Welcome to Seattle’s Waterfront Park!
Waterfront Park is being built by the City of Seattle – 20 acres from Belltown to Pioneer Square that serves as an invitation to reconnect to the water, to the mountains, to our city, and to one another. This expansive new park includes playgrounds, public community piers, bike lanes, thousands of native plantings, public bathrooms, and more! Friends of Waterfront Park, in deep collaboration with the community, curates diverse cultural programming and events at Waterfront Park.
Emerging out of 10 years of public comment, the completed design of Waterfront Park by James Corner Field Operations emphasizes connectivity — between people and place, past and present, sea and shore. This is a park for Seattle locals and visitors alike, with lively gathering spaces and year-round educational and recreational park programs celebrating the diverse cultures that define the Pacific Northwest.
Waterfront Park is still under construction, however, there are several locations already open to the public: Pier 62, Overlook Walk, the Promenade, Pioneer Square Habitat Beach. Construction will continue on the rest of Waterfront Park with completion in 2025.
For details on Waterfront Park’s project delivery and construction information, visit waterfrontseattle.org.
Pioneer Square
Lush, green east-west connections to a historic neighborhood and peaceful Habitat Beach where visitors can touch the water
- Washington St. Boat Landing
- Habitat Beach
- Art & Play: Buster Simpson
Play StructureCentral Public Space
The cultural hub of the waterfront ties together two iconic waterfront destinations, Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium, with added space for activity and sweeping views
- Art: Norie Sato
- Art: Shaun Peterson
- Union St. Pedestrian Bridge
- Art: Derek Bruno & Gage Hamilton
- Pike/Pine Corridor
- Ocean Pavilion
- Art: MTK Matriarchs
- Art: Ann Hamilton
- Overlook Walk
- Art: Stephen Vitiello
Play StructuresYears In The Making
A New Era For Seattle & Its Waterfront
The design for this 20-acre linear park responds to the public’s overwhelming call for an open, accessible waterfront — one that reconnects the city to its coastline just as it restores the health of the nearshore environment.
For details on Waterfront Park’s project delivery and construction information, visit waterfrontseattle.org.
2025
Image by Field Operations courtesy of the City of Seattle
Opening this year
- The Historic Washington Street Boat Landing Pergola
- The Park Promenade, Bike Lane and Public Restrooms
- Pike and Pine Street Improvements
- Pier 58
Join our e-newsletter to receive updates and invites to special opening celebrations!
2024
Ocean Pavilion seamlessly integrated into Overlook Walk. Photo by Jo Cosme
October
Overlook Walk is complete and opens to the public as a direct pedestrian bridge from Pike Place Market to Waterfront Park.
2023
May
Elliott Way opens with the honorary name Dzidzilalich which means “little crossing-over place” in the Lushootseed language of the Coast Salish People.
July
Pioneer Square Habitat Beach, south of Colman Dock, opens to the public. The man-made beach supports the waterfront ecosystem, including enhancing the salmon corridor by adding rocks and nearshore vegetation. The plantings on the shoreline restore the function of a natural shoreline and improve ecosystem productivity.
Fall
The plazas at the south end of the park opens to the public to be used for sports fan celebrations and other cultural activations – including a new art exhibit installed showcasing Kimberly Saladin (Muckleshoot).
2022
December
Union Street Staircase opens, connecting downtown and Pike Place Market to the waterfront. It features two large scale art installations by Norie Sato.
2020
An aerial photo of Pier 62. Photo by Erik Holsather.
Fall
The rebuilt Pier 62 opens to the public. This new pier features seating, space for free community events, and a floating dock.
2019
Early
Viaduct closes and the new SR-99 Tunnel opens.
City Council enacts Local Improvement District to fund park.
Fall
Alaskan Way Viaduct is removed; Waterfront Park construction begins.
2017
Photo by Sandra Harris
Fall
Pier 62 Rebuild project begins with groundbreaking.
Elliot Bay Seawall replacement project is complete.
2016
Image by James Corner Field Operations courtesy of the City of Seattle
Aquarium expansion concept design begin.
July
City Council approves Pier 62 Rebuild project, allowing Friends and City to deliver a piece of Waterfront Park early.
2014
August
Metropolitan Park District (MPD) approved by Seattle voters: designates $3.5M in annual support for Waterfront Park operations and maintenance.
September
Friends of Waterfront Seattle (now Friends of Waterfront Park) established. Friends and City open Waterfront Space, a public project showroom, event space, and Friends’ headquarters.
2013
November
Seawall construction begins.
2012
Image by Field Operations, courtesy of the City of Seattle.
July
Informed by community input, Waterfront Park Concept designed by JCFO and CWC Strategic Plan rolls out.
August
City Council adopts JCFO concept design and CWC strategic plan.
November
77% of Seattle voters approve $290M seawall bond to replace the Elliott Bay Seawall.
2011
January
Seattle City Council creates Central Waterfront Committee (CWC) adopts guiding principles to advance the project (co-chaired by former Seattle Mayor, Charles Royer, and Maggie Walker). Broad public outreach with wide-ranging community participation to design Waterfront Park begins.
2010
The future Pier 58. Image by Field Operations courtesy of the City of Seattle.
