Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell joined Port of Seattle Commission President Sam Cho, philanthropist Melinda French Gates, Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez, Downtown Seattle Association Board Chair Sung Yang, Friends of Waterfront Seattle President and CEO Joy Shigaki, and Chairman of the Suquamish Tribe Leonard Forsman to announce Elliott Bay Connections (EBC), an unprecedented public-private partnership to connect, restore and revitalize parks along the Elliott Bay waterfront. Elliott Bay Connections will be undertaken at zero cost to taxpayers with the goal of delivering a new greenway and park improvements by June 2026 when Seattle hosts the World Cup.
Elliott Bay Connections would construct a new pedestrian and bicycle greenway connecting the new Waterfront Park to the Olympic Sculpture Park (from Pier 62 to Pier 70) and would restore and revitalize Myrtle Edwards and Centennial Parks, including the restoration of public fishing at Pier 86. Private funding will underwrite the estimated $45 million cost of construction. Philanthropists Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott, The Diller-Von Furstenberg Family Foundation, and the Expedia Group are the donors to the EBC project. Community engagement kicks off in the fall.
“Seattle’s waterfront is a truly one-of-a-kind place with something for everyone: visitors, families, residents, and workers alike,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. “Elliott Bay Connections advances our decades-long efforts to reconnect the city to the waterfront, ensuring a seamless transition from downtown and safe, accessible pathways to experience the natural beauty of our region. This public-philanthropic approach is a shining example of bold Space Needle Thinking and a One Seattle effort, and we are so grateful to these donors for their commitment to help make Seattle’s waterfront a vibrant, world-class destination in time for the 2026 World Cup when thousands of soccer fans from around the world will come to our city.”
The new landscaped, protected greenway for pedestrians and recreational cyclists would run along the east side of Alaskan Way for nearly a mile from the northern end of Waterfront Park at Pier 62 to the Olympic Sculpture Park. The greenway would update existing sidewalks and replace the obsolete former trolley tracks with an accessible path designed for walkers and those using scooters, wheelchairs or bicycles. The greenway would total more than two and a half acres of new public space. This new greenway complements the Alaskan Way Safety Project, previously announced by the City of Seattle, which will provide a protected bike lane on the west side of Alaskan Way.
Located just north of the Olympic Sculpture Park, Myrtle Edwards and Centennial Parks share a spectacular waterfront location with exceptional views of the Olympic Mountains, Mount Rainier and Puget Sound. Elliott Bay Connections would update visitor amenities and landscapes, modernize park facilities, restore public fishing and improve accessibility for park users while expanding sustainable landscape practices. The City of Seattle owns and manages Myrtle Edwards Park, and the Port of Seattle owns and manages Centennial Park. Together, these two public parks total 16 acres along more than one and a half miles of waterfront.
Community engagement will kick off in the fall of 2023 with the public invited to give input on the proposed greenway and desired park improvements. Following public input, design concepts will be developed and presented to the public before actual design, permitting and construction proceed. Upon completion, the donors will provide funding for a decade to support stewardship, with concurrence by the City and Port of Seattle on sustainability and standards of care.
“Elliott Bay Connections gives us a once-in-a-generation chance to finish the job on our waterfront,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Sam Cho. “Partnership is playing a critical role in launching the Waterfront Park project to the south. Partnership is critical for finishing the job on the north end. We are really eager to hear community feedback on these proposals and begin building a waterfront for the next generation.”
With Elliott Bay Connections announced today and the opening of Waterfront Park in 2025, the connected, new and revitalized parks will total 50 acres of world-class public space accessible to all running for close to three and half miles along the Elliott Bay waterfront.
“Having lived in Seattle for more than three decades, I know we thrive on being so close to nature,” said Melinda French Gates. “Public parks connect us to green space and water, but they also connect us to each other. This network of waterfront parks will be a shared space for everyone and bring our city together. I am grateful for the partnership with MacKenzie Scott, The Diller-Von Furstenberg Family Foundation and Expedia Group, the leaders of the City and Port, and the public as we work to bring Elliott Bay Connections to life.”
“I am excited to see community voices from around the city come together to help shape these beautiful, shared community spaces,” said MacKenzie Scott.
