Front Porch Department of Neighborhoods

Front Porch

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods news and events

Save the Date: Neighbor Day is May 4

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Neighbor Day illustration

Mark your calendars and join us in celebrating Seattle’s 25th Annual Neighbor Day on Saturday, May 4. Yes, it is a bit later this year. We decided to move it into Spring in hopes of taking advantage of nicer weather while also giving people more time to plan!

Neighbor Day is a special day set aside to reach out to neighbors, make new friends, and express thanks to those who help make your neighborhood and community a great place to live. We encourage all Seattle residents to celebrate this day by indulging in random acts of kindness. Residents, businesses, or community groups are all invited to participate however they like. The main goal is simply to reach out and connect with your neighbors through generosity.

We will make it as easy as possible for you to participate! Stay tuned for a list of ideas and resources that can help you plan your Neighbor Day event or activity.

In the meantime, save the date and start thinking about how you want to celebrate.

If you have any questions or want to bounce ideas off someone, contact Neighbor Day coordinator Sam Read at sam.read@seattle.gov.

For more information on Neighbor Day, please visit our website at seattle.gov/neighborday.

Uncontained Randomness – Little Saigon Looks to the Future

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Although historic preservation is often perceived as merely a matter of protecting buildings, it is also about honoring Seattle’s history, its myriad cultures, and the people whose lives are entwined with historic districts and buildings. It is no secret that Seattle’s rapid growth and redevelopment has put pressure on communities across the city. This three-part series examines how community members are working within the International Special Review District (ISRD), one of the City’s eight historic districts, to preserve the buildings and the stories that infuse them.

Pho Bac (boat)

The original Phở Bắc

At the intersection where Boren Avenue meets Jackson Street and emerges as Rainier Avenue sits a sight familiar to many Seattleites – a bright red, boat-shaped building with the words PHỞ BẮC blazoned  across it and the yellow and red flag of South Vietnam at its prow. According to local lore, it was here that Seattle’s love affair with phở began. When its doors first opened in 1982, Phở Bắc was known as Cat’s Submarines – named for Theresa Cat Vu who, along with her husband, Augustine Pham, owned the sandwich shop. It wasn’t long after opening, however, that the family-owned restaurant shifted its focus from sandwiches to bowls of aromatic, savory soup. The iconic red boat and Phở Bắc quickly became a mainstay in Little Saigon and is now operated by Yenvy Pham along with her brother Khoa and sister Quynh. With the recent expansion of the International Special Review District (ISRD) to include all of Little Saigon (previously, the boundary ended at 12th Avenue South), Pham is excited about what the future holds for the neighborhood.

Yenvy Pham

Yenvy Pham

“There are so many opportunities!” said Pham. “This is a hot hub! We have huge stakeholders in the neighborhood who are Vietnamese. They have huge plans to redevelop and do some crazy stuff. I have a lot of hopes for the area!” Owing to shifting land use priorities for the area over the years, Little Saigon is a mixture of commercial, industrial, and warehouse spaces with some housing thrown in for good measure. Pham values this variety: “It’s a wholesale, kind of industrial zone. [There’s a] kind of commingling that is interesting and people have ideas of what they want to see in the neighborhood.” For Pham, this commingling isn’t simply about the differences in zoning. It also offers a possible roadmap for what the future development in the neighborhood might look like. “I’m really excited about the [Little Saigon] park and the pass-through between Jackson and King. Lam’s Seafood just bought an acre of land between King and Weller,” she said. “Once they redevelop, the passthrough could continue on to Weller. Hopefully, my organization, Friends of Little Saigon can start collaborating with Lam’s Seafood or Goodwill to have our cultural spots – our night markets.”

“It’s the next generation wanting to keep the nostalgic upbringing that we had here. Twenty years ago, it was very poppin’, very lively, a totally different feel than it is now. How do we adapt to the times—how do we modernize—but also keep the heritage alive?”

The expansion of the ISRD and rapid development around Seattle has prompted community members of Little Saigon to consider important questions about how to plan for the future while being mindful of the past. “It’s the next generation wanting to keep the nostalgic upbringing that we had here,” observed Pham. “Twenty years ago, it was very poppin’, very lively, a totally different feel than it is now. How do we adapt to the times—how do we modernize—but also keep the heritage alive?”

