2019 KUBOTA GARDEN MASTER PLAN UPDATE KUBOTA GARDEN 2019 MASTER PLAN UPDATE for Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation A and the Kubota Garden Foundation B C D by Jones & Jones Architects + Landscape Architects + Planners 105 South Main Street, Suite 300 E F G Seattle, Washington 98104 Cover Photo Credits: Hoshide Wanzer A. KGF Photo #339 (1976) B. Jones & Jones (2018) C. Jones & Jones (2018) D. KGF Photo #19 (1959) E. KGF Photo #259 (1962) Architects 206 624 5702 F. Jones & Jones (2018) G. Jones & Jones (2018) www.jonesandjones.com TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . 4 I. INTRODUCTION. .. .6 VI. PREFERRED CONCEPT . .. .. .. .. ..40 SUPPORT FOR THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE . .5 Need for a Master Plan Update Guiding Principles Garden Mission History: Fujitaro Kubota's Life, Inspiration, and Garden Style History: Setting the Period of Significance II. PLANNING PROCESS . .10 Necklace of Ponds Kyōryoku - Collective Effort Japanese Garden Seeking Input The Mountainside Opportunities & Issues Visitor Experience III. HISTORY OF KUBOTA GARDEN. .12 Visitor Amenities Kubota Family Wayfinding and Visitor Circulation Hierarchy Kubota Gardening Company Visitor Center Post World War II Garden Improvements Transitioning from Garden to Park IV. SITE ANALYSIS. 16 VII. IMPLEMENTATION . 65 Neighborhood Context Phasing & Implementation Visitation Staffing Mapes Creek & Natural Areas Garden Arrival APPENDIX (Separate Document) The Garden Garden History Resources Events & Programming Workshops Summary Maintenance Area Open House(s) Summary V. GARDEN NEED . .36 KGF Visitor Survey Results Circulation SPR Online Survey Results Security Existing Visitor and Parking Characteristics Visitor Center ADA Audit Table for Non-Compliance Visitor Amenities and Accessibility Engaging Audiences in National Parks Report Programming & Events Collections Sustainability Other Recommendations KUBOTA GARDEN | 2019 MASTER PLAN UPDATE 3 AckNOWLEDgmENTS SEATTLE PARKS & RECREATION KUBOTA GARDEN FOUNDATION (KGF) CONSULTANT TEAM Jesús Aguirre, Superintendent Joy Okazaki, President Jones & Jones Architects & Landscape Architects Andy Sheffer, Director Planning & Development Johnpaul Jones Special thanks to the KGF Board and Garden Committee Members, Robert Stowers, Director Parks Division including: Duane Dietz Jon Jainga, Manager Natural Resources Unit Anyo Domoto Rachael Kitagawa Lisa Chen, Manager Specialty Gardens Allan Kubota Janelle Lotzgesell Karimah Edwards, Senior Capital Planner Ellen Phillips-Angeles Barbara Witt Cheryl Eastberg, Retired Senior Capital Planner Don Shimono Kubota Garden Staff: Hoshide Wanzer Architects Don Brooks, Retired Senior Gardener REGIONAL GARDEN EXPERTISE Bob Hoshide Giles Morrish, Senior Gardener Betsy Anderson, Bellevue Parks Kenji Hoshide Marcia High, Gardener Walt Bubelis, Edmonds College Amir Williams, Gardener Cheryl Ching, Portland Japanese Garden Windsmith Design Cynthia Johnson-Haruyama, Portland Japanese Garden Mark Bourne Special thanks and appreciation to the committed staff from various divisions within Parks and Recreation including the Planning and Nancy Kartes, Bellevue Botanical Garden Development Unit, Events and Scheduling, Natural Resource Unit, Security, Ray Larsen, University of Washington Purcell Planning & Design Green Seattle Partnership and Facilities. Peter Putnicki, Seattle Japanese Garden Beth Purcell Iain Robertson, University of Washington NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES Rainier Beach Community Club Rainier Beach Action Coalition Rainier Chamber of Commerce Rainier Valley Historical Society South Seattle Crime Prevention Council Seattle Neighborhood Group South Community Police Team 4 KUBOTA GARDEN | 2019 MASTER PLAN UPDATE SUppORT FOR THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE SeattleSeattle �1�'di�1�'di � � ParksParks & & Recreation Recreation JulyJuly 30, 30, 20192019 The Kubota Garden exemplifies 60 years of vision, effort and dedication of the Kubota family and 30 years of commitment by the City of Seattle and Kubota Garden Foundation. One of Seattle’s most beautiful and inspiring places, Kubota Garden I Iam am excited excited an andd pr proudoud t oto present present thethe KubotaKubota Garden Garden Master Master Plan Plan Up Update.date. Th Thisis plan plan revises revises the the provides a serene space for stress reduction. Visitors come to walk, commune with ororiginaliginal gardengarden pl plaann that that was was created created almost almost 30 30 years years ago. ago. TheThe plan plan represents represents the the culmination culmination nature, meditate, do yoga, take photos, sit, picnic, botanize, or attend events. Because ofof lengthy lengthy research, research, ref reflectionlection on on the the original original visionvision of of Fujitaro