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East Central Fifth Avenue subarea plan emphasizes community co‑design, tactical actions and WSDOT land questions
Summary
Mara Murphy and project partners updated the Plan Commission on June 11 about East Central’s Fifth Avenue subarea plan, describing a co‑design process, topic papers, summer engagement plans and questions about timing and reuse of WSDOT‑owned land near the freeway.
Mara Murphy, a project lead for the East Central Fifth Avenue subarea plan, told the Plan Commission on June 11 that the effort is using a co‑design approach with local organizations and Franklin Elementary to accelerate community priorities and deliver near‑term actions within the planning timeline funded by ARPA.
Murphy said the study area runs south of I‑90 to the bluff and east toward Havana and includes Francis Scott Elementary School. The project has a working group of eight community members and organizations (Fifth Avenue Forward, Carl Maxey Center, Pick Up the Cause, Francis Scott Elementary and others) and is producing topic papers on walkability, homeownership, community identity, wealth building, reconnection across the freeway and land restoration. "We are working in the community and building relationships with stakeholders and hearing from community members," Murphy said.
Murphy described summer outreach that will focus on events such as Juneteenth gatherings, a school multicultural gala, and pop‑ups at parks and pool locations; the team plans installations and small tactical projects to demonstrate action during the planning period. She said the project’s funding requires completion by Dec. 31, 2026, and the team intends to accelerate draft concepts and draft plan materials to gather community feedback earlier than typical.
Commissioners asked about surplus property owned by the Washington State Department of Transportation that sits near the freeway and whether and when that land could be made available for redevelopment. Murphy said she had spoken with Shauna from WSDOT at a recent ceremony and that WSDOT plans to issue RFPs or bids on surplus parcels as sections of the freeway project come closer to completion, but she said no final disposition schedule had been set. "We're still working with WSDOT," Murphy said.
Murphy emphasized that the plan seeks to preserve and amplify historic and cultural assets in East Central—particularly places of importance to the Black community—while advancing economic opportunity and pedestrian safety. The team will publish a community profile and six topic papers in the coming weeks and will maintain a newsletter and web presence for ongoing outreach. She also said the project will look at zoning context and city infrastructure so the city is prepared if WSDOT parcels become available.
