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Press Release

For Immediate Release

*Contact Information*

Karissa Braxton, 206-566-3545, karissa.braxton2@seattle.gov  

Iris Picat, (505) 600-1227, ipicat@enviroissues.com  

Images and materials available using this link. [ https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/87bpelrwtsxtk44ts5xqv/AL_wVn8OOChz-Yz091FSpWw?dl=0&e=8&rlkey=mnhtg6dert6newojptzn1mfz6&st=kazhb3tk&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery ] 



Overlook Walk Is Open: Seattle’s Newest Dynamic Landmark Connects the Waterfront and Downtown with Breathtaking Views and Enhanced Public Space 

*Seattle (October 4) *– Today, Mayor Harrell, the City of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects and Friends of Waterfront Park joined civic, business and community leaders to celebrate and officially open Overlook Walk. Located where the Alaskan Way Viaduct once stood, Overlook Walk creates the first ever pedestrian connection between downtown and the waterfront, bridging the nearly 100 vertical foot gap between Pike Place Market and the new Park Promenade adjacent to Elliott Bay. 

"Today we celebrate the realization of our shared vision – where space and people are seamlessly connected between downtown, Pike Place Market, and the entire Waterfront Park. Overlook Walk is a testament to Seattle’s innovative spirit, celebrating our rich history while inviting everyone to enjoy the city’s breathtaking natural beauty and vibrant culture,” *said Mayor Bruce Harrell.* “Overlook Walk will forever change how residents, families, workers, and visitors experience our city now and for future generations – and is proof positive what we can accomplish together with a shared One Seattle vision. Seattle’s latest iconic urban element, Overlook Walk is joining the roster of recognizable, dynamic Seattle landmarks – as a symbol of our city’s identity.” 

The completion of Overlook Walk is the result of deep partnerships and a shared vision for a greener, more accessible, and connected cityscape and community. As part of the larger Waterfront Park redevelopment, $70 million was invested to build Overlook Walk, out of the total $806 million public and private investment, including $320 million from city funding.  

Construction began in earnest in summer 2022 in the footprint of the former Alaskan Way Viaduct between Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium. Both MarketFront, which opened in 2017, and the recently opened Ocean Pavilion, connect directly to Overlook Walk with two new public elevators at each end.  Including the public space over the top of the Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion, Overlook Walk adds approximately 60,000 square feet of new elevated park space to Seattle’s waterfront. The park features 360-degree views of downtown Seattle, Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, Elliott Bay, the Olympic mountains, and Mount Rainier. Additionally, visitors and residents will enjoy ample seating options to rest and enjoy the views, a new play area for kids, and a new concessionaire space featuring local small businesses, anticipated to open in 2025.  

Long known for their ability to successfully maintain and operate large civic spaces, the City’s Seattle Center will provide dedicated operations, maintenance and safety teams to ensure Overlook Walk is well cared for and safe. The park will be open to the public seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friends of Waterfront Park, the 501c3 non-profit responsible for fundraising, stewarding, and activating Waterfront Park, will also expand its year-long programming to include the new elevated space.  

Pivotal to bringing Overlook Walk to life were the tradespeople working under Hoffman Construction, the project’s primary contractor. Through the City’s Priority Hire program, this project provided 225,000 labor hours and $2.9 million in wages to workers from economically distressed communities, including people of color and women. Over the past decade, the Priority Hire program has generated over 2.2 million labor hours and $26 million in wages on waterfront projects, including Overlook Walk. 

“The transformation of Seattle’s Waterfront was initially envisioned with a talented leadership team at NYC-based landscape architecture firm Field Operations, the city, and many civic and community leaders over the years, with the primary goal of reconnecting our beautiful city back to the sea. Through Overlook Walk, we have accomplished just that,”* said Angela Brady, Director of the City’s Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. *“I am so proud of our incredibly talented team of designers, engineers, contractors, laborers, construction management staff, and artists for successfully delivering such a uniquely challenging project. I want each of them to know how thankful and grateful we are for their work, and I sincerely hope all of them have enjoyed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build such a special place in the heart of Seattle.” 

Overlook Walk was engineered to reflect the cultural heritage and natural environment of the Pacific Northwest in its urban design. For example, the Bluff Walk pathway features landscapes and plants that mimic the natural environment that surrounds the city, transitioning from grasses to ferns and shrubs as you move across elevations — featuring native species like Vine Maple, Western Sword Fern, and Nootka Rose, reflecting the diverse vegetation of the region.   

By early 2025, large-scale artwork will be installed on Overlook Walk’s Salish Steps to honor the Native history of the waterfront. Created by the MTK Matriarchs—Indigenous artists Malynn Foster (Squaxin Island and Skokomish Tribes), Tamela Laclair (Skokomish Indian Tribe), and Kimberly Deriana (Mandan and Hidatsa Nation)—the piece will resemble an open cross-warped twined basket, symbolizing the matriarchs who have preserved their traditions, teachings, and technologies through weaving and carving. The second artwork at Overlook Walk will be created by internationally acclaimed artist Ann Hamilton. Visible through a perforated screen below Overlook Walk, it will feature marionette-like figures made of undulating cloth, animated by overhead cables. These suspended elements will interact with the street, water, and setting western sun, creating a dynamic visual experience. 

Overlook Walk marks the near completion of the decades-long Waterfront Park effort to fully open to the public in 2025. Other significant milestones of this redevelopment project include the Elliot Bay Seawall, Pioneer Square east-west pedestrian improvements, Park Promenade and new public restrooms, Railroad Way, Alaskan and Elliott Way redevelopment, Poke/Pine improvements, Union Street pedestrian bridge, Pier 62 and 63 development, and Marion Street pedestrian bridge. Construction is ongoing for the Bell Street project to improve connection from Belltown to the waterfront and Pier 58—an exciting new addition that will offer an additional public park and children’s playground. Learn more about the full Waterfront Park transformation here [ https://waterfrontseattle.org/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery ].    



