Map of the Waterfront Seattle Program with the area for the Pier 58 rebuild highlighted. Pier 58, also known as Waterfront Park, is located on the waterfront near Union Street. The highlighted area shows a new triangle shape for the pier.

Pier 58 (Waterfront Park)

Project status

Pier 58 will be rebuilt in a triangular shape, with an opening in the nearshore to improve salmon habitat. The overall square footage will remain approximately the same as the current pier.

Members of the public stand and sit among trees overlooking Puget Sound

Pier 58 will have seating and tables to use under a semi-shaded tree grove.

A rendering showing tables and chairs under a semi-shades tree grove on the new pier 58. People are sitting in the chairs and some are standing.

The new pier will include an elevated seating area and lawn to enjoy scenic views.

The new playground has a four-level jellyfish tower, a variety of climbing elements, wobble boards, an 18-ft slide and more

The playground with the Jellyfish structure is surrounded by open water edge on the left side. The right side is an open plaza area with seating. There are children playing at the playground with parents sitting on the benches along the edges of the playground.

The playground will have seating and lean rails around the edges and throughout the area so parents and guardians can relax and watch their kids play safely.

Qwalsius-Shaun Peterson’s Family, located on the park promenade near Pier 58, will include figures of a mother, father and child carved out of cedar in an ancient sculptural style, with heads cast in bronze

Pier 58 construction sequencing

About the Project

Pier 58, currently known as Waterfront Park, was redesigned to create a public park and improve access and safety, while offering expansive views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains. The new pier is designed especially with families and young children in mind, with a public plaza for programming by Friends of the Waterfront, a marine-themed children’s playground and a large lawn and trees to provide shade and spaces to relax and play.

The pier is also designed to improve the marine habitat. It allows more natural light to access the water through the opening in the pier and thanks to light-penetrating surfaces, which helps aquatic plants to grow and provide food for fish.

Playground

An exciting addition to the new Pier 58 design is the playground. Thanks for helping us unleash the jellyfish! We received hundreds of responses and the final design incorporates enthusiasm for a sculpturesque playground that is entertaining to all ages, is visually striking, and accessible to different mobility needs.

There will be varied play elements, including an 18-foot jellyfish-inspired climbing structure and slide with rolling tentacles, a multitude of other climbing and swinging features, and tall kelp-like poles completing the underwater theme. The playground design also invites learning about local marine life. Seating will be available on the edges and throughout the area so parents and guardians can relax and watch their kids play safely.

Pier Removal

We have completed the removal of Pier 58. Pier removal began in September 2020 in response to deterioration of the pier structure. We moved quickly to close the park to the public and move forward with pier removal using emergency contracting protocols. Pier removal was completed in February 2021. Adjacent work to reinstall safe pedestrian access was completed in April 2021. See photos of pier removal in our Pier 58 Flickr photo album.

Art

Artist Qwalsius-Shaun Peterson of the Puyallup Tribe, will create three welcome figures, collectively titled Family, that will form a grouping on the park promenade near Pier 58. Visit the art page to learn more.

The Waterfront Fountain, by James FitzGerald and Margaret Tomkins, and more familiarly known as the FitzGerald Fountain, is one of two historic fountains that will be restored and reinstalled on the waterfront. This bronze fountain will be placed on the south-east corner of the new Pier 58.

More information about the Waterfront Fountain

After the collapse of Waterfront Park in September of 2020, the fountain was recovered from Elliott Bay a few months later by the contractor for the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects (OWCP), and transported, in pieces, to a Seattle Parks and Recreation facility at Magnuson Park. There was some damage sustained by the artwork and the bronze was considerably lightened in color from immersion in the water. The fountain was originally installed at Waterfront Park in 1974.

From storage, pieces of the fountain were taken to Seattle Parks and Recreation’s maintenance facility, and the department’s metal workers (who have experience working with bronze) repaired sections, welding and restoring the fountain parts to their original form. Oversight of the repairs and restoration is being coordinated with the Office of Arts & Culture.

The pieces were then taken to metal fabricator specializing in artworks, where the surface was sandblasted, and a new patina applied. The goal was to replicate the finish, referring to historic images from when the fountain was first installed. Miro Fitzgerald, the artists’ daughter, agreed that this would be the ideal approach and assisted with the selection of the patina color. After the patina was restored, a clear coat was applied.

The refinished artwork is being stored until construction of Pier 58 nears completion. The Office of the Waterfront’s contractor will build the new basin and install the plumbing and the bronze artwork, with some onsite touch-up by the finishers. There will be testing to ensure that the water flow and volume reflect the original intention.

Explore Seattle’s New Waterfront

Pier 58 (Waterfront Park)

Project status

About the Project

Playground

Pier Removal

Art

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