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Bellevue approves park restroom and amphitheater design contracts amid cost and floodplain questions
Summary
Council approved design contracts for a restroom at American Heroes Park ($110,340) and amphitheater design services ($284,760) and discussed flood risks, likely continued use of portable restrooms for events, and fundraising options including grants and private donations.
The Bellevue City Council voted July 7 to approve design contracts for new park amenities at American Heroes Park, including a restroom design by Hallam Basham Architects not to exceed $110,340 and an amphitheater design by Holland Basham Architects not to exceed $284,760. Parks director Dave (speaker 14) told the council the restroom will be larger than prior installations and the amphitheater design is intended to support Bellevue Rocks and other events.
Council members pressed staff on construction cost estimates, floodplain permitting and ongoing maintenance. Dave said the restroom site sits above prior levee elevations and that design will incorporate durable, easy‑to‑clean interior materials to limit flood damage. He told the council the restroom engineering fee was in line with a common rule of thumb — about 10–12% of construction cost — and estimated a likely construction cost in the neighborhood of $800,000 for the restroom, which supports the engineering fee presented.
Councilman Preister (speaker 5) and others raised whether an amphitheater is the best priority given other park needs and asked about frequency of use and return on investment. Councilman Burns (speaker 6) urged the city to pursue private fundraising, naming rights and grant opportunities; staff said grant discussions and potential NRD commitments are already in play and that private donations helped fund recent playground work.
Council also approved related park items earlier in the meeting — an EcoTurf resurfacing contract for Thompson Park and an MOU to place first‑aid stands in five parks — and agreed to continue coordinating grant and donor solicitation as design moves forward. The amphitheater and restroom design approvals were carried by motion on July 7; construction and further approvals will follow later design and grant work.