*What People Are Saying* 

*Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth* 

“I am thrilled to see the City’s hard work come to fruition at Overlook Walk. We would not be here without the long list of council members who came before me who were committed to supporting Waterfront Seattle.  Overlook Walk is a beautiful park that directly contributes to our efforts to revitalize downtown. I take pride knowing that this park will be accessible, welcoming and safe for people of all ages and abilities. Overlook Walk, thanks to partnerships between the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects, Friends of Waterfront Park and Seattle Center, transforms how we plan for, design, maintain and activate public space with our Seattle community as the top priority.” 

*Marshall Foster, Director, Seattle Center* 

“Seattle Center brings a deep commitment to creating safe, welcoming and dynamic public spaces for the public to enjoy. We are proud to serve as the City’s lead department in operating the new waterfront, bringing our expertise to the operations of Overlook Walk along with the park promenade and other new public spaces. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that the Overlook Walk is well cared for, feels safe from day one, and is a place where visitors can relax, connect, and take in the incredible views of Elliot Bay, the skyline and the mountains. We are excited to help make the Overlook Walk a much-loved part of Seattle’s new Waterfront Park.” 

*Joy Shigaki, President and CEO, Friends of Waterfront Park* 

“The opening of Overlook Walk marks a major milestone for Waterfront Park. This iconic location will offer ease and connectivity, and an extraordinary experience as you make your way from the Pike Place Market to the waterfront and back. Overlook Walk will offer stunning views of the Salish Sea, the waterfront, Mt. Rainier, and our city skyline and new spaces of natural beauty for quiet reflection. As Waterfront Park nears completion, Friends of Waterfront Park is thrilled to ensure this space will be a dynamic, inclusive public space for generations to come.” 

*Devin McComb, Pike Place Market PDA Council Chair* 

“The opening of Overlook Walk is a testament to the successful collaboration between Pike Place Market and the City of Seattle. This partnership, which first brought us the MarketFront in 2017, continues to strengthen our community by providing new, accessible ways to experience Pike Place Market. We are incredibly excited to have a beautiful connection between the historic Market and the historic waterfront, enhancing both the visitor experience and our ability to support the 500 local small businesses, handmade artists and farmers that make Pike Place Market so special.” 

*Bob Davidson, President and CEO, Seattle Aquarium* 

“The City’s new Overlook Walk offers a more accessible path to the Seattle waterfront. By linking the historic charm of Pike Place Market with the stunning vistas of the Salish Sea, Waterfront Park, and Mount Tahoma/Rainier from the Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion rooftop, visitors can experience firsthand why the Emerald City captivates both locals and tourists” 

*MTK Matriarchs (artists Malynn Foster, Tamela LaClair and Kimberly Deriana)* 

"To have our basket sculpture on the new iconic Seattle landmark is such an honor. Together, we weave traditional and modern forms as one. Each warp standing strong, in unity, side by side, adding healing and protection to this sacred site."  

*James Corner, Founding Partner of Field Operations (Design Lead)* 

“This transformation of Seattle's entire central waterfront cannot be underestimated in terms of its scale, scope, and ambition. It is a truly extraordinary, world-class achievement, and Overlook Walk is the key lynchpin and icon of the whole project. It effectively connects Pike Place Market to the Waterfront, while also providing amazing, elevated views out across Elliott Bay. It creates a dramatic new urban walk through an extraordinary variety of experiences, culminating in the rooftop garden on the Aquarium and the Salish Steps looking west across the Bay to the sunset. It has been a great honor and privilege for us to work with the City of Seattle and all the partners along the waterfront since we began this journey together in 2010.” 

*Dave Johnson, Executive Vice President of Hoffman Construction Company* 

“Hoffman Construction is honored to be part of building this iconic project which will be the new front door to Seattle's reimagined waterfront. The challenges and complexity of constructing the Overlook Walk adjacent to Pike Place Market, the Aquarium, and the rebuilt Alaskan Way required intense planning and collaboration with the City, the design team which was comprised of Jacobs, Miller Hull, and James Corner Field Operations, and multiple other contractors and stakeholders. We are proud of the hundreds of construction workers that made this world-class project possible with their incredible dedication and craftsmanship, and we are excited to see Seattle start enjoying this incredible community space.”  

*Monty Anderson, Executive Secretary of the Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council* 

“Congratulations to all involved on this exciting, iconic project for Seattle and our whole region. Not only were hundreds of good, family-wage construction jobs for skilled craftspeople created here but the commitment to increasing equity and economic opportunity for workers through apprenticeship and Priority Hire on this project was historic. The dramatic views from this stunning connection will live on for the City and all who visit, and this project’s equally dramatic impact will live on through the women, people of color, veterans and others who are disadvantaged who have been able to build better lives in construction jobs and careers here.” 

*Michael Staum, Market Craftsperson and Owner of **Live Edge Leathers* [ https://www.pikeplacemarket.org/vendor/live-edge-leathers/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery ]*, Artists Studio No.102* 

“As a leather worker and fine artist in Pike Place Market, I couldn’t be more excited to be in one of the Working Artists Studios on the MarketFront. The MarketFront is your first taste of Pike Place Market. It is here, after your view filled stroll up the Overlook Walk that you can come and see a part of the Market in action. Seeing artistry happen first-hand will give you a peek into the world of crafters that are a large part of what makes Pike Place Market so special. I am honored to invite you in and hopefully enhance your visit.” 

 

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