Garfield Super Block: Supporting the Community Voice in a Public Project

The Garfield Super Block in Seattle, Washington is a gathering place at the heart of the Central District Neighborhood. It is a historical city-wide destination, a space with a rich history of events, people, and a legacy of cultural diversity.  

The GSB campus is comprised of Garfield Park, Garfield High School, the Garfield Community Center, Medgar Evars Pool, and the Teen Life Center. The site is the neighborhood’s placemaking hub or “Little City Hall,” known as a gathering space for significant historical and cultural events.  

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The goal of this community-led project is to provide improvements within the park to strengthen the overall site use and provide amenities that serve the neighborhood’s community events, gatherings, and other activities.  

The core of the project is the “Legacy and Promise” pathway that integrates art from the seven cultural groups to honor the Central District’s legacy that made the community what it is today.  

GSB will reflect a community space that tells the story of the past, represents the possibilities of today, and shares hopes and dreams for the future.  

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Community Projects are at the heart of our work at Fivedot. We are thrilled to support this project in our own neighborhood as members of the GSB Coalition – a group of community volunteers that represent various stakeholders in the Central Area.  

We have been able to provide our experience and expertise in community design, planning, site development, project management, advocacy, and the public engagement process. Our assistance ensures that the community voice remains strong in a complicated public project.  

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This spring, the community is preparing to select artists that will be creating permanent artwork for GSB. Check out the video below to learn more about the project and the Art Academy program.