Community Roots and Lake Union Partners have joined forces to transform a 2.3-acre site in Rainier Valley into a vibrant mixed-income housing and retail hub. They acquired the two-parcel site on March 18, planning to create over 200 new affordable apartments at the corner of Rainier Avenue S. and S. Genesee Street.
This project will not only bring much-needed housing and retail space to the area but will also involve a four-year environmental cleanup in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Ecology.
“Housing should be planned in parallel with other neighborhood amenities,” said Christopher Persons, CEO of Community Roots Housing. “This project will create a new neighborhood hub, establishing hundreds of new homes serving a range of incomes alongside space for local businesses. It will extend the energy of Columbia City’s core retail center northward where it can connect with the larger Rainier Valley area.”
Community Roots Housing will develop the northern parcel at 4208 Rainier Ave. S, creating 140 to 180 affordable apartments and over 3,000 square feet of retail space. Lake Union Partners will develop 263 housing units on the southern parcel, nearly one-third of which will be affordable, and 9,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The two projects will share a courtyard and aim to enhance the streetscape and create a pedestrian-friendly retail experience. This development will revitalize a prominent yet underutilized corner of Rainier Valley, serving as a gateway to the Mount Baker and Seward Park neighborhoods via Genesee Street.
“We’re excited to kick this process off, and we intend to break ground in about a year,” said Norah Potter, development manager at Lake Union Partners. “Our partnership with Community Roots Housing has allowed us to continue our efforts to bring mixed-income communities to great neighborhoods in Seattle. As with all our projects, we’ll be focusing on local, interesting retail that complements the residential units above.”
According to the City of Seattle 2035 Growth and Equity Plan, Columbia City is rated as high access to opportunity and high risk of displacement. By joining forces to build 400+ units of mixed-income housing across both land parcels, Community Roots Housing and Lake Union Partners hope to foster a place where families and neighbors can thrive in a vibrant neighborhood. Both projects are transit-oriented, located on a major bus line, and within a 10-minute walk from the Columbia City light rail station.
Support from Seattle’s Office of Housing made Community Roots Housing’s acquisition possible.