September
James Corner Field Operations (JCFO) wins international competition to work with the city to design Seattle’s Waterfront Park (also designed the Highline in NYC).
2009
December
The Central Waterfront Committee (CWC) is formed by a city ordinance to advise on public spaces and framework for Seattle’s waterfront design.
1950's
The viaduct was built in three phases from 1949 through 1959, with the first section opening on April 4, 1953
Pier 62, Photo by Erik Holsather
Zumba Master Class on Pier 62 at Waterfront Park
2024 Spotlight Series Seattle Frankenfunk on Pier 62
Pier 62
Open daily 7am – 10pm
This world-class park is a canvas for Seattle’s rich and vibrant culturally diverse communities to come and create on – Pier 62 offers event space for programming, fitness classes, intimate performances and concerts, and informal group get togethers, all while having the mountains and sea as a backdrop!
Events & Activities are programmed and curated by Friends of Waterfront Park.
Pier 62 features:
- Floating Dock.
- Chairs, tables, benches, and accessible seating.
- Flexible public space for recreation, live performances, free events, markets, and more!
Photo by Brandon Patoc
Overlook Walk Playground
Overlook Walk at twilight. Photo by Jo Cosme
Overlook Walk
Overlook Walk
Open daily 7am – 10pm
Overlook Walk is an engineering feat of world-class design and will be the first-ever direct pedestrian connection between Pike Place Market and the waterfront. Situated on top of the Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion, the walk includes cascading steps and gathering spaces including ample seating and 360-degree epic views of Waterfront Park, Downtown Seattle, and where the mountains meet the sea!
Overlook Walk features:
- Bluff Walk playground.
- Wheelchair & stroller accessible ramps.
- Indigenous art stamped into the concrete.
- Elevator.
Coming Soon:
- Café with covered pavilion seating.
- MTK Matriarchs basket weaving art sculpture.
- Permanent kinetic artwork by Ann Hamilton.
Image by Field Operations courtesy of the City of Seattle
The future Pier 58. Image by Field Operations courtesy of the City of Seattle.
Render by Field Operations, courtesy of the City of Seattle.
Pier 58 | Coming Soon
Although the park is inherently family-friendly, there are several locations throughout the park tailored specifically for the young (or young at heart) including Pier 58 with sweeping views of the Sound, distant mountains, and the iconic Great Wheel.
Pier 58 features coming soon:
- Historic Fitzgerald Fountain.
- Tree mangrove & grassy knoll.
- Marine-inspired playground with a one-of-a-kind 20-foot-tall Jellyfish tower.
- Adjacent public restrooms.
- Stadium seating.
Waterfront Park Promenade
New permanent art on the Seattle waterfront by Oscar Tuazon.
Park Promenade image by Field Operations, courtesy of the City of Seattle.
Image by James Corner Field Operations courtesy of the City of Seattle.
The Promenade
The Promenade will be the common connector of Waterfront Park — providing a linear pathway from Pioneer Square to Pier 62 and improving access to waterfront activities.
The Promenade features:
- New wooden seating benches.
- Thousands of new plantings in the new garden beds.
- New lighting fixtures.
- Permanent art installation by local artist, Oscar Tuazon.
Coming Soon to the Promenade:
- Protected two-way bike lanes.
- Pedestrian boardwalks.
- Public restroom near Pier 58.
- Swings and other play structures.
- Permanent art installations by Buster Simpson and Shane Peterson.
- Columbia Street Fountain.
Habitat Beach. Image by Erik Holsather.
Pioneer Square Habitat Beach
Now Open: Pioneer Square Habitat Beach
Image by Field Operations, courtesy of the City of Seattle.
Pioneer Square Habitat Beach
Open daily 7am – 10pm
Pioneer Square Habitat Beach is a connection to the water and provides a safe place for not only local marine life but also local Seattleites. The man-made beach supports the waterfront ecosystem, including enhancing the salmon corridor by adding rocks and nearshore vegetation.
Habitat Beach features:
- Elliott Bay Seawall, designed to encourage natural ecosystem growth, and also optimize the salmon migration corridor.
Coming Soon:
- Historic Washington Street Boat Landing Pergola food vendor.
Photo of artwork by Kimberly Saladin (Muckleshoot) on display at Stadium Plaza. Photo by Jo Cosme.
Rendering by Field Operations, courtesy of the City of Seattle.
Photo of artwork by Kimberly Saladin (Muckleshoot) on display at Railroad Way. Photo by Jo Cosme.
Stadium Plaza
Stadium Plaza offers a safe pedestrian connection to the stadiums with additional space for nine semi-permanent art installations showcasing Indigenous artist Kimberly Saladin with plans to rotate the art exhibition’s artist yearly.
Photo of Norie Sato's "Unfurling a Gesture (The Nature of Persistence)" by Sunny Martini.
Photo courtesy of the City of Seattle
Photo of Shoreline Alley paving in Pioneer Square courtesy of the City of Seattle
Downtown Connections
Through the City’s multiple improvement projects, accessing our urban waterfronts will be easier than ever before.
- Bell Street Improvements Project
- Downtown Seattle Association’s Elliott Bay Connections Project
- Union Street Pedestrian Bridge
- Colman Dock renovation & Marion Street Bridge
- Pioneer Square East West Pedestrian Improvements