Seattle Public Library -Libraries for All, Central Library Site Information, March 1999

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Capital Project Information New Central Library Neighborhood Branches Information for Architects, Consultants, Contractors & Bidders Oversight & Citizen Review Financial Summaries Archive Libraries for All Capital Program Office: capital.program@spl.org 1000 Fourth Ave. Seattle, WA 98104 206-386-4624		Central Library Project Site Information Return to Information for Architects, Contractors, and Consultants Location: Entire block in the center of the Seattle central business district, bounded by Spring and Madison Streets, Fourth and Fifth avenues. See site map. Legal Description: Lots 1 through 8, Block 19, C.D. Boren's Addition to the City of Seattle, King County, Washington Physical Qualities: Subject site is a rectangular block, measuring 247' along the east-to-west streets (Spring and Madison) and 240' of frontage along the north-to-south avenues of Fourth and Fifth. The total site area is 59,280 square feet. There is a natural slope downhill westward toward Elliott Bay. Along Madison Street, the site drops from an elevation of approximately 182' on Fifth Avenue to a Fourth Avenue elevation of approximately 154'. Adjusting for man-made improvements, the actual elevation change is probably closer to 25', for an approximate change of 9 percent. Plat map (size: 76.3K) Context and Zoning: The site is in the Downtown Office Core -1 zone (DOC-1), Seattle's highest density development area. DOC -1 allows most central business district land uses: Office, hotel, retail, lodging, governmental and institutional, and residential. The site would be considered very open for a downtown block, principally due to the fact that buildings immediately east (uphill) and south have been built well back on their respective sites and are generally of a smaller scale. When combined with the effect of the topography sloping away downhill along the site, these qualities give the property an open, spaciousness unusual for its context. Map showing DOC-1 (size: 341.4K) The site's neighborhood is a mixture of newer office and hotel buildings interwoven with older, masonry hotels and institutional buildings (Federal Courthouse and YMCA) of a smaller scale and more 'classic' design. Seattle is in the midst of a significant new building surge. Substantial retail development is nearing completion a few blocks to the north. A few blocks to the south lies the governmental quarter, also subject to major redevelopment plans. Applicants are encouraged to examine these plans via the City of Seattle's Web site at: http://www.pan.ci.seattle.wa.us/ Aerial photograph (size: 931.2K) Seattle's newly published (February 1999) Commercial Core 'neighborhood' plan summarizes this activity succinctly in plan terms: "The growth targets for the Commercial Core reflect significant increases in both employment (+25%) and housing (+46%). The combined effect of these new targets will be the construction of approximately 7.4 million square feet of new building space for job production and 2.3 million square feet of housing." Design Context: The City of Seattle has just completed, and published, a thorough update of its downtown plan, entitled "Seattle Commercial Core Neighborhood Plan." Its Design Commission has issued a final draft of new "Design Review Guidelines for Downtown Development." Taken together, these two efforts set forth dynamic guidance for Central Library design considerations. They increase flexibility in approach to the building envelope and relax dictates concerning architectural character. Emphasis shifts to humanizing the commercial core, making downtown as an inhabited place the primary focus. The Commercial Core Plan's five key strategies serve to underscore this emphasis: 1. Modify zoning and design standards to stimulate desirable development and architectural variety; 2. Rework bonus and TDR programs to stimulate desirable development and promote architectural variety; 3. Create development incentives to stimulate housing production; 4. Develop Green Streets and open space to enhance urban design character and to support population growth; 5. Create a master plan to guide the design and maintenance of public spaces in the downtown. Similarly, the opening statement of the new Design Review guidelines highlight corollary objectives to that of the Commercial Core Plan in stating: "New development downtown should contribute to the public's enjoyment of Seattle's urban core." Adding emphasis and definition to that statement, the guidelines' opening statement continues, "Success occurs when: The project's site planning and massing respond to the larger context of downtown and the region; The building's architectural expression relates to the neighborhood context; The building's street façade creates a safe and interactive pedestrian environment; The project's public amenities enhance the streetscape and open space; The project's vehicular access and parking impacts on the pedestrian environment are minimized." Applicants seeking further information are encouraged to reference the complete documents, which are on file at the Seattle Public Library in the Magazines, Newspapers, and Government Publications Department on the second floor of the Central Library. Content modified: 2 March 1999 12/30/2005 © 1999-2006 - The Seattle Public Library

Central Library Project Site Information

Return to Information for Architects, Contractors, and Consultants

Location:

Entire block in the center of the Seattle central business district, bounded by Spring and Madison Streets, Fourth and Fifth avenues. See site map.