Concern for the character of the neighborhood and the communities that make use of the services that are provided there is one area where Pham sees the ISRD making a big impact in Little Saigon. “[The ISRD] will help by getting developers and property owners to be more conscientious of what they can – and want – to do for this area and asking how it benefits the cultural heritage of not just the Vietnamese community, but all the ethnic communities that have gone through here,” Pham stated. “We’ll guide [developers] to have a certain vision but have the flexibility to be kind of chaotic about it. There’s no preference for a certain structure, it’s more like having the passion and heart to make this area very characteristic.”

With plans for new housing, commercial spaces, and other development already being discussed, Pham speaks with confidence about the future of Little Saigon. “I think [Little Saigon] will always be what it always is – a really random array of random stuff and it shouldn’t be contained,” she said. “[People] just have to learn how to cope with us.”

Diners at Pho Bac Sup Shop

Diners at Phở Bắc

Seattle’s Neighborhood Matching Fund announces funding programs for 2019

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MÁS Movimiento Afrolatino Seattle event

MÁS Movimiento Afrolatino Seattle’s “Pregones de Mi Tierra” (photo by Leo Carmona)

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) announces the 2019 funding opportunities for community-initiated projects. Its two funds – the Small Sparks Fund and the Community Partnership Fund – support grassroots projects that build stronger neighborhoods and communities such as park improvements, public art, cultural festivals, community organizing, and much more.

Community Partnership Fund

The Community Partnership Fund will change for 2019 and 2020. Grant awards will be up to $25,000 per project. With this change, NMF will continue to:

  • Maintain NMF’s funding of community-driven projects
  • Support a broader variety and number of community projects
  • Allow phased project planning so that projects can be completed in a timely manner

In 2019, NMF expects that more groups will be able to receive funding. The 2019 deadlines for the Community Partnership Fund are March 4, June 3, and September 9 by 5:00 p.m.

Small Sparks Fund

The Small Sparks Fund provides funding up to $5,000 per project and accept applications through October 31, 2019 on a rolling basis. This fund is perfect for small community activities such as Neighbor Day, Night Out, neighborhood clean-ups, and others.

Workshops

To learn more, the Neighborhood Matching Fund team is hosting workshops across the city about the program guidelines, requirements, and application process. The workshops occur on Saturdays from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. and the dates and locations are:

RSVP at seattle.surveymonkey.com/r/nmf-winter19.

The NMF team is available to advise community groups on ways to develop successful applications and projects. Community members are strongly encouraged to contact a Neighborhood Matching Fund Project Manager before applying at 206-233-0093 or NMFund@seattle.gov.

More than 5,000 projects have occurred across the city since this program began in 1988. To learn more about the Neighborhood Matching Fund and its support to community-initiated projects, visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf. The website provides details on the criteria and requirements for both funds, along with instructions for the online application process.

Hey Neighbor: Meet Jesseca Brand

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The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Hey Neighbor! series introduces you to the people behind the scenes working to build, strengthen, and engage the communities of Seattle.

Meet Jesseca Brand

Jesseca Brand leads our Strategic Initiatives team! In this video, she speaks very passionately about her reasons for working in our department. But don’t let her seriousness here fool you…she is also one of our resident jokesters – always ready with a dose of dry humor.

Having trouble viewing the video? Watch it on our Facebook page.

Discovering Many Stories – Restoration and Preservation in Seattle’s Chinatown International District

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Although historic preservation is often perceived as merely a matter of protecting buildings, it is also about honoring Seattle’s history, its myriad cultures, and the people whose lives are entwined with historic districts and buildings. It is no secret that Seattle’s rapid growth and redevelopment has put pressure on communities across the city. This three-part series examines how community members are working within the International Special Review District (ISRD), one of the City’s eight historic districts, to preserve the buildings and the stories that infuse them.

Louisa Hotel Building circa 2008

Louisa Hotel Building circa 2008 (Photo: Joe Mabel)

On December 24, 2013, a fire broke out in the western half of the Louisa Hotel in the Chinatown International District. The resulting damage was extensive and led to the demolition of nearly half the building.  “Right after the fire, once we got over the shock and the realization that the building wouldn’t be whole for a while, we sat down to try to figure out what our next steps were going to be,” recalled Tanya Woo, whose family owns the Louisa. “Should we rebuild? Do we have the means to do that? Would we just have to shutter it and leave it as is? Would we have to sell it? We decided that we wanted to rebuild.” After making this decision, Woo and her family met repeatedly with their tenants and staff from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, and the Office of Economic Development to talk about strategies and resources for short- and long-term stabilization.

