Seattle - Downtown Waterfront Construction Project

[CruisinMama7]

Does anybody know if the downtown waterfront construction project is now complete? It was my understanding that the project was originally scheduled for completion before the July 4th holiday. Is the project near completion yet? Curious minds want to know. :)

[Casagordita]

I don't know, but I'll be down in that neighborhood tomorrow. I'll take a look and report back!

[michelle1836]

Does anybody know if the downtown waterfront construction project is now complete? It was my understanding that the project was originally scheduled for completion before the July 4th holiday. Is the project near completion yet? Curious minds want to know. :)

 

thanks for asking! getting on when you get off

[CruisinMama7]

I don't know, but I'll be down in that neighborhood tomorrow. I'll take a look and report back!

 

Thanks much, Casagordita! I really do appreciate that very much! I read that the project was running behind schedule, so I'm not feeling very optimistic. Regardless, I've got my fingers crossed and hoping for good news. :)

[Gardyloo]

http://www.waterfrontseattle.org/construction

 

As of last week, things were far from wrapping up.

[rnargo]

Will the waterfront be all put together again for this summer season? No, unfortunately not. However, on July 1st, all of the waterfront businesses will be open again. Construction is taking a "pause" on the central waterfront for the rest of the summer season. Access to businesses will be opened up again. After so many of these businesses have been closed or severely impacted for the last eight months or so, they could definitely use a busy summer!

 

 

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[Casagordita]

Will the waterfront be all put together again for this summer season? No, unfortunately not. However, on July 1st, all of the waterfront businesses will be open again. Construction is taking a "pause" on the central waterfront for the rest of the summer season. Access to businesses will be opened up again. After so many of these businesses have been closed or severely impacted for the last eight months or so, they could definitely use a busy summer!

 

Okay, that makes sense. I drove down Alaska Way, under the viaduct, this afternoon, and it's still a big mess. The street is torn up, there's construction equipment and materials and fencing everywhere. It would be quite a job to have it all finished and cleaned up in a week!!

 

Now that you mention it, I do remember hearing that the city had worked out an agreement with the waterfront businesses to let them open up for the peak tourist season this summer. Many of the shops and restaurants there have been closed for nine months, and the city has had to compensate them for lost business--and nobody wanted to have that continue over their busiest few months!

 

So we'll have access to the part of the waterfront that's been blocked off for months, starting in a week or so. It won't be pretty, or tidy, but you'll be able to get there. Businesses like Ivar's Acres of Clams, Elliott's Oyster House, and Ye Olde Curiosity Shop will re-open. There will be a little more street parking in the area. They'll shift back into high gear with the work in the fall.

 

Here's a recent video if you want to see more.

[CruisinMama7]

Thanks so much for all of the responses. Now I know what to expect when I arrive in Seattle in a couple of weeks. Guess this calls for a return trip to Seattle in a couple of years to see the finished waterfront project.;) I know that time can't come quick enough for all of the local businesses involved. Again, I do appreciate the updated info. Happy cruising to all!

[Gardyloo]

Maybe more information than you want, but the construction on the central waterfront is actually a couple of different projects. The first is the replacement and strengthening of the seawall that keeps things from pitching into Puget Sound - that's the immediate source of the closures and disruptions around Ivar's and Elliott's.

 

The second, much, much bigger project is the building of a tunnel under the city that will carry traffic now using the Alaskan Way Viaduct (the elevated waterfront freeway) which will be demolished when the tunnel is complete. (That date is up in the air owing to major construction delays, but hopefully around 2018.)

 

In the middle of all this - both geographically and on the calendar - is the expansion of the Pike Place market, which will grow downhill over Western Avenue and eventually end right on the central waterfront, once the Viaduct is torn down. That particular project started preconstruction activities this week, and the first phase will (supposedly) be done next year. http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/marketfront