Seattle — Streetcar May Return

Rail Transit Online, January 2007

A new carbarn and maintenance facility for the George Benson Waterfront Streetcar line may be built after all.  The historic trolley operation was shut down in November 2005 when the site of the existing carbarn was taken over by the Seattle Art Museum for a new Olympic Sculpture Park.  Developer Gregory Smith offered to incorporate a new facility in an office building he was planning in Pioneer Square.  The city accepted the proposal but Smith later backed out because height limitations for structures in the area made his project uneconomical.  But influential community groups now support a height variance for Smith’s building and, if approved, he says the new trolley barn will be ready by spring 2009.  King County, the city and the Port of Seattle will contribute a total of $9 million for the barn.