Remaking urban waterfronts: not just in Seattle
Bothell is the latest to get the bug, joining Bellingham, Bremerton, Kirkland, and Port Angeles in creating "collective living rooms" on the shoreline. Seattle remains an embarrassing laggard.
City of Seattle/James Corner Field Operations
Wikimedia commons
Port of Bellingham / Stephanie Bower, architect
The design process for remaking Seattle’s central waterfront has been receiving a lot of ink in the press, some of it generated right here. Because the big city seems to get most publicity about various planning and development initiatives, it is easy to overlook what is also happening in other smaller communities around Puget Sound.
Recently The Seattle Times described plans by the city of Bothell to re-purpose its rather lackluster downtown and reconnect it to the river with boulevards and parks. The plans for Bothell include relocating the state highway closer to the river, which seems counterproductive to having a park removed from noise, fumes, and congestion. A broad, landscaped boulevard might also separate retail energy rather than focusing it. An elaborately detailed aerial rendering seems to suggest that the downtown has been carpet-bombed and replaced with an entirely complete New England village.
As ambitious as they may be, those plans in Bothell pale in comparison to those of other cities in western Washington.
True, some cities waited too long. Bellevue long ago gave up most of its waterfront to private homeowners and is only now getting a toehold back on a short stretch of Meydenbauer Bay. Kirkland’s modest downtown waterfront park was an early win more than three decades ago, but further expansion and connections to downtown have been stalled in debates over the loss of parking and wavering political will.
But while these relatively well-heeled cities fuss and fume, a number of other cities and towns have made remarkable headway.
Probably the most stunning transformation has been Bremerton, which not long ago was languishing, mired in moribund buildings and seemingly permanent economic doldrums. With much of the downtown land tied up by a single family, the place just sat, an empty husk of what at one time had been a thriving seaport town. Well, those who associate Bremerton with those dreary decades need to see the place now.
In less than ten years the waterfront has been breathtakingly altered. A waterfront promenade was followed by a splendid new ferry terminal, a prominently-positioned government center that collected a wide array of local, state and regional agencies together. A new conference center added a dramatic civic square anchored by an animated water feature. New condominiums, office buildings, banks, and cafes have pushed aside the row of seedy bars that used to greet people as they disembarked the ferry.
A couple of years ago, an almost fantastical new park opened next to the ferry terminal with periodically explosive fountains, meandering promenades, and handsomely landscaped belvederes. More recently, the park has been extended, finger-like, into the center of downtown and connecting with shops, the restored Admiral theater and multiscreen movie complex, along with commercial and residential spaces that are under construction. And more is to come.
All this was initiated by the relentlessly passionate leadership of former mayor Cary Bozeman and continued by the current administration. Ironically, what James Corner Field Operations has proposed for Seattle's central waterfront park has already been done in Bremerton.
To the north, Bellingham is embarking on a grand plan to transform the site of a former Georgia Pacific mill into a whole new neighborhood with new streets, parks, a university campus, housing, shops, and public buildings. Through a cooperative agreement, the Port of Bellingham is acting as a redevelopment authority, guiding the planning and disposition of property, as well as the requisite environmental clean-up.
Port Angeles is directing the transformation of its central waterfront with redesigned streets, parks, an esplanade, and a network of signs to help visitors find their way about. Already that city is seeing fine restaurants, art galleries, home-grown coffee bars, an extensive collection of public art, and family-owned stores fill its downtown with new energy. That city also exhibits a political will in its elected leadership that is striking in its enthusiastic resolve.
That is the first lesson in re-making urban waterfronts: consistent, persistent, leadership — sometimes in the face of quibbling and fussing by naysayers — can make a huge difference. While debate about public policy should be robust, there is a time when a city needs to declare an end to discussion and just take action.
We can see the results in our big city neighbors, Portland and Vancouver, B.C., whose waterfronts are sheer pleasure to use day or night, throughout the year. Those public places serve as collective living rooms, teaming with music festivals, events, races, art displays, markets, and a plethora of places to eat and simply relax. By comparison, Seattle’s waterfront is a massive civic embarrassment.
