Nathan Torgelson

Nathan is currently heading up the Grand Connection project for the City of Bellevue, Bellevue’s signature downtown place-making initiative. This program functions as a series of cohesive, connected spaces and pedestrian-focused experiences and initiatives through Bellevue’s central business district. With a length of over 1.5 miles, the Grand Connection will begin at the waterfront of Lake Washington at Meydenbauer Bay Park, wind through Old Bellevue and Downtown Park, continue through Bellevue’s downtown across Interstate 405, and ultimately connect with the regional Eastrail in the Wilburton commercial area. The Grand Connection will include a landmark piece of infrastructure over Interstate 405 for walkers and bicyclists, influencing the land use patterns of the Wilburton commercial area and improving connectivity to downtown.

Nathan was previously director of the City of Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) from 2016 to 2025 where he led a staff of 420, with a budget of $122 million. The Department is responsible for the City’s permitting, code compliance and land use code development work. Nathan has held a variety of other positions at the City of Seattle, including working on community development issues for former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, working at the Office of Economic Development, and working on Seattle’s waterfront project for Seattle Parks and Recreation. Nathan also served as the Economic Development Director for four years for the City of Kent. A native of Minnesota, Nathan has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Master’s Degree in City Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a graduate of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Northwest Center for Sustainable Leadership and was a ULI Rose Center Fellow.