Making Milestones Along Seattle’s New Waterfront

Construction of Seattle’s new waterfront continues just beyond our doorstep at The Emerald. We’re excited to celebrate major milestones and look forward to continued future progress. The completion of the Alaskan Way Viaduct program will create nine acres of revitalized open public space adjacent to the downtown Seattle waterfront. With the Alaskan Way Viaduct removal complete, the city of Seattle will continue to construct a park promenade along the water, build a new surface street along Alaskan Way, rebuild Piers, build an elevated connection from Pike Place Market to the waterfront, and improve east-west connections between downtown and Elliott Bay. The first piece of the park — Pier 62 — is now open while the rest of the park is being built. Waterfront Park completion is set for 2025. Pier 62 is the first piece of the future Waterfront Park to open. Just north of the Seattle Aquarium, Pier 62 is a flexible, open space that will adapt to accommodate a wide range of cultural, recreational, and educational activities and events.

 

 

Berni Bo, a retired musician who lived in Seattle years ago and now resides near Sequim, was visiting the waterfront on a Saturday in September. She came to ride the Great Wheel and attend a show after dinner at Ivar’s. “The viaduct being gone was like holy wow,” Bo said. “It’s absolutely amazing. Now the viaduct’s gone and (the waterfront) is just an extension of Seattle.”

 

Waterfront Park is a 20-acre linear public park along Seattle’s downtown central shoreline designed to create places for people to come together and enjoy the natural beauty of the Puget Sound region and the company of one another. Waterfront Park consists of a garden-filled pedestrian promenade, boardwalk, and bike path that tie together open public spaces such as action-packed piers, viewpoints, a habitat beach, and stunning elevated pedestrian connection into downtown.

 

“If we do it right — and we’re on the path to do it right — I’m not convinced it won’t be the icon of the city of Seattle,” former Gov. Chris Gregoire, the head of Challenge Seattle, said at a recent Business Journal event.

 

Downtown’s waterfront transformation entered a new chapter recently with this massive upgrade to our state’s busiest ferry terminal. The new Washington State Ferries flagship ferry terminal recently opened on the Seattle waterfront. Passengers on the two busiest routes to Bremerton and Bainbridge Island will now have 20,000 square feet of space to spread out as they await the ferry to at the Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock. Washington State Ferries is replacing the aging Colman Dock in Seattle to maintain its critical role as a regional multimodal transportation hub. The renovation of Colman Dock rebuilds a key piece of transportation infrastructure connecting downtown to communities around the Puget Sound. The new passenger building is a vast improvement over the old one. It fully faces the water, with 4,230 square feet of windows looking onto Elliott Bay and the city. Clerestory windows above bathe the space in natural light. This is a key construction milestone on the way to completing the full Colman Dock Project in Spring 2023. Stay updated with rider alerts for information on additional exit closures. More information can be found on the Washington State Department of Transportation’s website.

 

The Union Street Pedestrian Bridge has opened, improving access between the Waterfront and downtown Seattle. The project features a 95-foot-long walkway, a stairway, and an elevator with panels that provide visibility and light. Take a peek at what the Union Street Pedestrian Bridge looks like at night. The bridge features two permanent public artworks by Seattle artist Norie Sato, connecting Western Ave to Alaskan Way. Plus, it’ll improve accessibility between downtown and the waterfront with the new public elevator. The Seattle Times covers the opening of the bridge in Seattle’s downtown waterfront that guides pedestrians under a steel archway sculpture resembling a fern.

 

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. When complete, Overlook Walk will have a sloping pedestrian path leading from Pike Place Market to Seattle’s waterfront, mere minutes from The Emerald’s front door in the center of downtown Seattle. It fulfills the desire for an easily accessible way to the waterfront.  Overlook Walk is going up next to other key projects: the Seattle Aquarium’s long-planned, Ocean Pavilion, and the relocation of Alaskan Way plus the new two-way street, Elliott Way.

