Statue plaza projected for fall completion

At an Alki meeting this afternoon, the Parks Department presented a new timeline for Statue of Liberty plaza completion: end of October. During the fundraising campaign successfully completed earlier this month (WSB coverage here), Statue of Liberty Plaza Project co-chairs Libby and Paul Carr had said they hoped the plaza could be built in time for a July 4th dedication this year, but that appears to be out of the question, as a “refinement” and review process is expected to take place over the next few months, and the timeline released today doesn’t even call for the project to be put out for bid until early August, with construction projected to start in mid-September. More tomorrow.

Jo January 25, 2008 (7:50 pm)

Just a short summary of this afternoon’s Parks’ called meeting that I attended.
The ProView (Parks) committee turned down the present plaza design, and asked for alterations to the present design taking into consideration the following Parks objections:
â€¢no planting area, â€¢ add backs to benches, â€¢ remove lighting on pedestal, â€¢and I think something else I didn’t catch.

After these revisions are made, then the review process starts as this would be considered a whole new design. There will be one final public community meeting before approval by Parks. I think it was around April, but that would depend, I suppose, on how fast the above is completed.

Parks puts the project out for public bid to contractors.

Terry Ruckard, the landscape architect who worked on the beautifully simple Alki Trail, and has worked on numerous City and Parks projects, said that the Design Commission looks at the overall concept and how it fits into the area. Colleen Brown, City of Seattle Capital Improvements Dept. said they’ll look carefully at the fact that this project is at Alki, which has considerable natural beauty.

Lynn Sullivan, new Project Manager from Parks, Jack from Urban Sparks and the Carrs met after the meeting to make arrangements for turnover of collected funds to Parks.

That very nice Matt Hutchens, architect of plaza design, was hoping some time could be shaved off the projected timeline as he felt they had gone through a few of the presented procedures. Lynn Sullivan said that would be further looked into.

All in all the meeting confirmed some anticipated design changes, for me anyway. However, the lengthened timeframe for completion was rather a shocker to all.

Jan January 25, 2008 (11:01 pm)

jo…thanks for that information. While the city had to have it’s money by a certain date, they surely don’t do the same in return do they…those wheels of government turning ever so slowly again. Hopefully, they will be able to move that date up a bit..as Larry the Cable Guy would say…just Git ‘er done !!

acemotel January 25, 2008 (11:54 pm)

Lynn Sullivan was the project manager for the Bathhouse, as I recall. (she’s not new)

Jo January 26, 2008 (9:24 am)

acemotel: No, she’s not new to Parks. She’s new to the Statue of Liberty project. Sorry for the confusion.
Jan: I also hope they can move the date up. The Carr’s and their volunteers did an excellent job and worked hard to gather those funds by a certain date, but that also could have worked in their favor. It was a good selling point as people wouldn’t have a tendancy to dawdle on decision to donate if there was a deadline. When the project timeline was distributed and the Oct. 30 completion date pointed out, I swear there was stunned silence from at least 6 of us (the 2 Carrs, 2 plaza architects, Jack from Urban Sparks and me).
But, I was heartened to hear that Parks did listen to citizens’ concerns and acted accordingly, i.e., benches with backs, no elaborate plantings to be trampled and killed by seawater, etc.
More to come, I’m sure.

Sorry, comment time is over.