Fujitaro KubotaKubota and and most most importantly, importantly, hourshours of of engage engagemementnt wit withh community community members. members. This This project project is is tr trulyuly a a vision vision that that reflects reflects the the of Seattle’s booming growth, places like this are in ever-increasing demand. beautybeauty and and g greaterreater p potentialotential of of this this unique unique open open space. space. The Garden is a hidden gem in the diverse, urban neighborhood of Rainier Beach in BeBeginningginning i nin 2016, 2016, SeSeattattlele Parks Parks and and R Recreation'secreation's Majo Majorr Projects Projects Challenge Challenge Fund Fund (M (MPCF)PCF) has has beenbeen f undingfunding project projectss a andnd st stuudiesdies to to assist assist communities communities and and organizations organizations to to renovate, renovate, expand expand southeast Seattle. More people are discovering Kubota Garden. Since 2014, visitorship oror u upgradepgrade park parkss or or parks parks fa facilities.cilities. This This initiative initiative has has em empoweredpowered communities communities to to initiate initiate has grown by 15% annually. In 2017 more than 77,000 people visited and in 2018 we projectsprojects that that enable enable m moreore peoplepeople t oto have have access access t oto our our parks parks a andnd t oto e expandxpand the the life life a andnd reached 97,389 visitors to the Garden! ususabilityability of of our our fa facilities.cilities. AsAs one one of of the the inaugural inaugural MPCF MPCF projects,projects, thethe Kubota Kubota Garden Garden Master Master Plan Plan UpUpdatedate has has proven proven t oto b bee a a w worthwhileorthwhile investment investment and and exemplifies exemplifies SPR's SPR's commitment commitment to to This Master Plan Update has been a collective effort of Seattle Parks, Kubota Garden hhealthyealthy people, people, heahealthylthy e environmentsnvironments a andnd strong strong communities. communities. Foundation, and subject matter experts from area gardens – Bloedel Reserve, Bellevue I Iam am inspired inspired b byy Fu Fujitaro'sjitaro's story story and and hi hiss drive drive t oto create create a a beautiful beautiful s spacepace that that honored honored his his Botanical Garden, Portland Japanese Garden – educators from the University of JapaneseJapanese r rootsoots despite despite a a challenging challenging c climate,limate, unfamil unfamiliariar terrain terrain and and unimaginable unimaginable ad adversity.versity. I I Washington, many local community organizations, and people who know and love the amam tha thankfulnkful that that Mr Mr. KKubotaubota not not only only a appreciatedppreciated the the value value of of plant plant c curationuration a andnd aesthetics, aesthetics, garden. Its aim is to honor the legacy left by Fujitaro Kubota, accommodate growing butbut a alsolso creating creating spaces spaces f orfor quiet quiet contemplation. contemplation. Most Most of of all, all, I Iam am h humbumbledled by by his his intent intent to to wwelcomeelcome peoplepeople from from a allll walks walks of of lifelife i ntointo t histhis i ncrediblincrediblee g garden.arden. visitorship, and sustain the garden for generations to come. I Icommend commend the the K Kubotaubota Garden Garden Foundation Foundation for for initiating initiating this this plan plan update, update, SPRSPR staff staff for for t heirtheir The Kubota Garden Foundation looks forward to a continued partnership with Seattle eexpertisexpertise a andnd ha hardrd work work on on this this pr projectoject and and f orfor thei their rcontinuous continuous efforts efforts to to ma maintainintain the the beauty beauty Parks and Recreation and the implementation of improvements identified in the 2019 ofof th thee ggarden,arden, aandnd the the SSeattleeattle community community f orfor sharing sharing your your t houghtsthoughts a andnd sugg suggestionsestions t oto help help moldmold the the vision vision for for t hethe garden's garden's fu future.ture. YYourour e effortsfforts will will en enssureure KuboKubotata Ga Gardenrden will will rema remainin a a Master Plan Update. trtreasuredeasured destination destination for for future future generations. generations. Sincerely,Sincerely, Joy Okazaki , ,Seattle Seattle Parks Parks and and Recreation Recreation President Kubota Garden Foundation KUBOTA GARDEN | 2019 MASTER PLAN UPDATE 5 100100 Dexter Dexter Avenue Avenue North North I I Seattle,Seattle, WA WA 98104-5199 98104-5199 I I 206206-684-684-8022-8022 I I seattlseattlee.go.gov/v/parksparks I. INTRODUCTION NEED FOR A MASTER PLAN UPDATE Kubota Garden is a beloved cultural and historic resource greeting Looking at the future of visitation, a modest 10% annual growth rate The 2019 Kubota Master Plan Update seeks to balance the goals