Seattle is one of America's most celebrated cities, but the quality of its public space hasn't always kept up with its cultural and economic vitality. The public have nominated only three places in Seattle for PPS's Great Public Spaces website, for instance. (To be fair, two others have been contributed by PPS staff -- Pike Place Market and the Burke-Gilman Trail.)

This state of affairs is not likely to continue. In addition to the creative energy unleashed at the recent Placemaking conference, the City of Seattle itself has been very engaged in improving its public spaces. PPS has been at the center of these efforts, helping local communities revive two parks that have not lived up to their initial promise: Freeway Park and Occidental Park.

Freeway Park

When Freeway Park was built in the 1970s, it was hailed as a major architectural and engineering accomplishment. Designed by the world-renowned firm of Lawrence Halprin & Associates, it was the first park to be constructed over a freeway, thereby "healing the scar" that I-5 created in downtown Seattle. Over the years, however, the park has fallen into disuse. As trees and shrubbery matured, the park became more shaded and concealed, discouraging some people from visiting. Seattle's drug trade and homeless population found a home in Freeway Park. The murder of a blind and deaf homeless woman in broad daylight in 2002 spurred a city-wide effort to revitalize Freeway Park.

The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department asked PPS to assist it in developing a community vision for the park and the wider neighborhood through a series of collaborative workshops and visioning meetings with community groups and other major stakeholders in the area. This community process resulted in a collective vision for the park that balances the original design of the park as a green urban sanctuary with the need for more activities and attractions that can make sure it becomes a vibrant public place.

In particular, two major buildings on opposite ends of the park--the Convention Center and Park Plaza--need to be strengthened as anchors of activity to draw people in. The community also generated many ideas to highlight and improve several "places" within the park. Some of these places could be enhanced with seasonal horticultural plantings; others with public attractions such as an aviary or rotating art exhibits. Outdoor cafés are being considered for other parts of the park. These different destinations would form a loop linking areas together and making the entire park a fantastic place to walk. The community is also considering a number of new management options needed to ensure the long-term success of Freeway Park as a place people from all over the Seattle area will want to visit.

Occidental Park

The City of Seattle is also turning its attention to Occidental Park, a place that few people stop to enjoy even though it occupies a prime block in the heart of downtown's historic Pioneer Square district. The park is thoroughly dominated by homeless people. City officials, including Mayor Greg Nickles, have recognized that the park has untapped potential to become the centerpeice of a dynamic neighborhood.

PPS led workshops last spring to evaluate the park and develop short- and long-term strategies for improvement. City officials, eager to show residents that changes were afoot, acted quickly upon PPS's recommendations to implement a series of experiments in the park over the summer. From small additions like public chess sets to large productions like outdoor movies and musical performances, the experiments helped officials understand what can be done to make it a park for everybody.

In addition, events like the "First Thursday" art market and a festival called "Discover the Klondike" that celebrated Seattle's role as a staging ground for 1897 Alaska gold rush, delivered a large boost in visitors to the park. The adjacent Grand Central Bakery noticed the difference immediately, attributing an increase in sales to the new programming in the park. The Parks Department is now determining ways to market Occidental Park's activities, such as identifying particular days of the week with specific events.

Looking Forward

The promising signs of community engagement in Freeway and Occidental Parks point to a new resolve around the city to improve its public spaces and neighborhoods. PPS is confident that Seattle's highly engaged communities and forward-thinking leaders will keep the momentum going strong.