Built in 1909, the Hudson Hotel, the three-story brick building now known as the Louisa, was a single-room occupancy hotel. Home to immigrant men from China, Japan, and the Philippines who had come to find work in the region, the building also housed the first Chinese bakery in Seattle, the first Chinese seafood restaurant, a casino, and a Prohibition-era speakeasy.

Tanya Woo

Tanya Woo

The rich texture of the Louisa’s history is, for Woo, part of what makes the building so special. “There isn’t one set story that is my favorite. It’s the discovery of many stories and how they’re interwoven inside the building,” she noted. As the restoration work has progressed, Woo has had the chance to connect with these stories by encountering artifacts that belonged to the people who lived there. “Walking through the bathrooms that they shared, we find the personal effects that they left behind,” Woo said. “We saw decorations in some of the rooms. Sometimes we discover things like perfume bottles in walls and coins in floorboards. It’s all the possibilities and it’s fascinating to think about all the people who came through.”

“Going into the Louisa, walking through its halls and seeing murals and how it was built, there’s a rich sense of history that we wanted to convey to the future generations. People sacrificed so much to come here, and they worked so hard, we should honor that.”

Woo’s commitment to the history of the Louisa and Chinatown has deep roots. “My dad bought this building in the 1960s. He was very involved with Chinatown. He loved Chinatown. My great-grandfather was one of the founding members of the Luck Ngi Musical Association. So, my family has a long history here in Chinatown and they taught me to really appreciate the community and give back,” Woo said. “They also taught me respect for tradition and honoring those who came before us. Going into the Louisa, walking through its halls and seeing murals and how it was built, there’s a rich sense of history that we wanted to convey to the future generations. People sacrificed so much to come here, and they worked so hard, we should honor that.”

Louisa Hotel Mural

Prohibition-era mural found in the Louisa Hotel

Since the Louisa is situated within the International Special Review District (ISRD) – one of the City’s eight historic districts – Woo and her family are required to follow the design guidelines and land use standards that were established to preserve the District’s historic buildings and unique Asian American character. “I really believe in the current design guidelines that are in place. I believe that they help protect the characteristics of Chinatown,” said Woo. “From the very beginning, we knew we had to replicate what we lost to the fire and from demolition.” The extensive renovation and remodeling work necessitated by the fire meant working with the ISRD Board for approvals which, in turn, enabled the Woos to apply for city and federal tax incentives that encourage property owners to preserve historic buildings. For Tanya and her family, the effort to restore the Louisa has required careful attention to details such as working to replicate the original brickwork that was lost as a result of the fire. “It took a lot of meetings to figure out that we’d have to combine three different kinds of brick to imitate the brick that used to be there,” she recalled. “I think that, without the approval process, we wouldn’t have had to try so hard and I’m very happy with what we came to.”

“The ISRD board has a huge hand in the preservation of this district, they’re very important, detail-oriented, and meticulous. I love that. I love how they work really hard at preserving the history of this district and making sure that everyone’s represented.”

With construction on the Louisa underway and the new workforce housing and retail space expected to be complete next spring, Woo is excited about the future of the building and its place within the Chinatown International District. “With all the renovations that are happening in this area, I see more people coming into this district. I see a very vibrant Chinatown,” Woo said. “I see a lot more community involvement. I feel like there’s a lot of interest in upgrading all of our buildings here and a lot of interest in preserving the district. The ISRD board has a huge hand in the preservation of this district, they’re very important, detail-oriented, and meticulous. I love that. I love how they work really hard at preserving the history of this district and making sure that everyone’s represented. I know that without them Chinatown wouldn’t be what it is today.”

Rolluda Architects rendering of the Louisa Hotel renovation

Rolluda Architects rendering of the Louisa Hotel renovation

Serve on the Community Involvement Commission

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Community Involvement Commission

The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is currently recruiting to fill two vacancies on the Community Involvement Commission (CIC). The current vacancies are open to individuals living in Seattle City Council Districts 1 and 5. However, interested applicants from other Council Districts could be considered for future vacancies.

