Advocacy Alert: Seattle’s Gas Works Park
The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation stands with Historic Seattle and other preservation partners in firmly opposing the demolition of character-defining elements of Seattle’s Gas Works Park, which began this week.
Located on the north shore of Lake Union, Gas Works Park stands on the site of a former industrial plant which closed in the 1950s. In 1970, city leaders commissioned landscape architect Richard Haag to develop a park on the site. Haag envisioned the former structures of the plant as centerpieces of the new park, thereby designing one of the first post-industrial parks in the country which commemorated the industrial past. Today, Gas Works Park is a designated City of Seattle landmark, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is significant locally, nationally, and internationally. Unfortunately, under the jurisdiction of Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), its historic structures have received little investment in its maintenance or preservation in recent decades.
After a tragedy at the park, Seattle Parks and Recreation approached Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board, seeking a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed removal of specific features (catwalks, platforms, railings, ladders, pipes, etc.) on the park’s towers. Quite rightly, the Landmarks Preservation Board had concerns around removal of these character-defining features, along with justifiable questions regarding maintenance and preservation plans for the site. The board requested responses to these questions from SPR before they would consider issuing a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Rather than respond to the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board’s concerns and follow the proper, well-established protocol for managing city landmark, SPR opted instead to seek emergency corrective action. On April 1, they sought and received a hazard correction permit from Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections, thereby superseding the authority of Seattle’s Preservation Landmarks Board. And thus, this week, the demolition of character-defining elements of Gas Works Park structures began.
Seattle Parks and Recreation achieved the hazard correction permit by arguing that the conditions at Gas Works Park constitute an “emergency hazard.” Yet SPR is the very agency responsible for the maintenance of Gas Works Park, and the hazardous conditions they cite have been present for decades. Seattle Parks and Recreation itself acknowledges that little to no rehabilitation work has occurred to the structures since becoming a City of Seattle Park. As our friends at Historic Seattle note: “Demolition-by-neglect is not good stewardship. For decades, SPR has not maintained the towers at the park and has not committed to doing so in the future.”
There is one solution which would address all concerns, which was brought up by the Landmarks Preservation Board back in January: removal of certain appurtenances up to a specific height, to address trespassing and illegal climbing of the structure. This approach would have retained significant portions of the character-defining features presently being demolished, while addressing broader safety concerns.
Despite the onset of demolition this week, it is not too late to implement this approach. The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation urges City of Seattle officials to halt the demolition at Gas Works Park and re-engage with the Landmarks Preservation Board on an approach that balances security and maintenance needs with the mandated stewardship responsibilities SPR has to care for a treasured city landmark.
Want to make your voice heard? Tell the City of Seattle that it’s not okay to sidestep the Landmarks Preservation Board in the stewardship of our landmarks. Tell the City to find ways to make Gas Works Park safer while still responsibly maintaining and preserving the historic structures.
- Email Mayor Katie Wilson.
- Email Samuel Steele, Interim Director, Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections.
- Email Michele Finnegan, Interim Superintendent, Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Learn More
Listen in to Feliks Banel’s “Cascade of History” podcast for updates on Gas Works Park:
- April 29, 2026: “Bonus Episode: Gas Works Park Update with Barbara Swift – Demolition Underway”
- April 22, 2026: “Bonus Episode: Gas Works Park Update with Barbara Swift of Gas Works Park Alliance”
- April 13, 2026: “Bonus Episode: Gas Works Park Update – Did City of Seattle Staffers Override Volunteers of Landmarks Preservation Board?”
Photos courtesy of Feliks Banel.
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