Another Highland Park project: Info sessions for south restroom replacement at Westcrest Park

(Old south-restroom building, photo courtesy Kay Kirkpatrick)

Also from the city today, an update on the Westcrest Park south restroom project. Seattle Parks is planning two info-sessions – the main one will be Saturday August 8, 10 am to noon at the south parking lot entrance (8th/Barton). City staff also plans to be at the Westcrest P-Patch work party on Wednesday, August 5 at 5 pm “for a quick briefing to share the designs directly with you in the garden.” The project is described as follows:

SPR is replacing the south restroom with a prefabricated facility that meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The SPR team will present the preferred location and design for the new restroom along with restoration options for the old play area footprint left after the former south play area was relocated in 2013. This is an opportunity to provide feedback on the preferred design before announcing the final design in the coming months.

The project team told HPAC in January, as we reported here, that they were looking at a “Portland Loo” type of restroom for the site. The project website also reiterates the same budget numbers mentioned then – $1.35 million total, $823,517 for the restroom, $527,689 for the play-area site. They expect to start construction next spring.

12 Replies to "Another Highland Park project: Info sessions for south restroom replacement at Westcrest Park"

  • Erik July 28, 2026 (10:53 pm)

    823k for restroom seems wildly expensive. 

    • K July 29, 2026 (5:59 am)

      Not really.  It’s a standalone structure, not like remodeling your bathroom at home.  ADA compliance is always a lot more costly than non-compliant (just ask your friends with disabilities who have had to modify their homes or vehicles).

    • AH July 29, 2026 (7:15 am)

      Erik, I was called out when a play area costs 600,000+. Apparently that and more is normal. So plumbing and electrical ( there must be lighting involved and outlet for cleaning ) for a bathroom seems like a lot but maybe within normal limits.  But I appreciate your reaction. Everything needs to be done to code and ADA compliance and so what they build is likely to be different and more than what was originally there.

      • Erik July 29, 2026 (3:55 pm)

        AH…I am a real estate appraiser. You can build an entire rambler house for less. It doesn’t matter that it needs to be ADA compliant or to code. It definitely shouldn’t cost over 800k for a small bathroom. The city is getting screwed over by the contractor doing the work…

        • WSB July 29, 2026 (5:08 pm)

          The estimate comes from the city. This hasn’t even gone out to bid yet.

          • waikikigirl July 29, 2026 (5:56 pm)

            “The estimate comes from the city”.     Well there ya go

        • KBear July 29, 2026 (9:15 pm)

          A real estate appraiser should understand why public facilities cost more to build. (Hint: it’s not government corruption.) Also, if you compare cost per use, it’s probably much cheaper than a typical residential bathroom. 

  • 22blades July 29, 2026 (5:19 am)

    The “Portland Loo”. Besides the price of installation, the units were without controversies in other municipalities. Some wound up as surplus at $20,000. I like the design but I think there are better options for cost. I do not have the most confidence in the project management of “small” city projects including the Morgan Junction EV Charge Station. Modular Lavatories do not have a stellar track record.

  • JTM July 29, 2026 (1:38 pm)

    Why do we need multiple “sessions” – seven months after the announcement, to build a bathroom? Can’t this city just build things? The Seattle Process is just absurd at this point. 

    • Admiral2009 July 29, 2026 (1:58 pm)

      JTM agreed and only adds to the cost, just build it, the City doesn’t listen to the community anyway!

    • Hee July 29, 2026 (3:35 pm)

      Agreed. The city should have a basic set of standards for this sort of thing, and be able to implement quickly rather than acting like a bathroom is some experimental novelty 

    • Admiral2009 July 29, 2026 (6:58 pm)

      JTM agreed and it adds unnecessary cost to the project!  

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