The Community Involvement Commission advises the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and other City departments on coordinated, Citywide outreach and engagement activities.

The Commission is composed of 16 members – seven appointed by City Council and seven appointed by the Mayor, with one of the mayoral positions filled by a young adult through the Get Engaged program. The final two commissioners are selected by the CIC members.

Those interested in being considered should complete the online application by Monday, February 4 by 5 p.m. If you cannot submit the application online, contact Danielle Friedman at (206) 256-5973, and an application will be mailed to you or you can pick one up at Seattle Department of Neighborhoods in Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, 4th floor, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

To learn more about the Community Involvement Commission, visit our website or call Danielle Friedman at (206) 256-5973.

The City of Seattle is committed to promoting diversity in the city’s boards and commissions. Women, persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities, young persons, senior citizens, persons of color, and immigrants are encouraged to apply.

People’s Academy for Community Engagement now accepting applications

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Deadline to apply is February 11.

Winter Quarter classes begin February 23.

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is accepting applications to the People’s Academy for Community Engagement (PACE), our civic leadership development program for the next wave of community leaders. The Winter Quarter begins Saturday, February 23 and runs through March 23.

Join a cohort of 25-30 emerging leaders (18 years and up) to learn hands-on strategies for community building, accessing government, and inclusive engagement from experts in the field.

Winter Quarter will be held on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute. Topics include: Approaches to Leadership, Accessing City Government, Community Organizing, Inclusive Outreach and Public Engagement, Public Speaking, Conflict Resolution, and more.

Tuition for the 5-week program is $100. Tuition assistance is available. To apply, visit seattle.gov/PACE. The application deadline for the upcoming Winter Quarter is Monday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m. Applications for all quarters are accepted on a rolling basis.

Given the popularity of the program, PACE is offered three times a year: winter, spring and fall. For more information, visit our webpage and for questions, email PACE@seattle.gov.

Ravenna-Cowen North Designated a National Historic District

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Ravenna-Cowen North Historic District is the newest historic district in Washington state. This historic district, roughly bounded by NE 65th Street on the north, Ravenna ravine on the east, Ravenna and Cowen Parks on the south, and 12th Avenue NE on the west, was officially entered on September 13, 2018 into the United States Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places.

1913 Arts & Crafts Tudor Revival

1913 Arts & Crafts Tudor Revival

1925 Georgian Revival brick home

1925 Georgian Revival brick home

The application was unanimously approved by the WA Advisory Council for Historic Preservation (ACHP) on June 29, 2018, and was added to the Washington Heritage Register, which includes historic and cultural properties that have been recognized for their unique contributions to Washington’s heritage.

The Ravenna-Cowen North Historic district includes 443 homes, most constructed prior to the early 1930s. Architectural styles mainly include Craftsman, Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival. Many designs were taken directly from pattern books and kit home catalogs dating from the early 1900s to the 1930s.

The application for historic designation was prepared by the Friends of Ravenna-Cowen, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. They recently received a $5,000 Neighborhood Matching Fund award to post special street signs to highlight the historic district.

More than 17 tons of food donated by P-Patch gardeners in 2018

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Giving Garden P-PatchDid you know that P-Patch Community Gardens not only provide space for people to grow their own food but also grow food to share with food banks and feeding programs across the city?

In 2018, P-Patch gardeners donated 34,163 pounds (more than 17 tons) of fresh organic produce to more than 30 food banks, meal programs, and housing programs throughout Seattle.

These food donations came from our Giving Garden program, which is comprised of P-Patch plots specifically dedicated to growing food for donation. Individual gardeners also supplement these donations with food from their own individual plots. In fact, nearly one-third of the total food donations this year came from individual P-Patch plots.

In 2018, 54 P-Patch gardens participated in the P-Patch Giving Garden program. These gardens are stewarded by P-Patch garden volunteers who also handle the delivery of fresh produce over the growing season.

We would like to extend an enormous thank you to the P-Patch gardeners that generously donated their time, labor, and produce to help their neighbors who are struggling to feed themselves and their families!

You can find more information about the P-Patch Giving Garden program on our website.

