For most respondents, a new Capitol Hill park at 1125 Harvard Ave E would be a 10 to 20 minute walk and have strolling paths, an open lawn, and would be a special place to picnic or wander through speciality gardens.
There probably would not be pickleball courts.
The Seattle Parks and Recreation process to shape the Kay Bullitt property in the northwest of Capitol Hill as a new public park is moving forward after a community survey and early August meeting at the site of the 1.6 acres left to the city by the philanthropist at her 2021 death.
CHS stopped through the August 3rd meeting and tour on the property as the city works to transform a private Capitol Hill yard already promised and in use as a community garden space into a public park serving communities far beyond Capitol Hill’s northern mansions and the overgrown greenbelt surrounding St. Mark’s Cathedral.
Most attendees had never been on the property before.
The city says “120 neighbors, community members and folks from Plant Amnesty” participated in the tour while 647 people responded to an online survey as planners begin the process of documenting “the future park design and intent” and “establishing a vision for the park.”
While a parks representative said the raw results of the survey were not ready for public release, planners included details from the responses in a presentation part of the August meeting.
They showed the largest group of the respondents lived within a “1 to 10 minute” walk of the park, with the second largest group within a 20-minute walk. Respondents also emphasized their desires for walkable paths and gardens, picnic lawns, and the establishment of “a quiet, contemplative place.”
Just over 40% said they had “safety or security” worries about the new park.
Some also looked forward to the views. “Specialty gardens” appear to have scored well.
In recent years, work has been underway to design and create the Cass Turnbull Garden as part of the site, a project from Seattle nonprofit Plant Amnesty honoring its late founder. The group has expressed concerns that its work may be “undone” by the new public planning process.
The survey results shared by planners also showed some of the potential park elements respondents were least interested in. Few identified a “play area” for kids. Even fewer said they wanted “active recreation” like “tennis or basketball courts.”
A plan must also be shaped for the 1955-built Bullitt residence — “a unique A-frame house” designed by Pacific Northwest architect Fred Bassetti that stands on the property. The one and a half story, 3,400-square-foot open design home must be structurally assessed and could be worthy of historical protections while remaining a centerpiece of the new park.
For now, planning continues on what will likely be a multi-year path to opening the new park.
Next steps will include submitting the Bullitt house and property for landmarks review, maintenance work that could include repairs to the property’s old masonry walls, and studying accessibility throughout the property.
With the land now under city ownership, Seattle Parks is also considering changes to its future park land including removing a fence and hedge along Harvard “following principles of CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design).”
Seattle Parks says the next public meeting will be scheduled this fall, “at which point the design team will be presenting concept sketches/early schematic designs and ideas for the future park for the community to comment on” with concept sketches and early schematic designs based on “the input we’ve received to date, along with regulatory requirements, and other constraints.”
“All comments are considered equal in weight whether given in person or via email,” a spokesperson said.
You can learn more and follow the process on the city’s 1125 Harvard Avenue East park project page.
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I had a look inside the house about 20 years ago, while at a Heritage Tree award there. The house, as I recall, looks as if it’s stepped out of a 1950’s Sunset article.
I do hope that it can be preserved, essentially unchanged, as a historical artifact.
I really hope they don’t waste the room with a pickleball court. We need more green spaces on the Hill — not more concrete courts. I’m a fan of all types of recreation including pickleball and tennis but there are plenty of courts on the Hill to play. There are not nearly enough quiet green spaces on the Hill.
Like the idea of a quiet place. Don’t see a pickleball court as being a compatible use.
With our neighbors experiencing homelessness, it seems the only morally acceptable solution would be housing and social services.
If people live within a 10min walk then they could just as well go to volunteer park. This whole thing is another cost for Seattle to maintain – no doubt to the delight of neighbors who wouldn’t want it developed. Minimally sell off the 3000 sq ft house site to help pay for it all.
From what I understand, the property was bequeathed to the city to maintain as a park. Doing what you suggest would likely violate the terms and spirit of the gift. This was a generous gift which will pay dividends long into the future. Quit tearing it down just because you don’t like the size of the houses in the neighborhood.
I’m all for more parks – but do the residents of the mansions surrounding this property need yet another park minutes from their homes? I’ve yet to see a mention of Ms Bullitt leaving funds to support the upkeep of this new park in any write ups on it. Its a wonderful piece of property and the Basetti house should be preserved – I hope the programming for this new city park is inclusive.
No good deed goes unpunished.