Location: Downtown Seattle
Address: 1st Ave. and University St.
Acreage: 0.37
A lot of the new condo and office developments in downtown Seattle and South Lake Union have fun little public spaces like courtyards or quaint seating areas. But, it’s easy to forget that Harbor Steps in the heart of downtown was one of the first (more than 20 years ago) to truly incorporate park and development.
You’ve probably walked up or down these iconic steps without a second thought on your way to SAM or restaurants and activities on the waterfront. Next time you’re in the neighborhood, slow down and admire the series of staircases that also has cozy seating areas and water features. In spring, cherry blossoms add more color to the area.
Walk down to the very lowest set of stairs and imagine this: in the 1800s your feet would have been right at the shoreline of Puget Sound before the beach was filled in and the sea wall and piers were constructed. Today these steps are an important pedestrian corridor connecting the waterfront with 1st Ave. hotels, restaurants and art galleries. To learn more about this project, check out this excellent case study.
#482 (Visited 4/2/17)