Finding Balance – Preserving the Past and Planning for the Future in Seattle’s Nihonmachi

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Although historic preservation is often perceived as merely a matter of protecting buildings, it is also about honoring Seattle’s history, its myriad cultures, and the people whose lives are entwined with historic districts and buildings. It is no secret that Seattle’s rapid growth and redevelopment has put pressure on communities across the city. This three-part series examines how community members are working within the International Special Review District (ISRD), one of City’s eight historic districts, to preserve the buildings and the stories that infuse them.

Concern for the community and a commitment to its history drives the work Paul Murakami, whose family owns the Jackson Building in the Chinatown International District. Built at Sixth and Jackson by Murakami’s great-uncle Sanzo in 1932, the two-story, brick Jackson Building was home to Higo – the variety store that he opened in 1909 and which his widow and his children operated until its closure in 2003 – and remains an important part of Seattle’s Nihonmachi (Japantown). Rent rolls from the Thirties and Forties record the Japanese-American professionals and businesses that occupied the building’s second floor office space and serve as a valuable reminder of the thriving community that was devastated by the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during the Second World War.

Paul Murakami

Paul Murakami in front of the Jackson Bldg (photo courtesy of The North American Post)

“Seattle has a very rich history,” said Murakami. “The Japanese-Americans here had a tough time during World War II. Most families, like my father’s, lost everything during the war. My mother’s family lost everything. The only reason that the Jackson Building was preserved was because the Blumenthals watched over it. This is a physical presence that I need to preserve.” Immigrants themselves, pawnbrokers Julius Blumenthal and his half-brother Maurice Zimmer were tenants of the Murakami family. They paid bills and maintained the Jackson Building for the Murakamis during their incarceration in the wake of Executive Order 9066 – the order signed in 1942 that paved the way for Japanese-Americans along the west coast of the United States to be forcibly relocated and incarcerated in concentration camps.

“My first goal was to preserve the building. I thought at least I’ve got to preserve the infrastructure and the building itself.”

After his aunt Masa’s retirement and Higo’s closure, Murakami took over the management of the building. “My first goal was to preserve the building. I thought at least I’ve got to preserve the infrastructure and the building itself,” Murakami recalled. “The electrical, the plumbing, the roof, and the boiler all needed work. It was a major undertaking.” Since the Jackson Building is located within the part of the Chinatown International District that is subject to the International Special Review District (ISRD) design guidelines and land use standards, Murakami’s efforts to preserve the building and with it the history of his family and Seattle’s Nihonmachi meant that he had to work with the ISRD Board. “It was cumbersome,” Murakami said. “But I think we all have to be on a level playing field and the ISRD does that. There are some things that are hard for them to control, like graffiti, but the ISRD has never turned us down.”

Jackson BuildingWhile investing in the Jackson Building’s infrastructure secured the building’s longevity, Murakami knew he needed to find tenants to occupy the store fronts. While on a trip to San Francisco with his brother Craig to meet with potential anchor tenants, Murakami received a call from a friend who told him that Binko Chiong-Bisbee and her husband, John, the owners of KOBO – a local artisan gallery featuring Japanese and Northwest fine crafts – were looking for a new space. “They wanted to be the anchor tenant,” Murakami said. “They wanted to preserve the history of Higo, they wanted to preserve part of the store as it used to look like. So, the first brick fell into place. From there, Lei Ann Shiramizu – who had an office upstairs – and her husband opened Momo and we had two really solid stores and it’s worked out great.”

Making sure that new development is thoughtful is one area where Murakami believes the ISRD can help. “I recognize that there will be changes. We need retail space and market-rate housing to support our local businesses, but there has to be balance,” Murakami said. In particular, as new development is being considered, Murakami hopes that ISRD board can serve as a bridge between developers and the communities of the Chinatown International District to make sure that that their needs are being taken into account.

“I think that history [of the Incarceration] is so painful, but I think that’s one reason why I am so passionate about preserving it.”

The importance of finding the right balance drives Murakami’s work both at the Jackson building and in the Japanese-American community. “I think that history [of the Incarceration] is so painful, but I think that’s one reason why I am so passionate about preserving it. It was a vibrant community at one time,” he said. “Most of the people who lived here left and a lot of them didn’t return, evidenced by the personal effects left by families and businesses downstairs [in the Panama Hotel].  I don’t want that [history] to ever get lost.”