 

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. It will provide several critical public features such as a new public elevator and a publicly-accessible rooftop park that will connect to the Overlook Walk.

 

Ocean Pavilion is a small but complex building — just 48,000 square feet but with 4 million pounds of rebar, or more than what goes into a typical downtown high-rise, according to Stuart Kibbee of Turner Construction Co., the project general contractor. Scheduled to open in the summer of 2024, Ocean Pavilion is the biggest thing to happen at the aquarium since its founding 45 years ago. The conservation and education facility will anchor what the society says will be the “world’s first climate-positive aquarium campus” with fossil-fuel-free operations.

 

The 20-acre linear Waterfront Park will run from Pioneer Square to Belltown. Waterfront Park will feature diverse species of trees, shrubs, and grasses from five upland habitat plant communities, and increase the waterfront tree canopy sixfold, from 183 trees to 844 trees. It will also feature a two-mile bike path, a boardwalk, a promenade, playgrounds, artwork, and many improved east-west connections.

 

“It will be our new front porch,” said Joy Shigaki, a fourth-generation Seattleite and the new president and CEO of Friends of Waterfront Seattle, the city’s nonprofit philanthropic partner on the waterfront redevelopment.

 

Welcome to Waterfront Seattle. Want more details about Seattle’s new waterfront destination at The Emerald’s doorstep? Check out Puget Sound Business Journal’s deep dive into the exciting revitalization efforts along the waterfront and why the final transformation could be iconic for the city. For details on Waterfront Park’s project delivery and construction information, visit waterfrontseattle.org.

 

Claim your very own Seattle waterfront views. Explore The Emerald’s Panoramic Collection. Move-in ready, luxury condominiums with rare views of Mount Rainier, Pike Place, Elliott Bay, and the Olympic Mountains are now selling! Contact the sales team to schedule your personal tour and secure one of these homes while the opportunity remains.

Celebrate Winter along the Seattle Waterfront

There are few places that are more memorable than the Seattle waterfront during the holidays. The Emerald’s premiere location at Second and Stewart places you in the center of downtown Seattle – just one block from the iconic Pike Place Market overlooking the Elliott Bay. A magical spot to be year-round, the Market lights up this season and is activated with festive events. Shop small, buy local and discover all the reasons to celebrate this season as the Seattle waterfront turns into a Winter Wonderland.

 

 

Can Can presents Wonderland, showing December 2- January 9. This carnival of merriment will mesmerize audiences as soon as they enter Can Can’s intimate theatre turned whimsical winter chalet, making this a holiday entertainment spectacular to remember. In the kitchen and behind the bar you’ll find a variety of food, wine, and spirit menus carefully crafted with local market-fresh winter ingredients, prepared to tantalize even the most refined palates.

 

On December 1st and 9th, Truffle Queen is hosting a Holiday Open House where they will have special pricing on Italian holiday cakes and more, plus preview tastings for wines arriving in the new year.

 

Snap a picture with Santa and Crafty on December 4th and 11th. Santa will be visiting the Market two times in December with special guest, Crafty for free holiday photos. Get all your holiday shopping done + receive a free gift when you spend $50 or more at Market businesses. The gift includes 1 eco-friendly Market wrapping paper kit. Bring your receipts to the “Special Offer Tent” to receive your free gift.

 

Order your Holiday Pike Box. This NEW Pike Box is an exciting mix of spices, honey, and nuts from the Market farmers. Registration ends December 8th.

 

Cross off everyone on your holiday list when you shop at the Holiday Night Market on December 16th as the MarketFront Pavilion is transformed into a winter wonderland of stocking stuffers, ornaments, and one-of-a-kind gifts. Shoppers can raise a glass at the Polar Bar with seasonal cocktails and live music with drink proceeds supporting the Pike Place Market Foundation.

