In late January, just before the polar vortex hit the Midwest, and Measles hit the Pacific Northwest, I was in Seattle attending the Midwinter Conference hosted by the American Library Association at the Washington State Convention Center (and nearby hotels).

During that time, I took a stroll up 9th Avenue to check out the construction of the Washington State Convention Center addition. Announced in 2015, and due to be completed in 2021,

The Addition will add approximately 255,000 square feet of exhibition space, 125,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 60,000 square feet of ballroom space to the current Convention Center capacity. These areas will be spread across several levels of modular, multi-function spaces that support a wide range of uses and event types. While the floor plans continues to evolve through the design process, the overarching goal is functionality.

[Source, with floor plans]

Total cost: $1.7 Billion, funded by bonds issued by the Convention Center and repaid via an occupancy tax on hotel rooms.

Here’s the architect’s rendering:
That’s the Paramount Theater at the bottom right corner. This is the view to the north.

In the current WSCC, there is a hallway exhibition of the addition. Here’s an early rendering, which is no longer on the official website. I wonder what CCI and ReedPop think about this?  (And why didn’t they use PAX, which currently overflows the convention center?)

Here’s the Google Maps view.

It should be noted that the WSCC could build atop the segment of I-5 which runs to the east of the Paramount Theatre, connecting the two structures. Otherwise, it is not far to walk from the main entrance underneath the sky bridge.

The view to the south. The large square building is Premiere on Pine, with the much smaller Paramount Theatre behind the cement mixer. Behind these buildings lies the Washington State Convention Center.
View to the west, and the corner of Ninth Avenue and Olive Way. No, this isn’t a drone shot or from a nearby building. Due to the topography of the site (and Seattle in general), the corner of Boren Avenue and Pine Street are elevated, and city streets create a lattice over Interstate 5. The convention center itself is built over the Interstate, creating some interesting geometries.
A panoramic view, about halfway along Pine. The interstate can be glimpsed on the right, along with Boren Avenue, the “bridge” which slants downward towards Olive Way.

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Another look north. indicating the depth of the site. Realize that the north end is at street level. Further excavation for foundations is necessary before the steel framework can be constructed.

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Views of the former Convention Place Station which closed last July. King County sold the property for $275 Million.

The view towards Bowen Avenue, shot from Ninth Avenue.

A view of the depth of the property. Ninth Avenue and Pine Street are on the left. To the left of the entrance were staircases which lead down to the bus platforms.
The view from just Ninth Avenue, just south of Olive Way.

 

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