After years of ongoing renovations at Gas Works Park, the project has entered an exciting new phase with visible signs of additional progress. The east entry area and restrooms were recently closed off with fencing. The park remains open but must be accessed from the west entry.
Renovations are expected to be completed by early next summer. Official updates can be found on the City’s project website.
[T]he east entrance of Gas Work Park, the comfort station, and a portion of the parking lot during will be closed as WS Contractor, LLC begins the Comfort Station and East Entry/ADA Improvement Project. WS Contractor and Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) will work to minimize the construction impact to park visitors and requests visitors’ cooperation in following detours and closures at the park. We anticipate opening the new restroom facility in early summer 2023.
We have been hearing about completion “next summer” since 2016, but the recent construction activity is more promising than ever. In August of 2016, after a public meeting and development presentation, we summarized the renovations which were expected to be completed by summer of 2017. The playground renovation was eventually completed in 2018 but until now, work on the east entry, parking lot, and restrooms never got started.
It appears that the renovation plan developed in 2016 remains unchanged. Here’s a summary of what to expect:
Restroom Area
The existing restroom building will be demolished (anyone who has ever visited these restrooms know how unsalvageable they were). The new structure (a “comfort station” in the City’s lingo) will include five fully enclosed gender-neutral restrooms that meet ADA compliance. Various updates around the restrooms will improve overall accessibility, refresh the common areas, and add parking for food trucks.
East Entry & Parking Lot
This heavily used park entry is getting several critical updates that include an ADA accessible pathway with shallower grade, ADA accessible parking, and an entry plaza with bollards. Also, the City will finally make the tripping-hazard railroad tracks flush with the cement.
A great number of people have been involved with making these renovations possible. It’s so good to see the neighborhood’s iconic park getting these much-needed improvements. Fingers crossed that construction proceeds as planned and will be completed by “next summer.”
