August 22, 2018

Yesler Terrace Park opens this week, but you'll have to wait for the views

Photo by Benjamin Minnick [enlarge]

The park’s upper level has a water spray feature with sculptures by Christine Bourdette.

Seattle Parks and Recreation yesterday took down construction fencing at Yesler Terrace Park — revealing a new focal point for the rapidly evolving neighborhood.

When the sky isn't clogged with wildfire smoke, the 2-acre park will have sweeping views of downtown, Elliott Bay and Mount Rainier. The sloping site has a plaza on top and a playground straddling the grade change that leads to a large lawn and gathering area below.

“The design team collaborated closely with this diverse neighborhood and held many listening sessions to create a community-inspired park,” said Christopher Williams, Seattle Parks and Recreation interim superintendent, in a news release.

People in the community wanted small and large gathering areas, as well as space for active recreation. Williams called the resulting park “a great collaboration with the community and the Seattle Housing Authority.”

Image from Seattle Parks and Recreation/Site Workshop [enlarge]

The park is south of Yesler Way.

The park cost about $5 million, not including land donated by SHA.

The main plaza is adjacent to Yesler Community Center, at 835 Yesler Way.

Landscape architect Site Workshop borrowed a popular feature from a park it designed at Seattle Center: mounds covered in turf that kids like to roll on. The mounds are next to a water spray feature in the plaza.

Natalie Ross of Site Workshop said the park has “healthy” elements, such as a walking loop with exercise stations, a basketball court and a soccer “spot” that was built with help from Seattle Sounders' RAVE Foundation.

The site topography also challenges kids to climb the slope.

The slope of the lower lawn creates an amphitheater-like area that can accommodate 300 to 400 people. Two barbecue grills were added to the lower lawn after requests from neighbors.

Ross said new trees have modular block Silva Cells, which allow more soil and drain into an adjacent bioretention area. Significant trees on the site were retained.

Artist Christine Bourdette created several multi-layer stone sculptures for the park, including those in the spray feature and smaller seating areas that are called “Conversation Clusters.” These sculptures were inspired by vessels, baskets, stools and other items that reflect the different cultures of people in the neighborhood.

An existing art piece was relocated from the community center to the lower lawn area.

Photo by Benjamin Minnick [enlarge]

The lower lawn area can handle several hundred people in an amphitheater-like area.

Mark Brands of Site Workshop didn't know how many people might use the park on a daily basis, but said he expects usage will increase rapidly as more housing opens nearby. Brands said the park was designed to host events, such as Juneteenth, an annual festival commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.

Redevelopment of Yesler Terrace is replacing 561 units of SHA housing that was the first public housing in the state. There still are 76 occupied units in the old spaces.

The two-acre park site once had 60 housing units, a baseball field, a garage and a community center that was created from SHA's original headquarters.

Kerry Coughlin, SHA director of communications, said when Yesler Terrace is done it will have almost 5,000 units of mix-income housing, including 1,700 affordable units. So far, 627 mixed-income units have opened and more are under construction.

Coughlin said some units will be for people earning very little, with rents as low as $50 a month, including utilities.

Existing tenants in the old space are getting new units in nearby new buildings at the same rates.

So far, the redeveloped Yesler Terrace has five new buildings and one renovated building for housing. SHA also renovated an old steam plant to create Epstein Opportunity Center, which has services for the community.

Coughlin said Yesler Terrace is an international model for redevelopment. SHA conducts tours for housing providers and nonprofits from around the world.

Here's the park team: Site Workshop, landscape architect; Wyser Construction, general contractor; LPD Engineering, civil engineer; Lund Opsahl, structural engineer; SHKS, architect; Enginuity Systems, mechanical engineer; and Gerber Engineering, electrical engineer.

Donations were made by Seattle Parks Foundation, RAVE Foundation, Wyncote Foundation Northwest, Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation, The Community Parks Fund, Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, and the Office of Arts and Culture.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at noon on Saturday at the park. Food trucks and other activities are planned from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.