Its southernmost edge was part of what was known then as “Japantown,” later the International District. Location Washington; Timeline 2018; Construction Methods Piling; Scope. Photo: courtesy of Seattle P-I Collection, Museum of History and Industry Construction of Interstate 5 in the 1960s taking out 11 acres and 260 units of Yesler Terrace. Through YCC, neighborhood organizations forged strong working relationships and the YCC board was expanded through a name change and charter revision to continue this important work. Neighborhood park that features a play area with slides and climbing equipment, as well as picnic tables with a view of the Cascades and Magnolia, as well as a long green strip. During this process, Epstein did his best to persuade the public of the importance of public housing. [7], Prior to the start of construction, existing Yesler Terrace residents had organized to oppose any redevelopment plans that would reduce the number of units available to residents with the lowest income. Seattle Housing Authority, n.d. [1] These names referred roughly to the part of First Hill south of the original King County Courthouse at 8th Avenue and Terrace Street. Founded as a nonprofit partner for Seattle Parks and Recreation and fueled by the energy of civic leaders whose efforts to build a 60-acre “Seattle Commons” in South Lake Union were twice thwarted at the ballot box in the mid-1990s, Seattle Parks Foundation became an independent nonprofit in 2001. Web. Lowe is developing a multi-phased, multifamily community in the 30-acre Yesler Terrace, a mixed-income, transit-oriented, master-planned community currently being redeveloped under the guidance of the Seattle Housing Authority and the City of Seattle. Other members of the Seattle Housing Authority Board included prominent citizens George W. Coplen, Kenneth J. Morford, Charles W. Doyle, and Mrs. Frank D. Henderson. As part of the Yesler Terrace redevelopment, this project will include 139 low-income apartments across three buildings connected via sky bridges and exterior walkways. The “pretty much” completed Yesler Terrace photographed from the same Marine Hospital prospect. Yesler Terrace 4 contains a multitude of indoor and outdoor amenity spaces—from sports courts to communal game rooms—that have been named and themed in honor of Seattle’s prominent founders. Founded in 1939, Yesler Terrace was the country's first racially integrated public housing project. [7] The new development will include at least 561 units for those earning 30% of the area median income (AMI) or less as well as 290 units for 60% of AMI and 850 units for 80% of AMI. See more ideas about terrace, seattle housing, the neighbourhood. It was 1994, and Wood, a … Construction of the new park has begun and we anticipate being completed in the fall of 2018. The primary mover behind Yesler Terrace, Jesse Epstein, argued in 1940, “We have an opportunity to prove that Negroes and whites can live side by side in harmony.” The Yesler Terrace area was already mixed by … Also known as “Profanity Hill,” because of the steepness of street grades, the surrounding area was developed up through the first decade of the 20th century with dense, wood-frame multi-family townhouses, apartment hotels, and boarding houses. Rich in history and cultural diversity, this neighborhood was one of the first areas settled in downtown Seattle. 1940 Seattle's population is 368,302. In … The development is administered by the Seattle Housing Authority, who have been redeveloping the neighborhood into a mixed-income area with multi-story buildings and community amenities since 2013. Contact us | Sign up for our newsletterCopyright © 2020 Seattle Housing Authority, Income level - Housing Choice Voucher program. Below-grade parking covers much of the site beneath the 6-and 7-story structures. In 2006, when it had become evident that Yesler’s infrastructure and 561 aging housing units needed to be replaced, SHA began a conversation with residents, surrounding neighbors, city officials, key partners … Formal planning on the project began in 2006 with the hiring of a planning team and recruitment for a citizen review panel. Mar 22, 2017 - Explore Rose Manos's board "Yesler Terrace" on Pinterest. [9][10] The project, the largest such redevelopment in Seattle's history, is anticipated to take up to 20 years for the full buildout. It was home to about 1,000 people living in 471 separate dwelling units, of which only 22 were owner-occupied. The legislation was passed in 1939, making Washington the 34th state to pass such laws. How can I find a great home where I can use my voucher? Yesler Terrace is Seattle's oldest public housing project. Dec. 2: Yesler Terrace becomes the first racially integrated public housing in United States. The result was the nation’s first racially integrated public