Westlake Center

Westlake Center is a mixed-use development in the heart of downtown Seattle, Washington. The complex consists principally of a four-story retail center, commonly called Westlake Center Plaza or Westlake Center Mall, and an adjacent 25-story office building known as Westlake Tower. It occupies the block between Fourth and Fifth Avenues and between Pine and Olive streets, across Pine Street from Westlake Park. The property is named after Westlake Avenue, the former southern portion of which was transformed into a pedestrian-oriented civic and commercial space. The site has long functioned as one of Seattle's most visible public gathering points. A pedestrian mall was created on the southern end of Westlake Avenue in the 1950s, and the original Westlake Center opened on March 24, 1962, in conjunction with the Seattle World's Fair and the launch of the Seattle Center Monorail. That earlier facility included the Westlake Terminal and became an informal downtown town square, hosting seasonal displays, public events, speeches, and appearances by political and entertainment figures. The original structures were removed during redevelopment in the 1980s, although the monorail connection remained an important feature of the replacement complex. The modern development was ultimately delivered by a partnership involving The Rouse Company and Koehler-McFadyen. Planning had been contentious for years because the project combined private retail development with changes to publicly important streets and open space. Preservationist and civic objections, including legal challenges associated with architect Victor Steinbrueck, contributed to changes in the design. The final scheme was more restrained than earlier proposals for a large enclosed pavilion and included a public plaza intended to preserve access and views. Construction began in 1986 after demolition of the original mall and terminal, and the new Westlake Center opened on October 20, 1988. It initially contained 82 tenant spaces and a substantial office component. Westlake Center's retail strategy changed repeatedly as Seattle's downtown shopping environment evolved. Renovations in the late 1990s enlarged retail spaces and responded to competition from Pacific Place. A small Neiman Marcus concept store, The Galleries of Neiman Marcus, operated from 1999 to 2002. In 2004, The Rouse Company and its portfolio were acquired by General Growth Properties. GGP later repositioned the property toward discounted and accessible luxury retail. Nordstrom Rack moved into the center in 2012, and Zara opened a Seattle location there in 2014. Saks Off 5th opened in 2017 after taking over space previously used for a food court. The complex was controlled operationally by Brookfield Properties after Brookfield acquired GGP in 2018. Subsequent changes to the interior removed or altered several of the original festival-marketplace features, including greenery, light poles, balcony seating, and portions of the earlier circulation system. These interventions introduced new flooring, ceilings, lighting, and escalators while preserving the monorail terminal on the third floor. Like many downtown retail properties, Westlake Center experienced declining foot traffic, vacancies, and security concerns during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of occupied retail spaces fell substantially from its original level. Saks Off 5th closed in July 2024, and Nordstrom Rack later announced plans to leave its lower-level location and relocate to another downtown site. Food-and-beverage uses also changed, including the closure of Asean Streat Food Hall in 2026. The center continues to operate with a smaller tenant base, including a flagship Zara presence, while its role has shifted from a broad traditional shopping mall toward a more selective urban retail and transit-oriented complex. Westlake Center remains closely tied to Seattle's transportation network. The Seattle Center Monorail terminus occupies part o…

