of Planning
and Community Development, introduced the biggest
opportunity for transformative change at Seattle Center:
the northeast quadrant of the campus. As Uptown and
South Lake Union grow, this will become a more and more
important face of the campus to the neighborhood and the
city. For the first time in many years, we have an opportunity
to consider this area holistically and plan for transformative
change that will create social, cultural, and economic value.
Seattle Public Schools Planning
A significant portion of the northeast quadrant is occupied
by Memorial Stadium and its adjacent parking lot both
property of Seattle Public Schools. School District leadership
has identified the need for a new high school and athletic
facility in their downtown service area. They are beginning a
city-wide master planning process to address future growth.
Meeting the needs for a new high school and athletic facility
will be an important part of planning for this area.
9
5th Ave. N.
Totaling more than 14 acres, the northeast quadrant includes:
Mercer Garage: Neighborhood growth and interest in
an active streetscape make this site a great location for
uses other than structured parking.
KCTS: Advances in media production have rendered
the existing building largely obsolete for the KCTS
television station. As their 40-year lease draws to a
close, it is time to envision a different use for this block.
Mercer Arena: The Seattle Operas plans for this
property could jump start the renewal of the Mercer
Corridor as part of Uptowns Arts and Culture district.
This project is anticipated to break ground in 2017.
Mercer Block: The City and a private developer are
coordinating two projects: a private mixed-use housing
and commercial project is being planned for 3/4 of the
site, and the City is exploring options for affordable
housing on the remaining 1/4.
Memorial Stadium, built in 1947, and the adjacent
parking lot on 5th Avenue North, are owned by Seattle
Public Schools, and are being considered as part of this
planning.
10
Feedback: Planning for Change
Immediate improvements at Seattle Center will come
from investments in these northeast quadrant properties.
Participants in the September 13th discussion were asked to
propose a mix of changes that would:
Transform this area of Seattle Center
Build community dialogue, equal access, and cultural
diversity
Address the needs of Seattle Public Schools for a high
school and stadium
Help sustain Seattle Centers operations, balancing
the need for revenue with public value
Attendees considered a range of possible property uses,
from parking to commercial development to community
and cultural facilities. Wild card ideas were encouraged,
drawing on inspiration from great public gathering spaces
around the world. The result was a wide range of inspiring
ideas including a shared outdoor performance space, iconic
public art, new community centers, and a market promenade,
among many others.
These ideas, and the connections and synergies between
them, formed an inspiring basis for developing group
schemes. Eleven very different schemes emerged from
this group work. Participants worked hard to balance
civic and cultural uses with revenue-generating uses and
development.
Even with such diversity of responses there were some
themes shared by a majority of teams. The most prevalent
are described at right, along with the number of teams that
suggested each idea.
11
Affordable housing and/or artist housing (9)
In a rapidly growing city, affordable housing is
understood as an urgent priority. Many teams
recommended affordable housing along the Mercer
corridor, with several suggesting that artist housing
could enhance connections with Seattle Centers
cultural activities.
Location of New High School (10)
The location of a new high school was studied carefully
by all the teams. About half (5) teams located the new
high school facility on the Memorial Stadium property;
5 other teams chose the KCTS site as the best location,
given its adjacency to a new stadium. (One team
located a new high school on the Mercer Garage site)
Underground parking in new projects (10)
Access to Seattle Center through convenient parking,
and its associated earned income, was a major
consideration for every team. Ten out of eleven teams
recommended underground parking as part of any
new development. Participants noted that the amount
of future parking and associated revenue should be
determined based on further analysis.
Open space east of International Fountain (11)
Every team recommended new open space to the
east of International Fountain. This was regarded as a
major opportunity for enhancing existing open space
and drawing in visitors. Several teams also suggested
that the area could be used for large-scale outdoor
events and concerts. Each team recommended
siting the adjacent School District athletic facility in
a way that added open space to this area. All teams
recommended removing the wall separating Memorial
Stadium from the rest of campus.
New cultural facilities (8)
Aspirations for new community and cultural facilities
were common to many teams seeking to build on the
density of cultural facilities at Seattle Center. Ideas
included a new small theatre, a Native American
cultural center, and a community center to serve the
Uptown neighborhood.
Retail and mixed use along Mercer Street (8)
For many teams, achieving round the clock
activity included street-level retail and mixed-use
development along Mercer Street. Restaurants and
shops were recommended, facing the Theatre District.
Hotel or market rate housing at Mercer Street (8)
The commercial development possibilities of market-rate
housing or a hotel were also considered by a number of
teams for either the Mercer Garage site or the KCTS site.
Teams identified that income from ground leases or other
agreements resulting from this development would help
sustain Seattle Center operations.

