CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the Seattle Department of Transportation; authorizing the Director of Transportation to enter into a lease agreement on behalf of the City of Seattle with the Cultural Space Agency, a city-chartered Public Development Authority, for its use and occupancy of a portion of King Street Station; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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WHEREAS, the King Street Station (Station) was constructed by the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1906; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle (City) acquired the Station from the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) by quitclaim deed dated February 15, 2008 (Deed); and
WHEREAS, upon acquiring Station, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) commenced extensive seismic upgrades, and renovated and restored historic elements throughout the Station, utilizing a combination of funding from the 2008 Bridging the Gap levy and other City funds, as well as significant federal, state, and private funds; and
WHEREAS, under the Deed, the City's title to Station was conditioned on the City's recognition of Amtrak's historic rights in and to the first floor of the building for use as an intercity passenger rail depot, pursuant to the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1971 (49 U.S.C. ? 24308), which created Amtrak, a quasi-public corporation that consolidated and restructured passenger rail service; and
WHEREAS, Amtrak's rights and operational responsibilities were later memorialized in a 20-year lease agreement with Amtrak, authorized by Ordinance 125004 and executed between the City and Amtrak in July 2016; and
WHEREAS, in December 2018, a partnership among SDOT, the Department of Finance and Administrative Services, and the Office of Arts and Culture (ARTS) completed a build out of the third floor of King Street Station to serve as the new location for ARTS, which included gallery space for hosting exhibits cu...
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