This new centralized Civic Center will work for both customers and employees by locating customer-service functions in a single, accessible place. According to city officials, several studies by architectural and engineering firms had concluded that it would be more cost-effective to build new facilities to replace the Public Safety Building and Municipal Building rather than try to renovate them and bring them up to earthquake safety code.
“There is a strong desire of both the Courts and Police to have a distinct image from one another, based on their programmatic differences,” explained a document released by the Seattle City Council. “The combination of programs within one building yields a structure with two different parts: a primarily glass Courts and public portion that occupies the southern part of the block; and a primarily masonry and office Police portion on the northern part. Aligning with the City Hall across Fifth Avenue, larger, more honorific public gathering spaces are located along the southern edge of the site, while office spaces are located on the north.”