The historic “Sinking Ship” garage in Pioneer Square has partially reopened after a temporary closure prompted by years of safety problems. The new operator, Premium Parking, opened the building’s upper, third level June 17 and plans to open the second level within the next two weeks. The third level will operate at full capacity if demand exceeds the available spaces, while the fourth level is currently reserved for monthly customers.
The garage and its surroundings have been the scene of repeated violence in recent years: Fights near nightclubs have sometimes ended in shootings. In April, the entrances were boarded up following a February attack that killed 27-year-old Mhaniq Wilkerson and wounded three others. To improve safety, Premium Parking installed cameras, provided staff from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and hired unarmed security guards to monitor the property at night and close it after pedestrians have left. Police had previously requested cameras and limited operating hours during the early morning. In 2024, the garage was also the site of the killing of Javonte Isadore-Danning, another shooting, a stabbing and a prolonged standoff with a man armed with a knife.
The building’s future came into question after the temporary closure, particularly as Isadore-Danning’s widow continues her lawsuit against former operator Diamond Parking and the property’s owners. The garage itself has an unusual wedge-shaped design, resembling the bow of a ship disappearing beneath the concrete. It was built after the 1949 earthquake damaged the Seattle Hotel, which stood on the site. Japanese immigrant Henry Kubota bought the hotel in 1941, and his descendants spent decades fighting to preserve the property, including in a dispute involving a proposed city monorail. The family company still owns the site, which is valued at an estimated $7.7 million.
Based on: After years of violence, Seattle’s ‘Sinking Ship’ parking garage reopens