King County mental health crisis center renovation estimate more than doubles to $35 million

The estimated cost to renovate a former medical office building on Seattle’s Capitol Hill into a mental health crisis center has more than doubled, according to The Seattle Times, adding to questions about the rising price of major taxpayer-funded projects across King County.

King County is now seeking $35 million for construction at the former Polyclinic building, up from an initial estimate of roughly $16 million to $17 million when the county moved forward with the property’s purchase last year.

The project includes a crisis care center and a 16-bed residential treatment facility. The county purchased the building for $41.5 million, bringing the projected cost of acquiring and transforming the property to more than $76 million.

The revised construction estimate comes as another major county healthcare project faces a substantial cost increase.

The projected cost of expanding and renovating Harborview Medical Center has climbed from the $1.74 billion approved by voters in 2020 to an estimated $3 billion, which is an increase of more than $1.2 billion, according to The Seattle Times.

The Harborview project is expected to include a new hospital tower and other campus improvements. The new tower is now scheduled to open in 2032.

King County says mental health crisis center estimate reflects more detailed planning

County officials said the original $16 million to $17 million estimate was preliminary and did not account for the full scope of the work.

The early projection covered hard construction costs but excluded expenses such as engineering, architectural design, permitting, and contingencies. The county also had not completed detailed operational planning with the center’s designated operator, Connections Health Solutions.

The county said the new $35 million construction authorization will be funded by reallocating money within the voter-approved Crisis Care Centers Levy.

The facility is intended to provide round-the-clock access to behavioral health care, including urgent mental health and substance-use treatment. It is part of a larger county effort to expand access to crisis services regardless of someone’s insurance status or ability to pay.

The county is targeting a late-2027 opening.

Harborview expansion costs climb to $3 billion

The rising crisis center estimate follows a much larger increase in the projected cost of Harborview Medical Center’s expansion.

The project was originally approved by voters in 2020 with a $1.74 billion bond measure. Its estimated cost has since climbed to more than $3 billion, according to The Seattle Times.

County officials have cited construction inflation, updated seismic requirements, difficult subsurface conditions and delays as factors contributing to the increase.

The expansion includes a new inpatient tower, seismic improvements and other upgrades to the hospital campus. The new tower is expected to open in 2032.

The voter-approved bond program is being financed through property taxes paid by King County residents.

KCRHA faces financial questions as CEO resigns

The rising costs of major county projects come as the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) faces its own financial scrutiny and a leadership transition.

KCRHA CEO Kelly Kinnison submitted her resignation Nov. 6. It takes effect Nov. 16, as the agency prepares for a major restructuring.

The departure follows months of questions about the authority’s financial management. An April forensic evaluation identified approximately $13 million in unreconciled funds and other financial concerns.

A subsequent review by an independent financial monitor put the amount of unrecoverable funds at approximately $17 million, according to King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson.

“We need a regional response to homelessness, but that response must be accountable, financially sound, and capable of delivering the results that people experiencing homelessness, service providers, taxpayers, and our entire community deserve,” Zahilay said at a recent press conference announcing plans to revamp the KCRHA.

The agency also reported a negative cash balance of $44.7 million as of July 2025. That figure reflects its negative cash position, not a finding that $44.7 million was missing.

Kinnison was the authority’s fifth CEO and was hired in 2024 following a national search.

King County and Seattle plan to return administration of locally funded homelessness service contracts to their respective governments beginning in January 2027, while retaining some regional functions at the authority.

Zahilay and Wilson are expected to recommend interim leadership as the agency moves into its next phase.

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn has repeatedly called for stronger oversight of public spending and has advocated dissolving the homelessness authority.

“I don’t think I’ve seen King County in as bad of shape as it is right now,” Dunn recently told “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “We’ve got a long way to go before we’ve earned the public’s trust.”

The developments raise broader questions about the cost of major county initiatives, how public money is being managed, and whether taxpayers are getting the results promised when these projects and programs were approved.

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