A key feature of the City Council-approved 5-year Work Program for the Edmonds Creative District is redevelopment of the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor, between Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA) and Main Street, to become a unique destination within Downtown Edmonds.
The purpose of the project is to make this important pedestrian connection between Downtown Edmonds' premier arts/culture venue and the restaurant, shops and services of Main Street and heart of Downtown Edmonds a safer, more welcoming, more inviting, and more interesting pedestrian experience, maximizing connectivity between Downtown and ECA. Another important purpose is to create a special linear venue that could accommodate celebrations, events, art, and performance - all resulting in 4th Avenue becoming a destination unto itself, only steps away from the waterfront and the new Civic Park.
What are the elements of the Cultural Corridor?
- Celebrates the variety of arts, history, and culture within the Edmonds community.
- Provides a more inviting pedestrian environment with upgraded accessible facilities.
- Establishes a unique and memorable sense of place within downtown.
- Includes spaces for both permanent and temporary art and events.
- Supports key goals of Edmonds Creative District.
Why is the City of Edmonds doing this project?
As a key enhancement to the Creative District in downtown, the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor project, between Main St and 3rd Avenue N, will provide an improved pedestrian experience, highlight the historic assets along 4th Avenue, showcase a range of integrated public art and provide flexible spaces for event programming, all while maintaining vehicular access and parking to properties along the corridor.
How long will the current project take?
Building on previous work, the preliminary design work for the north end of the corridor began in Spring 2023 and will continue through Summer of 2023. Public outreach will occur through the months of July and August 2023. The preferred 10% design layout will be finalized and incorporated into a funding and implementation plan late fall 2023. Final design and the construction timeline for the project is still to be determined.
How will the City of Edmonds decide what the new 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor will look like?
The City is partnering with the Edmonds Public Facilities District Board and Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA) to work with a design consultant, KPG Psomas, to develop the preliminary design for the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor project. The community and stakeholder feedback from these initial designs will be refined into a 10% preliminary design layout that will be presented to City Council for approval. Future phases of planning and construction must be then incorporated into future budgets.
Click to view the project concept plan.
How can I get involved with the project?
We want to hear from you about the ongoing refinement of the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor preliminary design. Community outreach will include project updates with an online comment form, community open house on July 29th and Cookies on the Corridor Informational Event on August 26th to present information, gather feedback and answer questions.
You are invited to join us for Cookies on the Corridor, an information event that includes a walking tour about the planning process for the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor on Saturday, August 26, at 3:00pm at the Edmonds Center for the Arts.
Enjoy some local cookies and join your neighbors for an update and discussion about the future of projects related to the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor. All residents, businesses, and property owners in the 4th Avenue N neighborhood, along with interested community members, are invited.
RSVP for Cookies on the Corridor here!
To see project presentations, click here: Community_Open_House_Boards_073123.pdf
For more information or to provide feedback, please contact the Project Team via email at [email protected].
History of Fourth Avenue Cultural Corridor
The original idea for the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor emerged in 2003-04 when the Parks Department, Edmonds Arts Commission, and Planning Board were looking at the ways the then proposed Edmonds Center for the Arts facility could be better linked to downtown retail shops, restaurants and services. The Planning Board subsequently integrated that initial concept into their downtown / waterfront activity center planning - part of the land use element of the city's comprehensive plan.
2006 - Parks, Recreation and Cultural Service Department updated the Streetscape Plan, adding new appendices, one of which is the 4th Avenue Arts Corridor concept plan [4th Avenue Arts Corridor Concept Plan (2006)].
2007 - City received a matching grant for $50,000 from the National Park Service's Preserve America program to develop the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor Implementation and Funding Plan, adopted in 2009 [4th Avenue Cultural Corridor Implementation & Funding Plan (2009)]
2014 - The updated Community Cultural Plan placed a high priority on interim steps to implement the 4th Ave Cultural Corridor Plan.
2016 - Interim Public Art Project funded by EAC and Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation, "Luminous Forest" by artist Iole Alessandrini, is installed on 4th Ave N to highlight the connection between Main St and Edmonds Center for the Arts.
2016 - City partners with Western Washington University and Association of WA Cities on Sustainable Cities Partnership. Students in the Public Relations Research and Campaigns Course developed four potential public relations campaigns to promote the 4th Avenue N Cultural Corridor.
2018 - Governor Jay Inslee announces that Edmonds is selected as Washington's first Certified Creative District. A key feature of the City Council-approved 5-year Work Program for the Edmonds Creative District is development of the Fourth Avenue Cultural Corridor.
2019 - The City commissions a survey of 4th Avenue North from Main Street to 3rd Avenue. City works with the Edmonds Cultural District Advisory Committee (ECDAC) and community members to explore desirable programming and activities for the Avenue.
2020-21 - An interdepartmental Technical Advisory Committee reviews standards and other technical issues that will influence the design of the corridor. Community input sought to review options for a refined concept master plan. Concept design regarding roadway and sidewalks presented to City Council.
2022-23 – Grant from ArtsWA to the Creative District matched by City Council to continue concept design planning for the north end of the corridor.