Legal Description:

Lots 1 through 8, Block 19, C.D. Boren's Addition to the City of Seattle, King County, Washington

Physical Qualities:

Subject site is a rectangular block, measuring 247' along the east-to-west streets (Spring and Madison) and 240' of frontage along the north-to-south avenues of Fourth and Fifth. The total site area is 59,280 square feet. There is a natural slope downhill westward toward Elliott Bay. Along Madison Street, the site drops from an elevation of approximately 182' on Fifth Avenue to a Fourth Avenue elevation of approximately 154'. Adjusting for man-made improvements, the actual elevation change is probably closer to 25', for an approximate change of 9 percent.
Plat map (size: 76.3K)

Context and Zoning:

The site is in the Downtown Office Core -1 zone (DOC-1), Seattle's highest density development area. DOC -1 allows most central business district land uses: Office, hotel, retail, lodging, governmental and institutional, and residential. The site would be considered very open for a downtown block, principally due to the fact that buildings immediately east (uphill) and south have been built well back on their respective sites and are generally of a smaller scale. When combined with the effect of the topography sloping away downhill along the site, these qualities give the property an open, spaciousness unusual for its context.
Map showing DOC-1 (size: 341.4K)

The site's neighborhood is a mixture of newer office and hotel buildings interwoven with older, masonry hotels and institutional buildings (Federal Courthouse and YMCA) of a smaller scale and more 'classic' design. Seattle is in the midst of a significant new building surge. Substantial retail development is nearing completion a few blocks to the north. A few blocks to the south lies the governmental quarter, also subject to major redevelopment plans. Applicants are encouraged to examine these plans via the City of Seattle's Web site at: http://www.pan.ci.seattle.wa.us/
Aerial photograph (size: 931.2K)

Seattle's newly published (February 1999) Commercial Core 'neighborhood' plan summarizes this activity succinctly in plan terms:

"The growth targets for the Commercial Core reflect significant increases in both employment (+25%) and housing (+46%). The combined effect of these new targets will be the construction of approximately 7.4 million square feet of new building space for job production and 2.3 million square feet of housing."

Design Context:

The City of Seattle has just completed, and published, a thorough update of its downtown plan, entitled "Seattle Commercial Core Neighborhood Plan." Its Design Commission has issued a final draft of new "Design Review Guidelines for Downtown Development." Taken together, these two efforts set forth dynamic guidance for Central Library design considerations. They increase flexibility in approach to the building envelope and relax dictates concerning architectural character. Emphasis shifts to humanizing the commercial core, making downtown as an inhabited place the primary focus. The Commercial Core Plan's five key strategies serve to underscore this emphasis:

1. Modify zoning and design standards to stimulate desirable development and architectural variety;
2. Rework bonus and TDR programs to stimulate desirable development and promote architectural variety;
3. Create development incentives to stimulate housing production;
4. Develop Green Streets and open space to enhance urban design character and to support population growth;
5. Create a master plan to guide the design and maintenance of public spaces in the downtown.

Similarly, the opening statement of the new Design Review guidelines highlight corollary objectives to that of the Commercial Core Plan in stating:

"New development downtown should contribute to the public's enjoyment of Seattle's urban core."

Adding emphasis and definition to that statement, the guidelines' opening statement continues, "Success occurs when:

The project's site planning and massing respond to the larger context of downtown and the region;
The building's architectural expression relates to the neighborhood context;
The building's street façade creates a safe and interactive pedestrian environment;
The project's public amenities enhance the streetscape and open space;
The project's vehicular access and parking impacts on the pedestrian environment are minimized."

Applicants seeking further information are encouraged to reference the complete documents, which are on file at the Seattle Public Library in the Magazines, Newspapers, and Government Publications Department on the second floor of the Central Library.

Content modified: 2 March 1999

12/30/2005