Victor Steinbrueck Park

December 2023

Victor Steinbrueck Park will continue to be closed until spring 2024 during the Victor Steinbrueck Park Renovation project. Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) awarded Kassel & Associates, Inc. the construction contract for the project. The contractor will be installing the new waterproofing membrane this fall and will begin site improvements in winter 2023/2024. The project has experienced construction delays due to the complexity of working on top of a parking garage that SPR does not own and working with adjacent neighbors on impacts of construction. 
You can view some early project progress photos here.

The totem poles were temporarily removed, and transported off site for storage. SPR has submitted an application to the Pike Place Market Historical Commission to amend the Certificate of Approval for the Victor Steinbrueck Park Renovation. SPR is requesting an amendment to the CoA as follows:

1. Allow the park to be reopened to the public, once construction is completed, without the reinstallation of the existing totem poles.
2. Allow the permanent removal of the totem poles.
3. Allow the installation in their places two pieces fabricated/carved by members of the local Indigenous community. These new pieces will be installed on the existing plinths using the existing attachment infrastructure.

There is a briefing before the Commission on December 6 on our application and then the Commission meets on December 13 to decide on our requests.

The waterproofing membrane on the westerly portion of the park between the parking garage below and the park is failing. In addition to the park improvements, replacement of the waterproofing membrane is the primary goal for this project.

This improvement and maintenance project provides public safety improvements that include better sight lines into the park, renovating the seating area, renovating the former children’s play area, improving and expanding lighting, and upgrading landscaping. The project will provide circulation updates creating a connection to MarketFront (honoring Victor Steinbrueck’s vision that the park be an extension of the Market), and an improved connection into the Tree of Life area.

During the public and stakeholder outreach process, SPR and the design team heard from the community the importance of honoring the significance of the park to Seattle’s Native American communities, specifically the Urban Native community. Coast Salish welcome text at the entrance walls, special concrete path paving with a Coast Salish basket-weave pattern, a Coast Salish map, and Coast Salish column wraps at the Pavilion are elements that will be included in the park. These design elements support of the original design intent of the park as a place that welcomes all people, recognize Seattle’s Native American communities, and reflects the local Coast Salish culture.

We received the Certificate of Approval from the Pike Place Market Historic Commission for the proposed improvements in September 2019. See the park improvements design, site features and furnishings.