Seattle is hitting pause on construction at Leschi Marina after a wave of complaints from waterfront businesses that said the city suddenly fenced off sidewalks and parking just as summer crowds were starting to roll in. Merchants along Lakeside Avenue say the closures immediately throttled foot traffic, forced them to cut staff, and put a major dent in what should be their most profitable months. BluWater Bistro and longtime family operation Leschi Market say they were among the hardest hit and warn that a prolonged disruption could tank peak-season revenue if access is not restored soon. Shop owners say they pushed city officials this week for a clearer communication and outreach plan after construction crews moved in.
Project timeline and scope
According to Seattle Parks and Recreation, the Leschi Marina overhaul is a multi-phase effort. Underwater cleanup and shoreline restoration were completed last year, upland utility work is scheduled for this spring, and breakwater and moorage construction is expected to begin in fall 2026. The department lists the project budget at roughly $7.913 million and says the work will remove creosote-treated piles, install a floating breakwater, and add a pump-out station and public-access improvements. Seattle Parks identifies the job site as South Leschi Moorage at 100 Lakeside Ave S and notes that divers will pull debris from the lake bottom as part of environmental mitigation.
Business owners say they were blindsided
Local owners say the first they really felt the project was coming was when fencing and heavy equipment suddenly appeared, blocking off parking stalls and key lakefront approaches and sending regulars in search of easier access elsewhere. “It’s during our busiest time of the year,” Leschi Market owner Yousef Schulman told KIRO 7, adding that he is already bracing for a double-digit drop in summer sales that has forced him to cut back staffing. Restaurateurs along the water say patios and walk-up paths effectively became no-go zones, triggering immediate revenue losses for businesses that count on warm-weather crowds to carry them through the rest of the year.
City pauses work and reopens parking
After a tense week of conversations with affected merchants, city officials agreed to halt construction after next week and push additional work to August. Most parking lots serving the waterfront are expected to reopen in time for Mother’s Day visitors, according to KOMO News. Seattle Parks and Recreation said its project manager and the contractor sat down with business owners to go over options, adding in a statement, “We appreciate the business community working collaboratively with us on a solution, and we are committed to improving coordination as the project moves forward.” Owners say the breather is helpful, but they want a formal traffic and access plan in writing before the bulldozers and barricades return.
Why owners fear the work could drag on
Public bidding documents for the upland utility phase set substantial completion at 70 working days and full physical completion at 80 working days from the notice to proceed, a schedule that could translate into several weeks of on-site disruptions once crews get going, according to GovTribe. The bid package also limits weekend work and includes liquidated damages if deadlines are missed, which helps explain why merchants worry a spring start could morph into a months-long squeeze on parking and storefront visibility. That timetable, along with the need to trench for new electrical, sewer, and water connections, sits at the heart of why business owners pressed so hard for a pause and more transparent outreach.
What’s next for Leschi
Seattle Parks and its contractor say they plan to keep meeting with local business representatives and fine-tuning coordination plans before construction resumes in August. Merchants say they will be looking for a clear, written schedule along with a traffic-control and access blueprint that spells out when parking and pedestrian routes will be open. The city’s online project page will continue to carry official notices and updates for the Leschi neighborhood as the marina overhaul moves ahead.
