Convention Center, City of Seattle and Community Leaders Celebrate $16MM in Contributions

Funding will support improvements for people walking and biking downtown

SEATTLE (May 29, 2019) – Today, leaders from the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC), the City of Seattle, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, the Cascade Bicycle Club and other civic and community groups celebrated the latest of $93 million in community benefits coming from the Convention Center’s Addition project.

Totaling $16 million, the payments made today will support the city’s Pike Pine Renaissance: Act 1 program, which is spearheading improvements for people walking, biking and taking transit on Pike and Pine streets between the Pike Place Market and Capitol Hill. The payments will also support protected bicycle lanes in the Pike and Pine corridor, and on Eighth Avenue between Pike Street and the Denny Triangle. These contributions will create an inviting, safe and continuous network of streets for people to enjoy shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation. The work will begin this year and benefit Seattleites and visitors to the community.

“The Washington State Convention Center is proud to be making such meaningful contributions to our community,” said Frank Finneran, chairman of the WSCC board of directors. “In addition to providing jobs, training and many other economic advantages, our overall package of $93 million in benefits – developed in collaboration with the City Council and the community – is unprecedented.”

The $16 million paid today completes a total of $26 million the Addition project is contributing toward pedestrian and bicycle improvements in the Pike Pine corridor and near the Addition site.

“As the Waterfront Seattle Program transforms Seattle’s central waterfront over the coming years, gateways like the improved Pike and Pine corridor will be essential for access and vibrance,” said Marshall Foster, Director of the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. “The Convention Center Addition is invigorating a key part of the city, and provides a crucial element of major improvements that will enhance everyone’s enjoyment of downtown Seattle.”

Funding for safe bike connections to downtown on Pike/Pine and Eighth Avenue is timely, at the end of Bike Everywhere Month, said Vicky Clarke, policy director at the Cascade Bicycle Club.

“The improvements the city will make with these investments will help complete the Basic Bike Network, and help people get around by bike more safely and comfortably,” Clarke said. “Already, many people traveling on Pike and Pine are doing so on a bike. Now SDOT can advance long-planned bikeways to help keep people moving safely.”

The city’s Transportation Department seeks to make center-city streets as safe, efficient and sustainable as possible to meet the needs of Seattle’s growing population. Convention Center funding means SDOT can make these community-driven, targeted street improvements and provide safer conditions for people both walking and biking. Making it safer and easier to get around by walking, biking and transit promotes healthy lifestyles, helps the city meet the goals in its Climate Action Plan and builds a vibrant and welcoming environment for everyone.

“We’re thrilled to reach this milestone” said SDOT Director Sam Zimbabwe. “These project investments represent the work of our community partners and play a key role in building out a connected network to support people in this city who walk, bike or take transit.”

The Addition’s community benefits include almost $40 million toward affordable housing and millions of dollars for parks and open spaces, public art, a lid I-5 study, and more. General contractor Clark Lewis began work on the $1.8 billion Addition in July. Over the three-year construction period, the project team will hire as many as 6,000 union construction workers (many from targeted zip codes) and hundreds of apprentices, plus will pay over $100 million in construction sales tax. Once operational, the Addition facility, known as the Summit building, is expected to create about 3,900 new, ongoing jobs and generate approximately $260 million in new customer spending and $19 million in sales taxes annually.

General contractor Clark Lewis began work on the $1.8 billion Addition in July. Over the three-year construction period, the project team will hire as many as 6,000 union construction workers (many from targeted zip codes) and hundreds of apprentices, plus will pay over $100 million in construction sales tax. Once operational, the Addition facility, known as the Summit building, is expected to create about 3,900 new, ongoing jobs and generate approximately $260 million in new customer spending and $19 million in sales taxes annually.

The project is on schedule for completion in 2021 and will open for business in 2022.

For more information and to view the full list of community benefits contributions, please visit http://www.wsccaddition.com/community/public-benefits. Sign up to receive updates via the Addition newsletter at https://www.wsccaddition.com/contact.

Located in the heart of Seattle and walking distance to world-class hotels, restaurants, entertainment and attractions, the Washington State Convention Center has been the Northwest’s premier meetings and events facility for 30 years. WSCC welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe each year, offering industry-leading service, award-winning catering and a comprehensive range of services for event planners, exhibitors and guests. With a longstanding commitment to sustainability, public art and modern technology, WSCC serves its surrounding community and provides visitors with a truly unique Northwest experience. For information, visit www.wscc.com.