 

Lend a helping hand and care for the needs of our neighbors at Pike Place Market this holiday season by contributing to the Giving Tree by December 20th. Send a gift using their Amazon Wish List, purchase a gift card or make a donation directly to the Market Foundation, and leave the shopping to them. Their goal is to collect and distribute over 1,000 warm winter items and holiday gifts.

 

Add in some laughs this holiday season with A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol, a holiday tradition for countless locals since 1985. Experience a new version of this old favorite each night through December 23rd, so head to the Market Theatre in Pike Place Market and have a blast creating your own Christmas classic.

 

Imagine the lights you’ll see if you dine in a gondola 200 feet above the Salish Sea. Assemble 4 people, friends or family and make reservations for the dinner experience of a lifetime at Seattle’s Great Wheel. Enjoy a spectacular 4-course dinner including prawn cocktail and grilled salmon paired with views of the Puget Sound.

 

Depart from nearby Pier 55 during December and travel on the Christmas Ship Festival, decorated with hundreds of shimmery white lights and sailing to different Puget Sound waterfront communities. Choirs on board the Christmas Ship perform to guests aboard, to follow boats, and to communities gathered on shore.

 

Deck your Halls

 

Visit these 12 Market Shops to Make Your Home Holiday Ready, from dried flower wreaths to leaf-imprinted spoon rests to Market themed posters and more!

 

‘Tis the Season to Indulge

 

Whether you’re looking for the best quick stops to hit while knocking out your holiday shopping, seeking a memorable sit-down experience with a great ambiance, or satisfying your sweet tooth, Pike Place Market has you covered! Explore the Pike Place Holiday Food Tour, including some of these gems:

 

Shug’s Soda Fountain & Ice Cream. This classically styled ice cream parlor is serving up hot cocoa with freshly whipped vanilla cream (add Irish cream for those 21+) and a seasonal “Elf Float” combining candy cane ice cream and peppermint soda.

 

Chocolate & Ice Cream Delight. Their hot chocolate bombs are back! Drop in for a selection of delightful fudge and seasonal truffle flavors. Be sure to indulge in their snickerdoodle or peppermint truffles for an extra festive kick.

 

Looking for a few unique holiday host gift inspirations? Pike Place rounded up a few:

 

Chocolate Gift Set. indi chocolate has a variety of gift sets available or you can customize your own. This shop doesn’t just sell chocolate, explore the “unexpected side of chocolate” with cacao butter body care, cacao spice rubs, cocoa nib liquor infusion kits, s’mores kits, and more!

 

Reusable Glass Straws. DrinkingStraws.Glass has seasonal designs available including an elf hat, Santa hat, evergreen tree, or a Christmas tree. Or choose from their classic straw sets for a gift that’s used through every season!

 

Handmade Cards. The Paper Feather has a perfect gift for the person who loves sending special notes with handmade cards! This package includes 13 cards designed and handmade by The Paper Feather, postage stamps, and packaged in a pink bakery box with ribbon.

 

Gift Baskets and Wine. Chukar Cherries has new Columbia Valley wine gift boxes and a charcuterie kit that features the very best delicacies of the Pacific Northwest. All of their assortments and tins of Northwest cherries, berries, and nuts now come in festive holiday sleeves.

 

If you’re still looking for gift ideas, visit 12 Pike Place Market Gifts for Kids and Teens, 5 Thoughtful Market Gifts for the Person Who Needs to Relax and 11 Pike Place Market Gifts for the Stylish Friend.

 

Be sure to book your tour of The Emerald this season before you catch the festivities. Now over 50% sold and priced from the $400,000’s, we cannot wait to show you our 8 new model residences, beautiful building amenities and a unique bird’s eye perspective looking down on Pike Place market all aglow.  Schedule your private in-person or virtual tour by contacting our team at 206-453-6800 or info@theemeraldseattle.com.

 

 

Pike Place Public Market Photo by Matt McDonald @equalmotion