On September 6, 2025, the City of Seattle is celebrating the Grand Opening of its new 20-acre Waterfront Park, designed by Field Operations. This landmark project heralds an amazing transformation of what used to be an elevated viaduct highway into a new public promenade, with bike lanes, event piers, gardens, beaches and new connections from downtown to the magnificent waterfront of Elliott Bay. The waterfront is now Seattle's new "Front Porch," supporting public access, civic programs and events, health and wellbeing, bio-diverse habitat and new experiences - all set within the context of breath-taking vistas and prospects across the Bay and back to the city.

Seattle's Waterfront Park extends 26 blocks, from historic Pioneer Square to Belltown, and reconnects downtown, Pike Place Market and various neighborhoods to the Bay. The dramatic Overlook Walk reconnects Pike Place Market to the Seattle Aquarium, Piers 58 and 62, and the Historic Commercial Piers along the waterfront. The overlook also provides some of the most iconic elevated vistas looking out and across the Bay and back to the city.

After 15 years of careful planning, design and construction, with over $800M investment, the City and Field Operations delivered an ambitious vision developed with our partners at Jacobs Engineering, WSP, HNTB and many others, including key stakeholders, community groups and indigenous Tribal representatives.

Field Operations was commissioned by the city in 2010 as the Masterplan, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture Lead, working closely with the Community and various Agencies to develop the Guiding Principles, Art Plan, Framework Plan, Concept Design and Detailed Construction Documentation. This includes 8 distinct projects built in a sequence of phases:

 

• Waterfront Park (https://www.seattle.gov/waterfront/projects/park-promenade)
• Overlook Walk (https://www.seattle.gov/waterfront/projects/overlook-walk)
• Pier 58 (https://www.seattle.gov/waterfront/projects/pier-58)
• Pier 62 (https://www.seattle.gov/waterfront/projects/pier-62)
• Union Street Pedestrian Bridge (https://www.seattle.gov/waterfront/projects/union-street-bridge)
• Railroad Way (https://www.seattle.gov/waterfront/projects/railroad-way)
• Alaskan and Elliott Way Roadways (https://www.seattle.gov/waterfront/projects/alaska-way-and-elliott-way)
• Elliott Bay Seawall Project (https://www.seattle.gov/waterfront/projects/seawall)

To accomplish this transformation, huge infrastructure works were undertaken, including the reconstruction of the Elliott Bay Seawall, Habitat Beach and Salmon Migration Corridor, the building of the new State Route 99 tunnel, the demolition of the aging Alaskan Way Viaduct, the installation of miles of new utilities, the construction of the new Alaskan Way and Elliott Way, the creation of new bike paths, the construction of three pedestrian bridges including the Union Street Bridge, the Marion Street Bridge, and the Overlook Walk, as well as the reconstruction of Pier 62 and Pier 58. State-of-the-art sustainability and resiliency practices undergird all aspects of the project, including green infrastructure, stormwater management and construction detailing.

Layered over this infrastructure is Field Operations' expertly designed public realm and landscape, inspired by the tough, working character of the once-industrial waterfront with the soft, natural palette of Elliott Bay and Puget Sound. The design reflects the rich cultural history of Seattle's waterfront and embraces its broader natural setting, all while seamlessly connecting into the urban fabric of the city. Waterfront Park today provides a wide variety of extraordinary experiences, from strolling promenades to overlooks and dramatic vistas, large civic event spaces to smaller play areas and gardens, boat landings and beaches to salmon corridors and new habitat. A variety of artworks and other artifacts complete the ensemble, which will inevitably continue to evolve and grow over time.

Quotes
Director of Seattle Center, Former Director of the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects, Marshall Foster:
"The grand opening of Seattle's Waterfront Park is an inspiring moment. Today we have a new waterfront that embraces Seattle's history and culture, connecting our downtown back to Elliott Bay and welcoming people from all walks of life. Field Operations has been at the heart of this transformation from day one. They took the time to understand who we are, to ask hard questions, and to challenge us with fresh thinking and bold ideas. Ultimately, they rallied us around an inspiring design and have had the perseverance to see it through with us to completion. They've been an incredible partner every step of the way."