WSCC Proposed Street Vacations

7/25/2019 WSCC Proposed Street Vacations

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

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project is anticipated to be available in mid-

February 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


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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 islocated 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 toallow 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 isdivided 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 projectsite 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 andalleys.

Rights-of-way proposed for vacation:

1. The alley in Block 33, Sarah A. Bells 2nd

Addition between Howell St., Terry Ave.,

Olive Way, 9thAve.;2. The alley in Block 43, Sarah A. Bells 2

ndAddition 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 9

thAve. 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:


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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 portionof 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 airrights/ground lease through the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Site B between Howell St., Terry Ave., Olive Way, and 9

thAve.: 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 alleythat 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 9thAve. 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 areunder the control of the WSCC.


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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 ofpotential co-development.

The large scale area requirement for convention activities such as meeting rooms, exhibitionspace 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-sitepublic benefits.

The vacations would accommodate the construction of a 150,000 sf below grade exhibition hallunder 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. Pedestriancirculation 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 andTerry 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


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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 andseating;

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 theproject blocks on Pine St., Pike St., 9

thAve. and 8

thAve. including: improved crosswalks,

sidewalks and pedestrian lighting; enhanced landscaping; street furniture, and overheadcanopies.

Additional Information:The entire vacation petition may be accessed at:

Washington State Convention Center Vacation Petition Clerk File 314338
http://seattle.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2547102&GUID=DF40BA64-67D4-4189-861F-0EF02F447E0F&Options=Advanced&Search=http://seattle.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2547102&GUID=DF40BA64-67D4-4189-861F-0EF02F447E0F&Options=Advanced&Search=http://seattle.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2547102&GUID=DF40BA64-67D4-4189-861F-0EF02F447E0F&Options=Advanced&Search=


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