Westlake Center developed from a long-running effort to remake a strategically important section of downtown Seattle. In the 1950s, the southernmost block of Westlake Avenue between Pike and Pine streets was closed to vehicles and converted into a pedestrian-oriented public space. The area became especially important during the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, when the Seattle Center Monorail opened and its downtown terminus was established at Westlake. The original Westlake Center opened on March 24, 1962. Designed by Adrian Wilson and Associates, it featured an elevated monorail platform, distinctive barrel-vaulted plastic roofs, and inclined moving sidewalks. For decades it served as an informal civic square and was also known colloquially as Westlake Mall. Seasonal traditions included the installation of a large Santa Claus figure during the holiday period from the 1960s through the mid-1970s. Plans for a more substantial retail and office redevelopment emerged in the late 1960s alongside proposals for Westlake Park. The Central Association, now the Downtown Seattle Association, presented a major urban-renewal concept in 1968. The proposal envisioned commercial development on the block bounded by Fourth and Fifth Avenues and Olive and Pine streets, together with changes to Pine Street and the surrounding public realm. Seattle's Department of Community Development and related urban-renewal programs became involved, but public financing, legal authority, and competing civic priorities slowed progress. In 1981, the Washington State Supreme Court invalidated an earlier arrangement after finding that the city's use of eminent domain improperly supported what was substantially a private retail development. A new development partnership emerged in 1983 when Seattle-based Koehler-McFadyen joined The Rouse Company, a developer known for large festival marketplaces. Their initial concept called for a sizable glass-enclosed retail pavilion with an attached commercial tower. Architect Victor Steinbrueck challenged the scale and civic implications of the plans in litigation. The dispute was settled in 1984 after the developers modified the design, reduced the pavilion's visual impact, and incorporated an open plaza along Pine Street. The city and private developers divided responsibilities: the development partnership pursued the commercial component while Seattle handled Westlake Park. Rouse-Westlake Limited Partnership was formed for the mall project, with RTKL Associates and Brandston Partnership involved in design work. Construction began in 1986. The original Westlake Center and Westlake Terminal were demolished beginning September 1 of that year, requiring reconstruction of the monorail's downtown facilities. The replacement complex opened on October 20, 1988, with 82 tenant spaces and a 25-story office tower. Westlake Tower provided a large office component and became an important part of the property's mixed-use identity. The retail center was adjusted in the late 1990s in response to changing downtown competition, particularly the opening of Pacific Place. Larger store formats were introduced, and The Galleries of Neiman Marcus operated as a smaller-format luxury retail concept from 1999 until 2002. In November 2004, General Growth Properties acquired The Rouse Company and its portfolio in a large corporate transaction, bringing Westlake Center into GGP's shopping-center network. GGP undertook a new repositioning during the 2010s. Nordstrom Rack moved to the complex in 2012 after renovations to the food court and common areas. The work continued through 2014 and substantially altered the original festival-marketplace character: portions of the third-floor balcony, greenery, interior light poles, original escalators, and other design elements were removed or replaced. New flooring, ceilings, LED lighting, and circulation improvements were installed, with much of the work performed at night to keep the property open. Zara announced its Seattle debut at Westlake Center in 2013 and opened in February 2014. Saks Off 5th became another major tenant in 2017 after converting a large former food-court area into a discount luxury department store. Brookfield Properties acquired GGP in 2018 and assumed operational control of Westlake Center. The property subsequently faced the broader difficulties affecting downtown Seattle retail, including reduced office-worker and visitor traffic, tenant departures, vacancy, and concerns about security and street conditions. Retail occupancy declined sharply from the original 82 spaces. Saks Off 5th closed in July 2024, while Nordstrom Rack announced a future move to another downtown building. Food-service concepts also changed; Asean Streat Food Hall, which had opened in a former restaurant space in 2022, later closed permanently. By 2026, the center had been substantially transformed from a broad community-oriented shopping mall into a smaller, more selective urban retail property. Westlake Center's transportation role has remained more stable than its retail role. The Seattle Center Monorail still terminates within the complex, while the South Lake Union Streetcar and the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel provide additional connections nearby or below the property. The office tower has also experienced ownership and occupancy changes. Brookfield sold Westlake Tower to Unico Properties in 2019; the tower was subsequently reported to have been transferred back to its lenders through a deed in lieu of foreclosure in 2026. Despite retail and office challenges, the complex remains a prominent landmark because of its location beside Westlake Park and within Seattle's principal downtown shopping and transit district.

• 2026

  Food hall closure and office ownership change

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Asean Streat Food Hall closes, while Westlake Tower is reported to return to its lenders through a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

• 2024

  Saks Off 5th closes

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The Saks Off 5th location closes permanently in July.

• 2019

  Westlake Tower is sold to Unico Properties

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The office tower is separated from the retail center through a sale to Unico Properties.

• 2018

  Brookfield acquires GGP

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Brookfield Properties gains control of Westlake Center's retail operations.

• 2017

  Saks Off 5th becomes a major anchor

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Saks Off 5th opens on October 19 in space formerly occupied by a large food court.

• 2014

  Zara opens its first Seattle location

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Zara opens at Westlake Center on February 6.

• 2012

  Nordstrom Rack relocates to the complex

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Nordstrom Rack opens at Westlake Center as part of a retail repositioning.

• 2004

  General Growth Properties acquires The Rouse Company

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Westlake Center enters GGP's shopping-center portfolio.

• 1999

  The Galleries of Neiman Marcus opens

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A small-format Neiman Marcus concept store begins operating at the center.

• 1988

  Modern Westlake Center opens

  [1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The replacement shopping center and Westlake Tower open on October 20.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A downtown Seattle mixed-use complex combining fashion-oriented retail, office space, public gathering functions, and major transit connections.

• Shopping center · 1988

  Westlake Center Plaza

  The four-story retail portion of the development provides fashion, apparel, food, and service-oriented commercial space in downtown Seattle. Its tenant mix has changed substantially over time, moving from a broad festival-marketplace model to a smaller collection of prominent fashion and specialty retailers. The property includes public circulation areas, food-service spaces, and the Seattle Center Monorail terminus on the third floor.

• Office building · 1988

  Westlake Tower

  Westlake Tower is the 25-story office component adjoining the shopping center. It was developed as part of the same late-1980s mixed-use project and provides Class-A commercial office space. Reported tenants have included professional-services firms, engineering companies, nonprofit organizations, and flexible-office users. The tower has had ownership and occupancy changes separate from the retail portion.

