Seattle’s new waterfront is taking shape and dramatically changing the city’s landscape. Work has already started on a new pedestrian bridge which can be seen from The Emerald’s rooftop which will connect Pike Place Market to the revitalized downtown waterfront, mere minutes from The Emerald’s front door in the center of downtown Seattle.
Dubbed “Overlook Walk,” the bridge will create an elevated public park and connection between the waterfront to Seattle’s urban core. People can walk on the elevated pathway from Pike Place Market to the waterfront without ever crossing the new Alaskan Way. Overlook Walk will have expansive views of Elliott Bay, informal play areas, new public plazas and a fresh landscape.
The bridge will include slopes and a new elevator in addition to stairs, according to the Office of the Waterfront, which says the space will serve as a sort of an elevated park with terraced landscaping, native plants, expansive Elliott Bay views, amphitheater-style seats for concerts and a new cafe, plus slides and other play elements for children. Overlook Walk will also be integrated with Seattle Aquarium’s proposed Ocean Pavilion expansion.
Overlook Walk is at the center of improvements from Pier 62 up to Pike Place Market and east along to Seattle’s urban core, including Pike and Pine streets. The MarketFront addition to Pike Place Market will link directly to the new Overlook Walk and the Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion to provide a critical new public connection to and from the waterfront, overcoming the city’s steep topography and avoiding street crossings. There will be two permanent art installations on the bridge: Undulating, puppet-like cloth figures by Ann Hamilton and a Coast Salish basket-inspired sculpture by the MTK Matriarchs, a three-person team, reports the Seattle Times.
Seattle Aquarium envisions that Seattle will be reconnected to the ecosystem of the Pacific Ocean through its new Ocean Pavilion – an investment that will help connect downtown, Pike Place Market and the waterfront as a gathering place for all. This major new exhibit will be an extension of the existing Seattle Aquarium on Piers 59 and 60 providing several critical public features such as a new public elevator and a publicly-accessible rooftop park that will connect to Overlook Walk.
Construction is anticipated to be complete by early to mid-2025. For details on Waterfront Park’s project delivery and construction information, visit waterfrontseattle.org.
Schedule your sales tour soon and watch the progress along Seattle’s revitalized waterfront unfold from The Emerald’s rooftop. Rising 40 gleaming stories above Seattle at Second and Stewart, enjoy unparalleled views of the city and beyond. Derived by a dynamic female-led design team, the architecture of the building reflects the elements and natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