Mercer Garage

5th Ave N.
Mercer Street

Seattle
Rep
Cornish Phelps McCaw Hall Seattle
Playhouse Ctr. Opera KCTS
(PNB)

Republican St
Vera SIFF
Intl
Fountain Memorial
Stadium

Key
Arena
Harrison Street

Armory Artists at Play

EMP

Complete August Wilson Way (8)
Connect Uptown from the east and west through the
campus by completing August Wilson Way (the vacated
portion of Republican St. named for Seattles most
famous playwright) between International Fountain and
5th Avenue North. Several teams suggested activating
this pedestrian and bike corridor with arts activity,
public sculpture, or an outdoor marketplace.
Public access to future stadium (8)
Seattle Public Schools need for a large athletic facility
was a major driver behind land use decisions in this
exercise. Many teams expressed the desire to have a
publicly accessible stadium that was better integrated,
visually and programmatically, into the Seattle Center
campus. Views into campus, and the possibility of
concerts on the stadium site, were considered.

12
Feedback: Planning for Change
Investing in vibrancy and vitality
As teams considered property types and uses for different
parcels, they also focused on the kinds of activity that
new facilities or spaces would accommodate. There was
widespread agreement that substantial investment in
making both indoor and outdoor spaces exciting places to
visit was key to Seattle Centers success. Teams suggested
outdoor markets, concert programs, food trucks, and even a
beer museum to draw visitors and activity.

School partnerships with cultural organizations

The need for a high school was a key driver for a majority of
teams. Tasked with integrating a new school and athletic
facility on Seattle Public Schools or Seattle Center property,
many groups discussed the possibilities of partnerships
between the School District and campus cultural
organizations and facilities. Some teams suggested the
idea of space sharing, or even an arts magnet academy, or
a Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (STEAM)
school.

Porous perimeter with active open space

The character of Seattle Centers edges and open space was
a major topic of discussion. Participants expressed a general
desire for improved connections including gateways on
all sides, clear routes through the campus, and more open
space throughout. Open space, pathways, and gateways
were seen as the connective tissue that supports dynamic
Seattle Center experiences both indoors and outdoors.
The visual character of the campus is expressed through
these spaces.
People enjoying public space within the campus and along
its edges bring activity and vibrancy. Enhancement of
campus gateways, outdoor spaces and active perimeter
uses that connect to the surrounding neighborhood can
make Seattle Center more legible and inviting to visitors
and residents alike.

13
Feedback: Priorities
Specific actions
At the sessions conclusion, participants were asked to build
on the days findings by identifying and prioritizing specific
actions that will help propel Seattle Center forward in the
months ahead.
Analysis of hundreds of individual responses yielded three
priorities that rose above the rest:
Priority 1
Establish common ground between the City
and Seattle Public Schools
Participants felt that by far the most urgent priority is to
cement an agreement between the City of Seattle and
Seattle Public Schools regarding the Memorial Stadium
property and accommodating a new school.
Attendees were energized by Superintendent Nylands
participation throughout the day, and the openness of
School District leadership to explore new ideas. Many
suggested creating a Memorandum of Understanding
between the two parties for a joint site selection effort to
find the best possible location for a new high school.
Priority 2
Engage a broader constituency for feedback
As we work towards broader and deeper social justice
and equity in our community, many people saw engaging
a greater number of stakeholders as an urgent priority,
particularly soliciting input across social, geographic,
and economic boundaries. Attendees recognized that
they were part of a select group, and recommended
engaging youth and students, communities of color,
Native Americans, seniors, people with disabilities, as well
as citizens from each neighborhood of Seattle.
Priority 3
Create a visionary plan for action
Participants were energized by new ideas and impressed
with the political commitment and private leadership to
spur transformative change at Seattle Center. A majority
believed developing a detailed plan to guide progress
would help build momentum, establish credibility, and
lead to broader public support. Many people suggested
that an update to the Century 21 Master Plan could guide
both near- and long-term changes.