The second lesson is that waterfronts thrive when they welcome a wide diversity of activities, uses, people, and organizations to help shape and program them. We should not be afraid of trying out things and failing. And although tourists certainly bring an infusion of cash, the people who live and do business in a community make it unique. If we make a place good enough that we want to spend time there ourselves, undoubtedly others will discover it and value it as well.
Despite all the intellectual and emotional energy that can suffuse a planning process, it basically comes down to providing a handful of things that have always worked. As William H. Whyte, a keen observer of human behavior in cities, once said: “People will sit where there are places to sit.” Sit and watch the sun set. Sit and watch the waves. Sit and listen to music. Sit and chat with your lover, a neighbor, a colleague, or a visitor from Indianapolis or India.
We know it when we see it. When it's done right, the waterfront renews your spirit and lets you reconnect with natural forces and the global community beyond.
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Comments:
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 9:02 a.m. Inappropriate
"Probably the most stunning transformation has been Bremerton..."
Your readers might be interested to know that Bremerton's "transformation" came with a huge price tag for Kitsap COUNTY taxpayers. Those new condos you reference (the ones that replaced the "seedy" bars) were subject of rather shady backdoor dealings between the City of Bremerton and Kitsap County. At the end, the condominium debt - some $42 million - was assumed by county taxpayers (generous, ain't they?).
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 9:18 a.m. Inappropriate
How much time has Mr. Hinshaw spent at Elliott Bay or Myrtle Edwards parks? With the exception of Hempfest, even on the most beautiful day or summer evening, the crowds at these two waterfront parks look nothing like Greenlake on a gray day. Plenty of space there to connect to the water, yet relatively few do. How about re-opening the libraries on Friday and directing those who want to enjoy the waterfront to these two lovely parks? More taxes, Mr. Hinshaw, are what the taxpayers don't need, and that's what pays for these "transformations" .
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 10:47 a.m. Inappropriate
Tacoma restored access along miles of Ruston Way waterfront 30 years ago. It's actually probably about time to upgrade it again and extend it to the restored waterfront growing along the Foss Waterway. But, as usual, the City of Destiny doesn't get the credit it's due from up north.
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 10:52 a.m. Inappropriate
"Seattle remains an embarrassing laggard."
Spoken like a true tunnel supporter.
Making a waterfront into a high end theme park is fine if what you want is high end restaurants etc. But boating access for kayaks, rowboat rentals, a couple of fishing piers, a beach for walking is what makes a waterfront special, not a lot of concrete seawalls with bars atop them serving gulf Shrimp.
An ideal waterfront speaks to what waterfront is all about, access to the water. Habitat for fish and birds.
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 11:50 a.m. Inappropriate
I'm glad to see this great piece by Mark Hinshaw. I was born in Seattle, moved to Spokane at age 1, returned at 14- just in time to see the most unsightly and unfortunate Seattle Viaduct built. I hope soon to see the waterfront made a credit to Seattle. It's certainly not that way now. JG
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 12:10 p.m. Inappropriate
Sounds like a lot of more grandiose planning to get taxpayers to part with their hard-earned wages. Consider the recent history of our neighbor to the north: The City of Everett.
Just a few short years ago, at the height of Washington's dot.com boom, the Port of Everett embarked on a large-scale effort to redevelop its working waterfront. Instead of the grungy, working-class hodge-podge of old shipbuilding warehouses and boat lots, where budding small boat-building businesses, salvage lots and repair shops dotted the landscape - new, glistening Tuscany-like villas and promenades would sprout - condominiums, restaurants and designer shops for the financially well-off - overlooking a new marina packed with luxury yachts. A sales office was established on the west end of the marina, complete with an architect's scale model of the proposed new condo-marina mini-city, and artists' conceptual drawings of what the proposed project would look like when completed - similar to the artists' renderings of the proposed waterfront developments above.
