Balancing the Needs of the Working Waterfront with Commercial Development at Terminal 91, Port of Seattle

In 1976, the Port of Seattle re-acquired the 215-acre (0.8 km²) Terminal 91 property from the federal government. Since that time, the terminal's 7,500 lineal feet (2,286 m) of deep water protected berth area and substantial upland support acreage and infrastructure have met the needs of the maritime and industrial communities. Terminal 91 has provided waterfront and support areas for water-dependant industries such as cargo, fishing, fish processing, petroleum, fruit transfer and storage, and automobile imports. Like some other West Coast cities, Seattle is facing both an increasing shortage of readily developable properties in its urban core and an upturn in demand for commercial space. Properties available for development are typically small and are encumbered with infrastructure requiring removal or require environmental remediation that limits their profitable use. The availability of large unencumbered properties with good roadway access and within the immediate vicinity of the downtown and industrial core are exceedingly rare and present unique development opportunities. The Port of Seattle's Terminal 91 is reflective of such opportunities. The relocation of an automobile importing operation to another port in 2001 immediately vacated more than 50 acres (0.2 km²) of industrial land in an area of Seattle where increasing land values are making new industrial development less and less financially feasible. The Port is provided an enormous opportunity and responsibility to transform this underused publicly-owned property into a valuable asset for the city and region while attempting to meet the needs of local industrial, commercial, and residential interests.