King County Executive Ron Sims today officially opened the newest Pioneer Square neighbor; the King Street Center office building which projects the county’s dedication to a sustainable and clean environment.
“This building is a success in many ways,” said Sims. “It is an outstanding environmental achievement, it is an outstanding example of a public-private partnership and it makes real economic sense for the county and the community.”
The 327,0000 square foot office building at South Jackson and Second Avenue will house the county’s departments of transportation and natural resources. It is the first new building constructed in Pioneer Square in more than a decade. Additional retail storefront spaces totaling 8,410 spare feet and a garage for up to 500 cars complete the project. It was begun in January 1998 and completed this September.
“This is the first time in a major county building project that sustainable design features have been extensively researched and then implemented as a means of educating ourselves, as well as the design, development and construction industry.”
“This building features new and innovative ‘reused and recycled’ features - from the floor tiles in the elevator lobbies to reconditioned carpet throughout the building to the storm water system used for toilet flushing,” said Sims. “This clearly demonstrates our commitment to our environment.”
Eighty percent of the building’s excavation materials were recycled, reducing waste in area landfills. Using stormwater saves about 1.4 million gallons of tap water each year. The lighting system, the most energy efficient system in the city at this time, reduces energy consumption.
The building is an artistic showcase as well. The front of the building features Rain Forest Gates by Jean Whitesavage and Nick Lyle. In the lobby, light fixtures by Maya Radoczy reference the work of the Department of Natural Resources by depicting Earth, Wind and Water in luminous cast glass. On the building’s southeast corner, Jack Mackie transformed the plaza into an urban site sculpture, an interpretation of a native shoreline meeting the urban environment’s gridded edge.
Joining Sims at the building opening and artwork dedication was Jon Runstad, chairman and CEO of Wright Runstad & Company, and the developer and construction manager. Working in partnership, King County and Wright Runstad developed the project, which King County will lease to own over a 20-year period. Cost of the project was $60.3 million.