“The Elliott Bay Waterfront is one of the wonders of the city of Seattle and it’s great to participate in improving it for the benefit of all who live and visit the city,” said Barry Diller, Chairman and Senior Executive of Expedia Group.
The connected Elliott Bay Parks will include:
- Waterfront Park, a constellation of lush, open public spaces linked together by a pedestrian-oriented promenade. Waterfront Park features the Overlook Walk, which ties together two iconic destinations, Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion opening in 2024. Waterfront Park totals 20 acres and is scheduled to open in 2025.
- The proposed new greenway from Waterfront Park to the Olympic Sculpture Park, totaling more than two and a half acres.
- The award-winning Olympic Sculpture Park with nine acres of extraordinary contemporary sculpture and topography.
- Myrtle Edwards and Centennial Parks together offer 16 acres of restored and revitalized lawn, plantings, visitor amenities, beach coves and paths.
- The Beach, just south of Smith Cove, is a contemporary public landscape of more than two and a half acres of native plantings, driftwood and seating.
The Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) will serve as the implementation partner for the Elliott Bay Connections project, bringing together a local project team of Seattle-based firms experienced in public-private partnerships, public space improvements, and community engagement. DSA has a track record of partnership and stewardship of vital park and public spaces in the heart of Seattle.
The Mayor’s Office and the Port of Seattle will work directly with the EBC team to ensure that park improvements are delivered in accordance with public regulations and requirements and completed in time for the hosting of the World Cup in 2026. Construction will comply with public WMBE (Women and Minority Business Owned Enterprise) goals and labor initiatives. These parks and public spaces will continue to be owned and managed by the public agencies.
“Elliott Bay Connections is a major game changer for downtown’s waterfront. The greenway and park restoration improvements will benefit Seattleites of all ages and abilities with more opportunities to recreate and enjoy nature in the heart of the city,” said Sung Yang, Chair, DSA Board of Directors and Principal, Pacific Public Affairs. “DSA is pleased to partner on this project and grateful for the significant investments being made. This is more proof of the progress being made to revitalize downtown under Mayor Harrell’s leadership.”
“Since what is now known as Seattle was first settled by Indigenous peoples, our relationship with the landscape has been defined by the Salish Sea and the lakes, rivers and streams that are a source of nourishment, commerce and recreation,” said Debora Juarez, City of Seattle Council President. “By connecting the new Waterfront Park to the parks along the Elliott Bay coastline, we provide an opportunity for people to come together to play, relax and enjoy the benefits of touching the water. The parks, with improved and updated amenities such as a play area and restrooms, will be more welcoming to everyone.”
Mayor Harrell also announced that Friends of Waterfront Seattle will receive a $10 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an unrestricted $10 million grant from MacKenzie Scott in support of the Campaign for Waterfront Park. This campaign is raising $200 million to finish construction of Waterfront Park and to ensure this new world class civic space will be safe, well-maintained, and programmed by Friends of the Waterfront. French Gates is Co-Chair of the Gates Foundation.
“The donors’ generosity, vision and leadership spearheading Elliott Bay Connections are truly remarkable,” said Joy Shigaki, President and CEO of Friends of Waterfront Seattle (Friends). “This is a catalytic moment for our city, which shows the power of public space to bring community together. Their leadership, coupled with their support for Waterfront Park, are amazing gifts to everyone who lives here. I hope these gifts inspire others to join the Friends’ campaign, as we work to complete Waterfront Park and ensure that it will be welcoming and beautiful now—and for generations to come.”
The Muckleshoot and Suquamish Tribes have been briefed on the Elliott Bay Connections project, which restores public access to fishing in Centennial Park.
“The Suquamish Tribe is excited to learn more about Elliott Bay Connections and how the project will improve the shoreline and uplands within our ancestral lands and waters on and adjacent to Elliott Bay,” said Leonard Forsman, Chairman of the Suquamish Tribe. “Providing public access to these waters is also a tribal priority as we educate the public about the importance of preserving water quality and therefore helping all of us protect our treaty reserved resources, including salmon and shellfish.”
Consultation with representatives of the tribes and Urban Native community throughout the design and implementation of Elliott Bay Connections will ensure inclusion of Native perspective, knowledge, practices and language.
Information about Elliott Bay Connections, including schedule, groundbreaking and construction phasing, will be available and updated on DSA, City of Seattle and Port of Seattle websites.
