Redevelopment of Center House Food Court Begins At Seattle Center

Seattle Center begins redevelopment of the Center House Food Court. The project refreshes and updates the large interior area, replaces some exterior walls with large storefront windows and doors, adds an exterior deck, and upgrades food offerings. The initial phase of redevelopment is expected to be completed by the start of The Next Fifty; celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair on April 21, 2012.

Seattle Center has selected the Seattle office of Skanska USA as project construction manager following a Request for Proposals process completed this spring. The scope of work includes demolition of an exterior seating area at the south end of the building, an interior balcony, and most of the food vendor areas on the west side of the Food Court. Skanska will also upgrade utilities and begin build-out of the new spaces, including the deck space overlooking the Fisher Green and International Fountain.

The Food Court will remain open and in operation through the construction. Food service merchants on the west side of the Food Court will vacate by the end of this month. Merchants located along the east and north sides of the Food Court will remain open and unchanged for now. Along the south end of the Food Court, Starbucks will remain. The Center House stage and dance floor also will remain open to accommodate some summer and fall programming, and Seattle Center Winterfest 2011 will take place in the area.

The Seattle Center Century 21 Master Plan, adopted by the Seattle City Council in 2008, outlines an expanded vision of the Center House Food Court to serve as an active, open hub that connects people and campus destination, accommodates a dynamic mix of programs and services and houses restaurants, cafes and retail catering to a variety of tastes and price levels. The Food Court changes also reflect the City"s need to operate in a more competitive market place. The operations have not been substantially changed/updated in the last 15 years.

Seattle Center is working with a newly selected food and beverage manager on short- and long-range plans to upgrade and expand food and beverage offerings in the Food Court. For more information on the Food Court project, the Century 21 Master Plan and other redevelopment on the Seattle Center campus, visit www.seattlecenter or call 206 684-7200.

About Seattle Center

Seattle Center draws you in. Its vibrant pulse brings together people of all ages and walks of life to create thousands of extraordinary experiences that enrich millions of lives each year. Entertainment options abound - starting with nearly 500 public program activities and over 5,000 campus shows and events annually. The 74-acre campus, with 17 acres of open space is home to more than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations. This treasured urban gathering places exists to delight and inspire the human spirit in each person and bring together our rich and varied community. The 12 million visitors to Seattle Center each year generate $1.15 billion in business activity and $387 million in labor income for King County.

About Skanska

With a Seattle office in operation since 1946, Skanska USA is one of the largest, most financially sound construction networks in the country serving a broad range of industries including healthcare, education, sports, data centers, government, aviation, transportation, and water/wastewater. Headquartered in New York with 35 offices across the country, Skanska USA employs approximately 7,000 employees who are committed to sustainable construction and an injury-free workplace. Skanska USA Building, which specializes in building construction, and Skanska USA Civil, which is focused on civil infrastructure, generated $4.8 billion in revenue in 2010, representing 30 percent of Skanska"s global revenues. Additional operations in the U.S. include Skanska USA Commercial Development, which pursues commercial development initiatives in select U.S. markets, and Skanska Infrastructure Development Americas, which develops public-private partnerships. Global revenue of parent company Skanska AB, headquartered in Stockholm and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, totaled $16.9 billion in 2010.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.