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ALLIED ARTS :: QUALITY OF URBAN LIFE
Letter on Occidental Park
February 28, 2006
The Honorable Greg Nickels
Seattle City Hall
PO Box 94749
Seattle, WA 98124-4749
Dear Mayor Nickels:
The Allied Arts’ Urban Environment Committee, (UEC), became aware of the revised plan for improvements to Occidental Park over the past year. Allied Arts hosted a discussion panel in the Grand Central Arcade to review several issues relating to the plan. The UEC also heard from Kevin Carl of Jones and Jones Architects. A representative from the Parks Department was invited to attend the same UEC meeting but declined, stating that parks had completed their public involvement process.
The UEC recognizes the hard work and commitment that the City of Seattle, the Parks Department and the Pioneer Square community at large have invested in planning relating to Occidental Park over the years. One of the common objectives to redevelop the parking lot east of Occidental Park has been a goal of the Pioneer Square Neighborhood Plan for years.
Occidental Park is one of the largest urban public spaces in the downtown area. The guiding principles for the development of that park reflect the historic fabric of the district. Occidental Park & Mall, Pioneer Square Park, First Avenue and Washington Street were all created as a family of complementary urban spaces to knit together the newly formed historic district.
The UEC is aware of the State Land Use Petitions Act (LUPA) appeal filed in Superior Court by community members who oppose the tree removal as well as other alterations that have been proposed. The ruling in this matter is expected to occur in May.
Allied Arts of Seattle requests the Parks Department and City of Seattle avoid altering the Park until the judicial process is concluded. A long-term vision with a management, maintenance and security plan would ultimately address the goals to improve conditions in the Park. Once the trees are destroyed and other elements altered, the historic attributes will be compromised and a jewel within our city will be gone forever.
The Urban Environment Committee is in the process of reviewing a variety of urban parks and open space designs throughout Seattle. In this case, Allied Arts would like to work with the city and the Pioneer Square neighborhood to seek a more balanced approach on the overall design elements (see attached) contained in the revised plan as distributed by the parks department.
We urge you to save this urban treasure by preserving the status quo until the court has made its ruling.
Sincerely,
David M. Guthrie, Chair - UEC
Paul Byron Crane, Vice Chair – UEC
cc. City Council
Ken Bounds, Parks Department
OCCIDENTAL PARK – DESIGN COMMENTS
The Urban Environment Committee offers the following preliminary comments on the revised plan:
The engineering of open spaces must also address the homeless challenges within a community. A broader plan must be implemented which includes the various public safety and social service agencies that service the needs of the at risk population to achieve more desirable results. Occidental Park has significant issues that must be addressed, but retaining the character of the space should be a priority. The proposed design changes do not address the underlying issues. The undesired social behavior will adapt to the new design changes and Occidental Park will remain in its current condition.
The UEC supports retaining the existing Pergola, and retrofit as indicated in original plan. The UEC supports improvements to the walking surface but suggests retaining many of the stone pavers. The use of the proposed impervious pavers will not provide the proper irrigation to the existing tree canopy and may ultimately impact those trees.
Proposed tree removal – The revised plan calls for healthy and unhealthy tree removal. Healthy trees are being removed in favor of design elements. The UEC supports removing as few trees as possible to preserve one of the few ‘urban forests’ that exists in Seattle. The London Plane trees are at half their growth cycle and the canopy will continue to rise. Ongoing maintenance would have ensured a better result. The UEC recommends that an arborist trim and maintain the tree canopy – do not remove 1/3 of the trees.
The UEC supports long-term goals to activate the edges of Occidental Park by encouraging responsible redevelopment with a residential component to add more eyes on the park. The end result should be an inviting experience for residents, business owners and tourists. The City of Seattle and Parks Department must demonstrate they can work with the development community to offer incentives to create mixed-use sites east of Occidental Park Mall and farther south to the North Lot. We understand a plan for redevelopment of the parking lot is on the table but has not yet been widely distributed.
The UEC supports a comprehensive, long-term maintenance plan to better manage Seattle’s urban spaces, with special attention paid to our historic public spaces. Use a step plan to clean and enhance the public art and water features. The parks task force has been reviewing 10 parks in the city, which should include input from various communities. A security and management plan should also be provided.
The UEC supports upgrading the lighting in Occidental Park using whiter candles.
The UEC supports a renewed or continuing commitment to work with Jones & Jones or another architectural firm to incorporate some of the new proposed elements into a plan that celebrates the historic character and fiber of the district.
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