Little Saigon Park Development
Updated: April 6, 2024
Spring 2024
SPR has been working closely with the contractor, Harkness Construction who mobilized onsite in July 2023 to build out the park. Over the past nine months, the project has experienced delays due to:
- Unexpected soil conditions, requiring us to excavate 50% more of the site
- Installation of extra shoring to support the existing site features and proper removal of contaminated soil which ran into significant delays because of labor and hauling logistics
- Due to unexpected site conditions, a portion of the park had to be redesigned
- Unexpected utility conditions (water and sewer) which need substantial extra work to make the connections and require us to replace two concrete street panels and restore the entire right-of-way on the frontage of the park along King Street.
We are working with the community and partners to hold a community celebration and park ribbon cutting as soon as construction is complete.
The park design creates a flexible urban open space for residents, workers and visitors to the neighborhood. The park is designed to provide different sizes of spaces for accessible community gatherings and events and will include good sight lines and night lighting. The park will feature a colorful play area, supportive of active play for small children with a resilient rubber surface and concrete seat walls. Additionally, the Friends of Little Saigon are working on a mural for the park.
The Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is partnering with SPR on this project and put out a Call for Artists in 2019. Seattle artist, Kalina Chung was selected as the artist for the new Little Saigon Park. Chung’s artwork will be a free-standing piece that will serve as an entryway to the park from S Jackson St., inspired by Vietnamese Tube Houses – narrow multi-story homes – she encountered during her travels to Saigon and the buildings adjacent to the park. The art piece is installed and will be painted before the opening of the park.
The Seattle Park and Recreation’s Park Ranger program has put this park on their South Route and will visit the park during peak park use hours (between 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.). The South Route will be based at City Hall Park and conduct at least two patrols of Pioneer Square, Occidental, Union Station Square, Hing Hay, Donnie Chinn, Kobe Terrace, Freeway, Westlake, Little Saigon, Victor Steinbrueck, and the International District/Chinatown Community Center.
Previous community engagement efforts and more information on the partnership with The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) can be found here:
• Little Saigon Parking Study
• Little Saigon Project Summary (English and Vietnamese)
• Learn more about Kalina Chung the artist for the project
• International Special Review District Presentation
View the enlarged version of this Proposed Park Plan and Section
Location
Budget
Seattle Park District provides $3,635,438 for the planning, design and construction of this site into a park.
Schedule
Planning: 2018
Design: 2019 - 2022
Construction: 2023 - Summer 2024
Project Description
Seattle Parks and Recreation purchased this land in 2013 and will soon transform it into a public amenity space for recreation, play and community events. Additionally, the park will provide a pedestrian connection between Jackson and King, with an accessible path navigating over 20’ of grade change.
Community Participation
Groundbreaking Event - 7/6/23
View the event poster:
- Little Saigon Neighborhood is getting a new park!
- Khu Little Saigon sắp có công viên mới!
- 小西貢社區即將有一個新公園!
Open House/Design Review - 7/14/2019
Public Meeting and Open House - 11/1/2018
Public Meeting and Input Opportunity - 8/26/2018
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has determined that developing an existing gravel parking lot into a public park does not have probable significant adverse impact on the environment. An environmental impact statement is not required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c). This decision was made after a review of a completed environmental checklist and other information on file with SPR. This information is available to the public on request. The Determination of Non-Significance was issued on May 12, 2022.
Download the DNS document for additional information
Download the Analysis and Decision of SPR
Download the 90% Layout Plan for SEPA
View the SEPA Environmental Checklist here