- Harborview Bond Program
- 206-477-9400
- 401 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
About the Bond Program
Focused on the Future of Harborview
Mission Statement
The voters of King County supported the capital infrastructure needs of the hospital through approval of bond funding measures, providing for these improvements and expansions through voter-approved financing, generally occurring every 15 to 20 years.
We seek to be sound stewards of public funding, from maximizing bond funding to providing Harborview with the innovative, accessible, and sustainable healthcare facilities needed to better serve our region.
About Harborview Focus
Harborview Medical Center is owned by King County, operated by the University of Washington Medicine, and overseen by a County-appointed Board of Trustees.
Over time, Harborview’s facilities have expanded and changed to meet the demands of a growing and diverse population, as well as advancements in the fields of patient care, research, medicine, and technology. The voters of King County support the capital infrastructure needs of the hospital through approval of bond funding measures, providing for these improvements and expansions through voter-approved financing, generally occurring every 15 to 20 years.
The medical center’s facilities are aging and outdated in terms of modern medical best practice standards for infection control and privacy. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital operated at almost 100 percent capacity on a daily basis. Facility configuration and capacity constraints significantly impact hospital operations, resulting in virtually no vital surge capacity (ability to house more patients in the event of an emergency), no capacity for growth, and limited flexibility for hospital operations. The older structures on the campus require seismic upgrades to address life-safety risks during a major earthquake.
Learn about Bond efforts today.
Our Partnership
About Hospital & Partnership History
The Washington legislature set Harborview into motion after one of its first rulings in 1854 – to create a facility caring for the poor, sick and homeless. The medical center then launched in 1877 as King County Hospital with a six-bed facility operated by nuns from the Sisters of Charity of House of Providence. The County then commissioned a new 125-bed county hospital for $80,000 in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, and a further expansion in 1908 for 225 beds.
But, it wasn’t until 1928 when a ballot measure passed to allocate $2.75 million to construct a new 500-bed hospital (center tower) in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood, that the hospital found its way to its current residence and expanded services to better center maternity care. The medical center then changed its name to Harborview following a naming contest held by The Seattle Times; the name originates from the center’s expansive sightlines overlooking the Puget Sound and Seattle waterfront.
In 1967, King County certified its partnership with University of Washington Medicine (UW Medicine), allowing the university to provide clinical management at Harborview. All physicians from that day were recognized as academic faculty of the UW Medicine.
About Harborview Medical Center Today
Harborview Medical Center (Harborview or HMC) is owned by King County and operated by University of Washington (UW) Medicine. It is a comprehensive 413-bed regional health care facility located in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood dedicated to providing specialized care for a broad spectrum of patients, the control of illness, and the promotion and restoration of health. The hospital is the only Level 1 trauma center in the state of Washington, and serves trauma patients from Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Harborview, in cooperation with UW Medicine, plans and coordinates with Public Health – Seattle & King County, other county agencies, community providers and are hospitals, to provide programs and services. Learn more