Privately Owned, Publicly Yours: POPS of Seattle
By Yordanos Tesfazion
A concept that originated in New York City during the 1960s, Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) made their way to Seattle in 1966 through Title 24 of the Seattle Municipal Code and incentive zoning policies years later. These policies have allowed developers to receive extra floor area or height for their projects as long as amenities that benefit the general public are added to their plans. In the ‘60s, commercial office and retail spaces were taking over downtown, and City officials at the time wanted the area to consist of more than just office buildings and stores. They envisioned a downtown where people didn’t just work and shop, but also where people could live and spend their leisure time.
As development downtown improved and more people moved to the neighborhood over the years, an unexpected issue emerged. Because POPS are built within and around privately owned property, they are often easy to miss. These spaces were never formally announced to the public, so many Seattleites were unaware of their existence. As a result, they were underutilized – defeating their entire purpose. In 2009, then-Seattle Councilmember Nick Licata tracked down all the POPS and requested that the City install plaques that identified them as spaces open to the public. Watch his 2009 walking tour of Seattle’s POPS here.
Accessible open public spaces are essential infrastructure that have a long-lasting domino effect on surrounding communities. They foster community, bring in revenue, encourage the use of public transit, make cities safer, and more. However, what good do they serve if people don’t know about them?
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Due to low cost, outdoor POPS are much more common than indoor spaces. Shared outdoor amenities like plazas, terraces, and pocket parks have several economic, environmental, health, and social benefits that sustain urban cities like Seattle. Similarly, indoor POPS also do wonders for the city and are dependable options for coordinated gatherings – especially on gloomy days!
Did you know there’s a waterfall in the middle of Pioneer Square? Just blocks away from Occidental Square on the corner of Main and Second Street is Waterfall Garden Park. Since 1978, this neighborhood-favorite pocket park has served as a soothing, secluded space in the middle of the city. Its main attraction – a 22-foot waterfall – is a captivating landmark nestled between high-rise office spaces, hotels, restaurants, and local businesses. The park sits on the property of the very first United Parcel Service (UPS) headquarters, and was built to honor one of UPS’ co-founders, James Casey.
The Amazon Spheres of South Lake Union are some of the most popular and utilized POPS in the city. Essentially a manmade rainforest in an office building, the Spheres are a great place to get in a unique nature walk or work session. Before you start making plans for a visit, keep in mind that the Spheres are only open to the public on the first and third Saturdays of each month (unless you know an Amazon employee), and reservations are required. Learn more about the Spheres and what to know before visiting here.
Another beloved outdoor POPS, Seattle Art Museum’s (SAM) Olympic Sculpture Park, is located in Belltown at the north end of the waterfront. The park opened in 2007 and was created with the support of Trust for Public Land (TPL). It sits on a plot of land that once was a fuel storage site that was deemed contaminated by the State of Washington. In an effort to restore the land, TPL purchased the property and with SAM, worked with esteemed landscape architects to transform the waste-ridden area into one of the first green spaces in the downtown area. Olympic Sculpture Park has it all: it’s located along the Elliott Bay Trail, has beautiful views, and captivating art installations (like this one). Learn more about the park’s history here.
As we enter upcoming rainy and warm seasons, go-to public indoor gathering spots are a must. Next time you visit downtown, make a stop at Cedar Hall in the 44-story U.S. Bank Center. Somewhat indistinguishable from fancy hotel lobbies, Cedar Hall and its stunning interior is one of the most beautiful public spaces in downtown. On most days, all three floors of Cedar Hall are packed with folks studying, working, reading, or hanging out and enjoying a treat from Olympia Coffee.
Today, there are over 40 POPS throughout Seattle! Explore a map of locations here and scroll through the City’s website here to view the policies, studies, and recommendations that shaped Seattle’s POPS.
Sources
Olympic Sculpture Park – Trust for Public Land
Privately Owned Public Spaces – Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections
Privately Owned Public Spaces in Downtown Seattle, WA – Grace Lee, Qi Lin, Ziyi Yang
Seattle’s Privately Owned Public Open Spaces: A Walking Tour – Seattle Channel
The Social Life of Privately-Owned Public Spaces – Owen James Harrang
Waterfall Garden Park – Pioneer Square
Waterfall Garden Park – The Cultural Landscape Foundation