King County Seeks $35 Million for Broadway Crisis Center

The county is requesting construction authorization for a 24/7 walk-in behavioral health facility on Broadway in Seattle.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Home Renovation

Rain-streaked concrete and brick building corner on a Seattle street, with a recessed entrance and a bicycle chained to a railing.
King County is requesting $35 million to convert the former Polyclinic building on Harvard Avenue into a 24/7 walk-in behavioral health center. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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King County has requested a $35 million construction authorization for the Central Crisis Care Center on Broadway, after acquiring the former Polyclinic building at 1110 Harvard Ave for $41.5 million.

Why it matters

The request reflects refined project requirements, according to King County Public Health, and marks a significant increase over earlier preliminary estimates for the Seattle-area facility.

The county's $35 million request is funded by rebalancing the voter-approved Crisis Care Centers Levy implementation budget. The earlier $16 to 17 million figure was a preliminary Rough Order of Magnitude estimate that covered only hard construction costs.

The players

King County

King County is the Washington county government developing and funding the crisis care facility through its levy-backed budget.

King County Public Health

King County Public Health is the county agency that described the new budget request as reflecting refined project requirements.

The details

King County Facilities Management Division submitted the request to fund renovation of the former Polyclinic building, which the county plans to convert into a 24/7 walk-in behavioral health facility. Early estimates did not include engineering, design, permitting, or owner contingencies, which account for much of the increase.

Timeline

  1. Late 2027: targeted opening of the Central Crisis Care Center.

  2. Early 2027: a general contractor is expected to join and final construction figures and schematics will be released.

Roadmap

The request works within the framework of the Crisis Care Centers Levy that Seattle-area voters approved, reallocating its implementation budget rather than seeking new revenue. The project's cost growth from early estimates shows how acquisition and soft costs can significantly expand a publicly funded behavioral health build.

Seattle residents near Broadway and First Hill should expect construction activity at 1110 Harvard Ave before the facility opens. The county will also consult neighbors and the City of Seattle on the vacant southern lot once building renovations are designed.

The takeaway

Publicly funded behavioral health projects can grow well beyond early construction estimates once acquisition, design, permitting, and contingency costs are added. Residents tracking the facility should watch for the contractor announcement and final schematics early next year.

What happens next

A general contractor is expected to join the project early next year, at which point final construction figures and schematic designs will be released.

Further reading

Explore more home renovation coverage for Seattle readers.

Source note: This article includes information reported by CHS Capitol Hill Seattle.

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Do you trust your local government to spend public money wisely on crisis care?