housing project. This becomes Yesler Terrace, the first racially integrated public … 14 Feb. 2017. “We’re thrilled to welcome Kaiser Permanente to Yesler,” said Andrew Lofton, executive director of the Seattle Housing Authority. The southern part of the hill came to be known as Yesler's Hill, Yesler Hill, or Profanity Hill. Harborview Medical Center sits at the top of First Hill in the background. Epstein was made the committee chairman, and $25,000 was granted to it to begin its work. Al received his Bachelor’s Degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York and his Master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Washington. Epstein explained to Langlie how the new federal legislation worked and how Seattle could obtain federal funds for slum clearance projects and new low-income housing. The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA), Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda), and Capitol Hill Housing (CHH) announced a joint venture to develop 158 apartments of affordable homes for working families in and around the communities of Yesler Terrace, Little Saigon, and the Central District. Much of the site included Nihonmachi or Japantown until Executive Order 9066 ordered residents to be interned. Yesler Way is an east–west street in Seattle named for Henry Yesler.East–west streets in Seattle south of Yesler Way are prefixed "South"; avenues are suffixed with "South" as they cross Yesler Way. Yesler Terrace is known as the first racially integrated public housing project in the United States, and it set a nationwide tone for the future of public housing. Built between 1941 and 1943, Yesler Terrace is home to 1,200 residents and represents one of the most diverse and economically challenged communities in Seattle. Live at Metroline Flats apartments and experience life in the center of the emerging Yesler Terrace Neighborhood. Our History Crescent Collaborative emerged from Yesler Community Collaborative, which was funded through 2019 to work with neighborhoods surrounding Yesler Terrace as it was redeveloped. [citation needed] The name "Profanity Hill" could have its origins from the cursing of the attorneys and litigants at having to climb so steep a grade after missing the cable car,[2] or because of the slum neighborhood known for its uncouth inhabitants to the south where Yesler Terrace is now situated. Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/13/2020 - 12:55pm, Information for tenants, applicants and stakeholders. The first new building, Kebero Court, opened in May 2015 and was followed by the opening of Raven Terrace in February 2016. It occupies much of the area formerly known as Yesler Hill, Yesler's Hill, or Profanity Hill. Unlike most public housing developments, residents have their own private yards. The site of Yesler Terrace was prominent from Seattle’s beginnings as a city. Meanwhile, in March of that year, the Seattle Housing Authority was established and Epstein was named director. Yesler Terrace was developed well ahead of the civil rights era. A grand opening celebration for Red Cedar, Yesler Terrace’s newest residential building, will be held on June 28. Andersen's 5th consecutive project with Seattle Housing Authority, this multi-building development will be complete in Fall 2021. The name derives ultimately from Henry Yesler, pioneer mill owner. Epstein formed a committee to write legislation to enable the city to create a housing authority and thus receive government assistance. Seattle Parks and Recreation awarded the construction contract to Wyser Construction Company. The Yesler Terrace Redevelopment Planned Action EIS analyzed the impacts of structures falling within these parameters, including glare, height, bulk, and scale. Yesler Terrace For its first project, the Seattle Housing Authority selected a 24-block area totaling 43.5 acres just east of downtown on what was then called Yesler Hill, at the southern end of First Hill. The original site also offered an enviable view, which included Mt. Yesler Terrace, a 22-acre (8.9 ha) public housing development in Seattle, Washington was, at the time of its completion in 1941, Washington state's first public housing development and the first racially integrated public housing development in the United States. Our History. 