The small triangle park at 15th and Madison is getting an overhaul, and the final public input meeting is scheduled for January 9 at Seattle Academy. The park is across 15th Ave E from the under-construction Bullitt Center.
Our sister site Capitol Hill Seattle reports that the park is underutilized as it is currently designed:
Despite some concerns that the park is being redesigned as an extension of the Bullitt Center’s ambitious project, representatives were optimistic about the park’s overhaul at this summer’s center groundbreaking. CHS documented some of those concerns and other details from a Seattle U study of the park that found only 4 out of 1,400 people observed near the park actually lying or sitting in the public green space along busy Madison in 2010.
More details on the meeting, from Seattle Parks:
Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the community to participate in the final design meeting for the community initiated McGilvra Place Park project on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 6 p.m. at Seattle Academy, 1432 15th Ave.
Seattle Parks will present the schematic site design, answer community questions and gather further input. The schematic design incorporates information gathered from the first public meeting held in November.
This project provides for a more accessible and usable site, which demonstrates alternative green construction methods and reviews the possibility of a pedestrian oriented street at 15th Avenue between East Madison and East Pike streets. The project site is located at the intersection of East Madison Street, East Pike Street, and 15th Avenue.
This project is one of 15 projects to receive funding through the first round of the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Opportunity Fund. The Opportunity Fund provides $15 million in funding for community initiated park development or property acquisition projects.
This project probably makes sense, but it sure looks to me like the city is basically giving the park to the Bullitt Foundation to be an extended plaza for their new building, especially if 15th is closed to cars.
Yes, it is always good to have open spaces made more welcoming and beautiful. Please make sure the trees stay and that it is friendly to use by the public, not just the Bullitt Foundation.
At one time that was slated to be the Seattle AIDS memorial park.