In 1925, the Devonshire Apartments opened its doors in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. With its distinctive brick façade, the Devonshire, designed by architect Herbert Bittman, combined functionality and form: the courtyard capped the garage. Since then, more than 1,300 residents have called Devonshire home.
From crisis to catalyst
In 1993, Community Roots Housing acquired the property, preserving it as naturally occurring affordable housing. For decades, the building’s age allowed it to remain affordable to working residents even as the city around it changed dramatically. But nearly a hundred years after its grand opening, the Devonshire was in crisis. In 2023, the building’s hot water system began to fail, prompting an urgent need for a property-wide replacement. However, where there is crisis, there is also opportunity.
Rather than simply patching the problem, in partnership with the City of Seattle Office of Housing, Community Roots chose to undertake a complete gut rehabilitation — an ambitious and vital effort to preserve the Devonshire’s legacy while bringing its systems, safety features, and livability into the 21st century.
Historic charm, modern interiors
Construction took each floor down to its concrete base, creating a blank slate within the original brick envelope. The building underwent seismic upgrades, including steel reinforcements and sheer walls. As a result, it will be removed from the City of Seattle’s Unreinforced Masonry list. The team also installed a new fire sprinkler system and completely replaced the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, bringing them up to modern building and energy codes.
Thanks to these investments, the Devonshire is now “airtight,” making it more energy efficient and quieter, with new interior insulation, roofing, and energy recovery ventilators providing a healthier and more comfortable living environment. Interior units feature LED lighting, new stainless steel appliances, updated kitchen and bath cabinetry, ADA-compliant layouts, and thoughtful design touches — like kitchen nooks and foyer alcoves — that help make even compact studios feel spacious. Explore a 3D tour of a one-bedroom unit.
The original terrazzo floors, mirror accents, and woodwork in the central stairwell have been preserved. Even the vintage pie-safe intakes remain visible.
A celebration of partnership and progress
On June 4, 2025, Community Roots Housing was proud to celebrate the completion of this historic renovation with a ribbon cutting ceremony. We were honored to be joined by Mayor Bruce Harrell, Washington State Representatives Nicole Macri and Shaun Scott, Devonshire residents, project funders, construction and design partners, and members of the broader Belltown community. To all who joined us — thank you. Your presence was a reminder that housing is not just about buildings. It’s about people.
The Devonshire provides 62 affordable homes for individuals and families earning between 50% and 60% of the area median income (AMI). Rents start at just over $1,000 for a studio apartment. All units are currently occupied or have pending applications. This confirms both the intense demand for affordable housing and the power of considerate preservation.
In the past decade, Community Roots Housing has renovated 447 apartments across 14 buildings. Each renovation is a commitment not just to maintain real estate assets, but to support human dignity. Preservation is a practical, cost-effective, and community-minded response to our housing crisis — and a necessary complement to new construction.
The Devonshire is more than a building. It is 62 homes — restored and ready to serve the next generation of Seattleites. The ribbon has been cut, but the work continues.