Specific Actions to Help Propel Seattle Center Forward

Establish common ground between City and SPS

Engage a broader constituency for feedback
Create a process, timeline, and next steps for planning
Identify & empower small leadership group
Study & prioritize available NW Quadrant development options
Commit to a big vision & make a public announcement
Improve Seattle Center's brand, identity, reputation
Identify & secure public and private funding
Priority 1
Confirm parking needs & approach
Priority 2
Improve transit access to Seattle Center
Build Seattle Center Foundation & private sector leadership Priority 3

Continue to engage this stakeholder group

Identify capital and operational funding
Study commercial opportunities for mixed-use perimeter
provide more active programing at the center
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
responses

14
Looking Ahead
Now: Keep the conversation going
To those who participated in the Seattle Center: Whats Next
session, the event planners want to thank you for your time,
energy, and ideas. We were impressed and inspired by your
creativity, teamwork, and engagement. You were selected to
attend the workshop because of your leadership and vision.
We hope you will help bring the issues and questions raised
back to your organizations, companies, communities, and
neighbors to solicit feedback and keep the conversation
going.
Then: A plan to move ahead
Mayor Murray, in partnership with the Seattle Center
Foundation and Seattle Public Schools, is developing a
plan to transform Seattle Center that will be released in the
coming months.
15
Next: Engaging broader input
Beginning in November 2016, the Seattle Center: Whats
Next? team took the discussion about Seattle Centers future
on the road. Our team is interviewing people in every part
of our City to gather feedback and more ideas. The results
of these efforts will be documented as a supplement to this
report.
Staying Involved
Many of you indicated a willingness to remain involved as
this project progresses. Please indicate your willingness to
participate, send us additional feedback from the workshop,
or connect others to the project, by visiting:
www.seattlecenter.com/whatsnext
Participants
Presenters
Edward Murray, Mayor, City of Seattle Flip Herndon, Associate Superintendent of Facilities and Operations,
Seattle Public Schools
Dr. Larry Nyland, Superintendent, Seattle Public Schools
Jim Holmes, Senior Planner, Seattle Office of Planning & Community
Martha Choe
Development
Patricia Lally, Director, Seattle Office for Civil Rights
Alana Knaster, Community Relations Project Manager, Bill & Melinda
Robert Nellams, Director, Seattle Center Gates Foundation
Sam Assefa, Director, Seattle Office of Planning & Community Julia Levitt, Redevelopment Strategic Advisor, Seattle Center
Development
John Merner, Director, Seattle Center Productions
Thatcher Bailey, Executive Director, Seattle Parks Foundation
Eric Tweit, Senior Transportation Planner, Seattle Department of
Lyle Bicknell, Principal Urban Designer, Seattle Office of Planning & Transportation
Community Development
Jane Zalutsky, Interim Director, Seattle Center Foundation
Jill Crary, Redevelopment Director
Marshall Foster, Design Manager, Seattle Office of the Waterfront

