City of Seattle Mike McGinn, Mayor

Mayor Nickels leads Northgate groundbreaking ceremony

Library, Community Center and Park Construction Underway

SEATTLE - Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels joined members of the City Council and the community today to mark a historic event for Northgate: Groundbreaking for the new library, community center and park.

'Great things are happening at Northgate,' said Nickels. 'Many people have put their time and talents into making this day a reality. The hard work is paying off and it will make a huge difference for the people who live, work and visit Northgate.'

The project includes a 10,000-square-foot library, a 20,000-square-foot community center, and a 1.67-acre park on the site of the Goodyear store (the former Bon Tire Center) at Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 105th Street and the commercial site to the north. Two commercial buildings on the property will be demolished.

In the first phase of improvements planned for the street, an adjacent Seattle Department of Transportation project will include installation of street medians, sidewalks, and trees on Fifth Avenue Northeast between Northgate Way and Northeast 105th Street. A pedestrian promenade with an improved crosswalk will connect the new community center and branch library with the Northgate Mall entrance.

Funding for the new facilities comes from the 'Libraries For All' bond measure, the Community Centers Levy and the Pro Parks Levy.

Construction work at the site will begin Monday, March 21, with the facilities scheduled to open in the spring of 2006.

For information about the library, contact Caroline Young Ullmann, Assistant communications director, The Seattle Public Library, 206-615-1627, or visit 'Building a New Northgate Branch' at http://www.spl.org/lfa/neighborhoodlibs/northgate/buildingnorthgate.html.

For information about the park and community center, contact Joelle Ligon, Communications assistant, Seattle Parks and Recreation, 206-233-7929.

Visit the mayor’s web site at www.seattle.gov/mayor. Get the mayor’s inside view on initiatives to promote transportation, public safety, economic opportunity and healthy communities by signing up for The Nickels Newsletter at www.seattle.gov/mayor/newsletter_signup.htm.

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Office of the Mayor

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