The Port started condemning old buildings that were still being rented by established blue-collar businesses, running the businesses out, with grand hopes of a new, sparkling gem of yachting wealth destined to bring "world-class" status to Everett. Well, the dot.com boom went bust taking with it luxury yacht sales, the old businesses are gone, and the north end of Port of Everett is a wasteland of unused empty space, asphalt and new roads that lead to dead ends.
Recently, Mike Benbow wrote in the Everett Herald:
"Critics talked about turning the city's waterfront over to people rich enough to afford waterfront condos...The condos were not built because Chicago developer Maritime Trust couldn't find financing. Its subsidiary, Everett Maritime, recently went bankrupt and was paid $50,000 by the port to release any claim to the property. [The Port's executive director] John Mohr said the port was fortunate that the development didn't receive financing because the condo market has collapsed. 'If there's a bright side in Everett Maritime's bankruptcy it's that we didn't get stuck with something or we didn't have something built out that is sitting empty,' he said, noting that sitting empty is what's happened to major condo projects in Seattle and in Bellevue." http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110307/BIZ/703079978/0/taxonomylist
Is there a lesson to be learned? Don't gamble with the people's money. Leave well enough alone. When developers come along with pipe dreams of grand waterfront projects, let them - not taxpayers - shoulder the risks and pay for the costs of their ventures - but do not risk the livelihoods of workers and their families.
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 2:16 p.m. Inappropriate
To the north, Bellingham is embarking on a grand plan to transform the site of a former Georgia Pacific mill
Really? I've been in the 'Ham for about a year, and in that time a whole lotta NOTHING has happened. In fact, there is a squabble about the 10 (mile-long) coal trains per day that would run through the middle of the place if SSA gets to build the coal facility at Cherry Point. Nobody'd want to live next to that, nor would they want to wait for such trains to pass in order to get in or out...
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 2:58 p.m. Inappropriate
"quibbling and fussing by naysayers" -- this pretty much sums up the comments section in CrossCut these days. This is a shame, it used to be sort of interesting. Nice article, Mark.
Posted Mon, Jun 6, 3:10 p.m. Inappropriate
"Plans for Bothell relocate the state highway closer to the river which seems counterproductive for a park removed from noise, fumes and traffic. A broad, landscaped boulevard might separate retail energy rather than focus it."
Likewise, Alaskan Way without landscape medians divides waterfront activity and imperils crosswalk users. The Alaskan Way boulevard design must be determined first. Will the single 4-lane to 6-lane design work? ("Duh, I dono, dey said it wud..") The Post-Seawall/Pre-AWV historic era should be formally considered and soon.
Coleman Dock south edge should have better pedestrian infrastructure. The proposed lawn fields may fail AS HAS the Sculpture Park model. The angular park shapes are 'completely' out of historic character and look CHEAP.
Waterfront potential is huge, but high-brow artistes with a penchant for burning money control the process. Alaskan Way. The huge beach may not be a wise choice. Boat landing edges should be predominant alongside seabed structures to support vegetation and sea life, clam bedding, hiding places for smolt, etc.
Port Angeles renderings,
http://pa-waterfront.org/pa-large/sd-set-012611-sm.pdf,
These are a decent model to study for Alaskan Way design considerations.
Posted Fri, Jul 1, 10:04 a.m. Inappropriate
Mr. Hinshaw, the economic risk of forcing long established businesses to move from the Seattle waterfront is enormous.
The point another person made about the daily use of Greenlake park is valid. Other than when the Pier concerts were happening, I have NEVER seen a downtown Seattle park, waterfront or otherwise, used as much as I see Greenlake park being used, every single day.
The reason? There are far more residents near Greenlake for one. And the vagrants, bums and drug deals so visible at all the downtown parks is the singlemost biggest reason why most residents do not use these parks. Tourists often do, since they often are staying downtown.
No. We taxpayers cannot afford another big expense for a beautiful park to be used by weirdos. May not be politically correct to call someone a weirdo, but too bad. That element is both weird, and often dangerous.
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