1, Yesler Terrace has been a part of Seattle’s history for nearly 80 years. [4], Talks of redeveloping the 60-year-old Yesler Terrace, which had become the oldest public housing project in the city, began in 2004 amid similar schemes to redevelop Rainier Vista, High Point and NewHolly into mixed-income neighborhoods. Razed in 1931, the courthouse site was roughly the western portion of the present-day Harborview Medical Center. Beginning in 2012, resources started to come together for Yesler Terrace’s $290 million re-development. This is a great place to steal a quick view of Puget Sound too. This is the first known formal collaboration across two … HISTORY TENDS to repeat itself on Henry Yesler’s hill, where Seattle’s first elites built mansions to distance themselves from downtown’s ills. The Seattle Housing Authority has committed to a fifteen-year plan for the redevelopment of Yesler Terrace. Kaiser Permanente purchased the Yesler property from the Seattle Housing Authority as part of an ongoing plan to provide access to health care, social services, education, and other community amenities. As Washington State’s first public housing development and the country's first racially integrated housing development 1, Yesler Terrace has been a part of Seattle’s history for nearly 80 years. June 5: The Lake Washington Floating Bridge opens, connecting Seattle with Mercer Island and the Eastside. F ive years before Joe Wood died on Mount Rainier, I took him for a walk around Yesler Terrace, Seattle's oldest housing project. [5] Formal planning on the project began in 2006 with the hiring of a planning team and recruitment for a citizen review panel. On December 2, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) approves a $3 million loan to the Seattle Housing Authority for the construction of 700 dwelling units in a slum area in the First Hill neighborhood. Beginning in 2012, resources started to come together for Yesler Terrace’s $290 million re-development. At its western shoreline, Yesler Way was first the site of Yesler’s mill—the first mill in Seattle—and the city’s first center of development. Talks of redeveloping the 60-year-old Yesler Terrace, which had become the oldest public housing project in the city, began in 2004 amid similar schemes to redevelop Rainier Vista, High Point and NewHolly into mixed-income neighborhoods. And now, thanks to a strong public and private collaboration, it’s an inspiring part of the city’s future. By the 1930s much of the area was considered blighted. Al also led the planning and entitlement effort for Yesler Terrace, a 30 acre mixed use redevelopment project now being developed in downtown Seattle. [8] The SHA partnered with developer Vulcan Real Estate, who would buy and develop private parcels, and architects Weber Thompson. In 1938, the City Council declared intent to establish a housing authority eligible for federal assistance. Yesler Way was originally the skid road on which logs were skidded down to the mill. Uphill across Interstate 5 from Pioneer Square and the International District. Epstein’s comprehensive knowledge of enabling legislation and new federal funding programs qualified him to draft the bill allowing a housing authority in every city and county in the state. Even Seattle’s pioneer public housing efforts had to fight hard to include minorities. This view, among other things, was an important factor in offering the eventual residents of Yesler Terrace pride of place. The Yesler Terrace property extended to 12thAvenue, to an area of Jewish settlement in the late 19th century. <, "Landmark Nomination Application: Yesler Terrace", City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board, "Housing project's fate tests community values", "Yesler Terrace Redevelopment Planning Documents", "Yesler Terrace's $1.7B makeover: Some work done, much more to come", http://seattlehousing.net/redevelopment/yesler-terrace/, "Real Estate Buzz: Housing, both public and private, opens as part of Yesler Terrace redevelopment", "Seattle Housing Authority marks two milestones at Yesler", Seattle City Clerk's Neighborhood Map Atlas: Yesler Terrace, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yesler_Terrace,_Seattle&oldid=968645152, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 July 2020, at 16:59. Yesler Terrace is a 30-acre site near downtown Seattle that was developed by the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) in the early 1940s as the city’s first publicly subsidized housing community. Michels completed its first foundations project in Seattle by installing 23 permanent soldier piles and 768 square feet of lagging for an earth retention wall at Yesler Terrace. Epstein also approached the members of City Council with his proposal and secured support from three of its five members. Shortly after its organization, SHA received $3,000,000 from the federal government for low-income public housing and slum clearance. with the same frame, but of the completed Yesler Terrace Public Housing. There were many benefits to the site selected for Yesler Terrace: The original development would replace deteriorated housing stock. Furthermore, it offered residents close proximity to the nearby County Hospital and several public schools, and to downtown, which was easily accessible by foot or streetcar. The original King County Courthouse