East Campus Plaza Repair Project

Updates:

• Road closure Sept. 26 of 14th Avenue
• Construction work will close the eastbound lane of 14th Avenue in Olympia from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 26.
• Eastbound traffic will be re-routed to Maple Park Avenue and 11th Avenue during the closure.

Between April 2003 and October 2004 crews will replace portions of the Plaza Garage roof and make enhancements to the open area covering the parking structure.  Work will occur in the area that spans between Capitol Way OB-2, and between the 14th Avenue Tunnel and the Highways-Licenses Building.  The work is also needed to repair structural damage to the parking garage below the Plaza.

Improvements include:

• A new roof over the North Plaza Garage.

• New Plaza-level stair tower enclosures.

• Various artistic enhancements.

• New way-finding features at stairwells and elevators.

• New, larger public restrooms.

• Covered seating areas.

• New walkways with improved accessibility.

• Better areas for small or large gatherings, including a grand stage.

• Sites for future commemorative works and monuments.

• New, improved, energy-efficient surface lighting.

• Enhanced safety and security features for the Plaza and garage.

Click for larger view

After nearly 30 years, the Plaza has begun to show its age. Problems with the surface and structure have emerged. The roof system has begun to fail, causing structural damage below ground in the garage. The exterior stair structures are showing their age. The walkways on the plaza surface are deteriorated, and trees that were planted on the garage roof have grown so large that their weight exceeds the structural capacity of the garage and because of limited root growing space for these trees, many have become diseased.

The East Plaza and Plaza Garage were constructed and opened to the public in the early 1970s. They were designed to support the needs of a growing Capitol Campus and the parking demand that came with it. When the East Plaza was constructed, the only buildings standing were the Employment Security Building and the Highway-Licenses Building. Shortly after the Plaza opened, the Transportation Building and Office Building 2 (OB-2) were built.

The lighting system on the Plaza has been damaged by time and weather. Lighting is inadequate and no longer meets code requirements. The stairs and walkways on the Plaza are not well lit, and do not meet accessibility standards for the disabled.

This project will transform the Plaza into a comfortable and adaptable space for various uses. The lighting and walkways will be upgraded to meet current codes, extend the useful life of the East Plaza and the Plaza Garage and produce a pleasant and user-friendly environment for campus tenants and the general public. The plan creates a physical and aesthetic connection to the West Campus and it will enhance the entry to the entire campus, as well as the entries to West Campus buildings.

The construction area and the contractor’s staging area, which account for approximately 600,000 square feet of grounds on the plaza, will be closed to all public use for up to 18 months. Most of the stair towers (Towers 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) and elevators (Elevators 2, 3 and 4) accessing the Plaza Garage will also be closed during this time. The Highway-Licenses Building and OB-2 will have altered access routes during construction. Building tenants may be affected by some construction noise. During daytime hours, Capitol Way, 11th Avenue, Union Avenue and 14th Avenue will see increased truck traffic.

The project is funded by legislative appropriations. Phases 1 through 3 completed the Plaza roof replacement near Office Building 2, the Transportation Building, and over the eastern half of the 14th Avenue tunnel.