This City team has continued to meet with the community since approval of the Plan and has focused on South Lake Union Park, transportation improvements and redevelopment of City owned property. The top priority in the Neighborhood Plan is development of South Lake Union Park. To that end, in July 2000, the City purchased the U.S. Naval Reserve property, completing assemblage of over 12 acres for South Lake Union Park. Also in July 2000 the City Council adopted Resolution 30206, which is an update to the South Lake Union Park Master Plan. In addition, the City is partnering with the Maritime Heritage Foundation to create a Maritime Heritage Center that will provide a wide array of historical, cultural, educational, and recreational maritime activities, and a wharf for long-term moorage of large historic vessels.
Transportation is the second key area in the Neighborhood Plan.
After over 50 studies in the past 30 years, the Neighborhood Plan represents the first time the neighborhood has come to a general consensus on transportation improvements for the neighborhood. The Plan recommends a series of localized approaches to improve traffic and pedestrian circulation and safety. Parsons Brinckerhoff is currently in the final stages of this preliminary engineering work. The Plan also recommended that the City encourage redevelopment of its holdings in the neighborhood. The City had acquired its South Lake Union properties years ago for the never-constructed Bay Freeway project.