was located on this part of First Hill, situated between 7th and 8th Avenues and Terrace and Alder Streets. Redevelopment. And now, thanks to a strong public and private collaboration, it’s an inspiring part of the city’s future. The site of Yesler Terrace was prominent from Seattle’s beginnings as a city. It was very controversial, and very progressive. Demolition of “Profanity Hill” neighborhood for Yesler Terrace housing project, October 7, 1940. In a July 1938 article, he outlined the principles and purposes of the U.S. Housing Authority: “to provide financial assistance to the States and political subdivisions thereof for the elimination of unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions, for the eradication of slums, for the provisions of decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings for families of low-income, and for the reduction of unemployment and the stimulation of business activity.”. Information for Housing Choice Voucher clients and stakeholders, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Housing Authority Insurance Group Life Insurance, Information for people with disabilities and reasonable accommodation requests. An estimated 38% of households are Asian or Asian American, 40% are African or African American, 11% are White, and 3% Native American. Yesler Terrace sits on 28 acres (11 ha) with 561 residential units in 68 buildings, many of which are two-story rowhouses. Yesler Terrace is located on the southernmost part of First Hill, along Yesler Way immediately east of downtown Seattle. [4], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}47°36′08″N 122°19′12″W / 47.60222°N 122.32000°W / 47.60222; -122.32000, "Yesler Terrace." He highlighted the fact that many other states were ahead of Washington in creating local housing authorities and using federal aid for low-income housing projects, and also emphasized the jobs that construction of these projects would provide. A city ordinance was passed in 1937 creating a Local Advisory Housing Commission. Yesler’s Origin Story Yesler Terrace was a dream conceived as the Great Depression ended and America went to war. Yesler is becoming a connected, diverse, mixed-income neighborhood that honors the neighborhood’s history and cultural richness with safe, healthy and sustainable affordable housing, new parks and open spaces, enhanced health, Communal celebrating Seattle history. The dreamer, then-29-year-old Jesse Epstein, imagined a haven for poor families jammed into the then-as-now bursting city’s apartments. 1942 [6], The $1.7 billion redevelopment project of the neighborhood began in 2013, with plans to replace existing homes with 5,000 mixed-income residential units, 900,000 sq ft (84,000 m2) of office space, and 153,000 sq ft (14,200 m2) of retail and community space. Renewing Yesler’s Promise The revitalized Yesler will be a community of opportunity for all. The words of the ordinance stated the goals of the new committee: “Thousands are unemployed in Seattle, among them hundreds of members of the building trades who will share directly in the benefits derived by the whole community from a well-conceived local municipal low-cost housing program.”. Creation of a public housing authority in the Seattle was initiated when a young Seattle attorney, Jesse Epstein, approached Mayor Arthur Langlie in 1937 for assistance in realizing local housing reforms. It was revolutionary when it was completed in 1940. The logistics and undertaking of the housing began shortly before the U.S. entered World War II, as Seattle was experiencing a significant migration of African Americans to the city. Honoring the History of a Dynamic 1940s Era Neighborhood. In the near future, though, it will be completely demolished. [3], As of 2005, there were 1,167 residents. King County Equity Now wants to stop the redevelopment of Yesler Terrace, a public housing complex in the Central District that is a mix of deeply … [7], The First Hill Streetcar, which began operation in 2016, connects Yesler Terrace to Capitol Hill via Broadway, and the International District via Jackson Street. Rainier to the south and Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountains to the west. At its western shoreline, Yesler Way was first the site of Yesler’s mill—the first mill in Seattle—and the city’s first center of development. The 1940s-era Yesler Terrace includes a mix of public and private developments delivering … Yesler Terrace. The original King County Courthouse was located on this part of First Hill, situated between 7th and 8th Avenues and Terrace and Alder Streets. For purposes of this determination, height shall be measured pursuant to SMC 23.86.006. Was revolutionary when it was completed in 1940 from pioneer Square and the Olympic Mountains the! 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