In many cities the waterfront is tied to the downtown core in ways physical, economic, cultural and visual. In Seattle we've had the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which has served as a barrier of sorts for the development of the waterfront and the City of Seattle is moving ahead with the proposed deep bore tunnel in mind to begin to reclaim the waterfront land by getting designs in place to make it what it could be. To that end the city is asking for people and companies to submit their qualifications to reshape the area and recreate the waterfront once the shadow of the viaduct is gone.

The City of Seattle press release:
Taking a major step towards reshaping its most important waterfront space, the City of Seattle today issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the design of the Central Waterfront.

The city is seeking a multidisciplinary team of exceptional talent and experience to design:
- More than nine acres of new public space;
- A new multi-modal surface street that will run from King Street to Elliott and Western avenues along Alaskan Way and the existing SR99 alignment; and
- New drainage, combined sewer facilities, and the relocation of existing utilities.

“In removing the aging viaduct and replacing the seawall, Seattle has a unique opportunity to reclaim its downtown waterfront and reconnect our city to the bay,” said Peter Hahn, director of the Seattle Department of Transportation.

In partnership with the city of Seattle and the Seattle Waterfront Steering Committee, the selected team will also develop and facilitate community outreach to ensure significant public involvement in the project.

“Our new waterfront must be a dynamic and forward looking public space that appeals to and serves all of Seattle,” said Diane Sugimura, director of the Department of Planning and Development. “We are moving closer to the dream of a great waterfront – something Seattle and the region deserve.”

“With the removal of the viaduct and the transformation of the Central Waterfront, Seattle has the opportunity to create a vibrant new public space for our city,” said Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams – “a place where people from all walks of life can come together and enjoy Elliott Bay, one of the most unique waterfront settings in the world.”

Interested firms are required to submit statements of qualifications by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4, 2010. The city expects to select its design lead by mid September, with work beginning in October 2010 and running until 2015. Construction is scheduled from 2016 to 2018. The budget for design work is estimated at $50 million to $70 million.

The RFQ can be obtained by registering at: https://www.ebidexchange.com/seattle. For more about creating a new waterfront, go to: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/Central_Waterfront/Overview