• Transit facility · 1962

  Seattle Center Monorail terminus

  The downtown terminal of the Seattle Center Monorail occupies part of Westlake Center's third floor. The station links the complex with Seattle Center and remains one of the development's defining functional features. Its presence preserves the site's historic role as a transportation and civic hub dating back to the 1962 World's Fair.

• Fashion retail · 2014

  Zara Seattle flagship

  Zara's Westlake Center store opened in 2014 as the retailer's first Seattle location. It became one of the most prominent continuing fashion tenants in the complex and represents the center's emphasis on recognizable international apparel brands.

• 1983

  Victor Steinbrueck lawsuit over project scale

  Architect Victor Steinbrueck challenged the proposed development because of concerns about its scale and effect on downtown public spaces. The dispute was settled after the developers revised the design and added an open plaza along Pine Street.

  Source

• 1981

  Legal challenge to public-private redevelopment

  The Washington State Supreme Court rejected an earlier Westlake redevelopment arrangement, finding that the city's eminent-domain role improperly supported a predominantly private retail project. The ruling delayed redevelopment and forced a reconsideration of the relationship between public space, municipal authority, and commercial construction.

  Source

Read more

• 2025

  Nordstrom Rack relocation decisionStrategy

  Background

  Westlake Center faced declining occupancy and changing downtown foot traffic.

  Action taken

  Nordstrom Rack announced plans to leave its lower-level space and relocate to the former Forever 21 building at 601 Pine Street, with a planned spring 2027 move.

  Aftermath

  The planned departure further reduces the center's traditional anchor-store presence and underscores its transition to a smaller retail format.

  Source

• 2017

  Conversion of food-court space for Saks Off 5thStrategy

  Background

  The owner continued to pursue a dual-anchor model centered on off-price luxury retailers.

  Action taken

  A large former food-court area was converted for Saks Off 5th, which opened in October.

  Aftermath

  The move strengthened the center's fashion positioning but reduced the scale of its traditional food-court offering.

  Source

• 2014

  Major interior modernizationStrategy

  Background

  The original festival-marketplace interior no longer matched the property's updated retail strategy.

  Action taken

  Renovations replaced flooring, ceilings, lighting, escalators, greenery, and selected balcony and circulation features.

  Aftermath

  The center acquired a more conventional contemporary mall interior while losing several elements of its original architectural character.

  Source

• 2012

  Repositioning toward off-price luxury retailStrategy

  Background

  GGP sought to refresh Westlake Center amid changing downtown shopping patterns and competition from nearby Pacific Place.

  Action taken

  The center renovated common areas and moved Nordstrom Rack into the property.

  Aftermath

  Nordstrom Rack became one of the complex's principal anchors and the center emphasized accessible luxury and discount fashion.

  Source

• 1984

  Developers revise the design to preserve public accessStrategy

  Background

  The original concept for a large glass-enclosed retail pavilion faced legal and civic opposition because of its scale and potential impact on public space.

  Action taken

  The development partnership adopted a more restrained design and incorporated an open plaza along Pine Street.

  Aftermath

  The settlement enabled construction to proceed while giving the project a more explicit connection to downtown public space.

  Source

• 2026

  Asean Streat Food Hall closes[1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Asean Streat Food Hall permanently closed, contributing to the reduction of food-and-beverage offerings and the center's smaller occupied tenant base.

• 2025

  Nordstrom Rack announces a planned relocation[1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Nordstrom Rack announced plans to leave its lower-level Westlake Center space and move to another downtown Seattle location, with the relocation planned for spring 2027.

• 2024

  Saks Off 5th closes its Westlake Center store[1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Saks Off 5th permanently closed its Westlake Center location, removing one of the property's two principal retail anchors.

• 2019

  Westlake Tower is sold to Unico Properties[1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Brookfield Properties sold the office tower component of the complex to Unico Properties, separating its ownership from the retail center.

• 2018

  Brookfield acquires General Growth Properties[1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Brookfield Properties gained operational control of Westlake Center through its acquisition of General Growth Properties.

• 2017

  Saks Off 5th opens at Westlake Center[1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Saks Off 5th opened after taking over a large portion of the former third-floor food-court area, reinforcing the center's off-price luxury positioning.

• 2014

  Zara opens its first Seattle store at Westlake Center[1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Spanish fashion retailer Zara opened at Westlake Center, adding a major international fashion tenant to the complex.

• 2012

  Nordstrom Rack opens at Westlake Center[1]Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Nordstrom Rack relocated from its former downtown location to Westlake Center as part of a repositioning of the property toward off-price and accessible luxury retail.

1. 1Westlake Centeren.wikipedia.org