Wondering what’s happening at King Street Station behind the mural-fence at S Jackson Street and 2nd Avenue S Extension? For the past few weeks workers have been demolishing the plaza in front of the Station’s red, neon sign. The 104-year-old plaza was most recently used as a private parking lot in front of the station. But time has taken its toll on the structure holding the plaza up. The new Jackson Plaza will be much sturdier, and up to modern earthquake building standards. Even better, the new plaza will be a public space open to S Jackson Street.
While the new plaza is being constructed, the project will install 36 geothermal wells. The wells go 300 feet into the ground below the plaza and are used to provide super efficient heating and cooling. Deep in the earth temperatures moderate in the 50s all year round. Heat pumps move heat in and out of the ground and into air to help warm the station in winter and cool it in the summer.