If you passed by the Mount Baker light rail station in the last six months, chances are you have seen the new building at the intersections of Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Rainier Avenue and S. Hanford Street. Mercy Housing Northwest is building the Gardner House and Allen Family Center, which will provide 95 units of permanently affordable and supportive housing. The late Paul Allen made a $30-million donation to the project, and funding and equity partners include the City of Seattle, Bank of America, and U.S. Bank.

On the ground floor, the building will feature an 8,000-sq. ft. street-level Family Resource Center, where several providers will team up and provide families in the community with housing assistance, help in securing affordable childcare, afterschool programs, and community events. These lead service providers include Mary’s Place, Child Care Resources and ReWA (Refugee Women’s Alliance), who will join Mercy Housing Northwest in providing a welcoming one-stop hub of supportive and community services for families.

Construction is at the halfway point, and we anticipate completion in late February. Stay tuned for news of the grand opening in spring 2020!