Attendees
Alleson Buchanan, Granberg Studios
Noah An
Kyle Angelo, City Year
Sam Assefa, Seattle Office of Planning & Community Develop-
ment
Sally Bagshaw, Seattle City Council
John Bahe, NBBJ
Thatcher Bailey, Seattle Parks Foundation
Pamela Banks, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Kayti Barnett-OBrien, Book-It Repertory Theatre
Maria Barrientos, Barrientos, llc., Seattle Center Advisory
Commission
Sara Belz, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
Richard Best, Seattle Public Schools
Marianne Bichsel, Bichsel Public Affairs
Lyle Bicknell, Seattle Office of Planning & Community Devel-
opment
Alberta Bleck, City of Seattle
Adam Brenneman, Kinzer Partners
Michelle Bufano, Chihuly Garden & Glass
Amy Carter, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Tim Ceis, Ceis Bayne East Strategic
Michael Chandler, Northwest Folklife
Katherine Cheng, Expedia
Lia Chiarelli, Pacific Northwest Ballet
Martha Choe
Evan Clifthorne, Project Belltown
Jill Crary, Seattle Center
Matthew Curry, UW Medicine
Josh Curtis
Will Daugherty, Pacific Science Center
Michael Davis, Bassetti Architects
Thomas Ditty, Seattle Monorail Services
Rob Dunlop, KCTS
Liz Dunn, Dunn & Hobbes
Mercedes Elizalde, City of Seattle
Randy Engstrom, Seattle Office of Arts and Culture
Marshall Foster, Seattle Office of the Waterfront
Debi Frausto, Uptown Alliance
Phil Fujii, Vulcan
Steve Galatro, Pratt Fine Arts Center
Ginny Gilder, Seattle Storm
Barbara Gray, Seattle Department of Transportation
Marcus Green, South Seattle Emerald
Genevieve Hale-Case, UW College of Built Environments
Emily Heim, UW College of Built Environments
Cheri Hendricks, BroadView Associates Ltd.
Flip Herndon, Seattle Public Schools
Jim Holmes, Seattle Office of Planning & Community Develop-
ment
Rick Hooper, Uptown Alliance
Mari Horita, Arts Fund
Heidi Hughes, Friends of Waterfront Seattle
Katie Idziorek, Uptown Alliance
Patty Isacson Sabee, EMP Museum, Seattle Center Foundation
Kate Joncas, Seattle Mayors Office
Johnpaul Jones, Jones & Jones Architecture
Marc Jones, Seattle Center
Debora Juarez, Seattle City Council
Sandeep Kaushik, KCTS
Dakota Keene, Mithun
Craig Kinzer, Kinzer Partners
Jackie Kirn, Seattle Mayors Office
Cheryl Klotz, UW College of Built Environments
Alana Knaster, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Patty Lally, Seattle Office of Planning & Community Develop-
ment
Courtney Landoll, Trust for Public Land
Aidan Lang, Seattle Opera
Kirk Laughlin, Seattle Childrens Museum
Todd Leber, Seneca Group, Seattle Center Foundation
Tim Lennon, The Vera Project
Marty Loesch, Challenge Seattle
Laura Lohman, Seneca Group
Gladys Ly-Au Young, Sundberg Kennedy Ly-Au Young
Architects
Andres Mantilla, Ceis Bayne East Strategic
Galaxy Marshall, Student
Tiernan Martin, Futurewise
Amalia Martino, Latina Creative Agency
Jody May, Festivals Inc.
Jack McCullough, Downtown Seattle Association
John Merner, Seattle Center
Shyla Miller, Boeing
Jamie Moses, Seattle University
Robert Nellams, Seattle Center
Shannon Nichol, Gustafson Guthrie Nichol
Stephen Nielson, Seattle Public Schools
Ben Noble, Seattle Budget Office
Katie Nolan
Kathy Nyland, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
Larry Nyland, Seattle Public Schools
Julie Parrett, UW College of Built Environments
Betty Patu, Seattle Public Schools
Sue Peters, Seattle Public Schools
Ana Maria Pinto da Silva, Amazon, Pecha Kucha
Gundula Proksch, UW College of Built Environments
Rico Quirindongo, DLR Group
Matt Richter, Seattle Office of Arts and Culture
Rachel Robert, Seattle Repertory Theatre
Lara Rose, Walker Macy
Kristin Ryan, Jonathan Rose Companies
Karen Sharp, Seattle Childrens Theatre
Kevin Shively, Seattle Mayors Office
Tak Stewart, UW College of Built Environments
Andrew Storms, ACT Theatre
Diane Sugimura, Seattle Office of Planning & Community
Development
Rob Thomas, AEG Live
Brad Tong, Shiels Obletz Johnsen
Robert Townsend, NW Folklife
Eric Tweit, Seattle Department of Transportation
Debra Twersky, 4Culture
Cathryn Vandenbrink
Chris Weber, One Reel
Amy White, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Mary Wideman-Williams, Seattle Center
M Xochitl Wilder, Youth Commission
Jeff Wright, Space Needle
Korrynne Wright
Sung Yang, King County
Jane Zalutsky, Seattle Center Foundation
Tamar Zere, Seattle Office for Civil Rights

16
Thank you.