Core Design Team

Firm: Mithun

CASEY HUANG, ARCHITECTURE
DOUGLAS LEIGH, ARCHITECTURE
MICHAEL O’MEARA, ARCHITECTURE
TAMMY LEE, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
ANNE TORNEY, ARCHITECTURE
ARIELLE CROWDER, INTERIOR DESIGN
CHARLENE HOBBS, ARCHITECTURE
AMELIA JENSEN, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
BRADFORD TREVINO
DAIMEI WANG
BRIAN HENRY
SARAH LARSON

Consultants/Collaborators

General Contractor: Marpac Construction
Structural/Civil: Coughlin Porter Lundeen
MEP: Rushing Company
Landscape Architecture & Interior Design: Mithun
Lighting Design: SparkLab Lighting Design
Acoustical: A3 Acoustics
Building Envelope: 4EA Building Science
Transportation Engineering Services: Heffron Transportation
Accessibility: Studio Pacifica
Irrigation Consultant: William Brown Landscape Architect

Project Narrative

RETURNING HOME

Located within the redevelopment area of Yesler Terrace — the first racially integrated public housing community in the United States — 13th & Fir Family Housing accommodates returning and current Yesler Terrace residents as well as those in need of affordable housing at the convergence of the underserved Yesler Terrace, Little Saigon and Central Area neighborhoods. Due to its proximity to downtown and many urban services, this area is rapidly developing, creating an urgent need for affordable family housing to prevent displacement. This project fosters a community of families near transit, jobs, healthcare, education and cultural amenities in this historically integrated area of Seattle.

The building includes 156 permanently affordable homes for households earning between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Notably, 65% of the family-sized units consist of 102 units with 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms, and 60% of the units are reserved for existing families from the Yesler community.

An extensive array of amenities actively support low-income families, including a new childcare and early learning center, robust amenity spaces to encourage resident activity and foster community, as well as exterior courtyards to support the childcare and provide space for community gatherings of all kinds. Additionally, 2,500 sf of the ground floor is designated for community-based commercial and retail services. Thirty parking stalls are available to some families living in the building and the childcare center staff.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

The development showcases a powerful collaboration between the landowner, Seattle Housing Authority, various project funders and the skilled development team of Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) and Community Roots Housing (CRH). The involvement of the Denise Louie Education Center (DLEC), a dedicated non-profit childcare provider for low-income families, further amplifies project impact. Unlike most mixed-use housing projects with commercial space held as a placeholder for a future tenant, DLEC was identified as an integral part of the building program from day one. The development team and DLEC closely coordinated efforts at all stages of the project from RFP pursuit through design, financing and construction.

The design team seized the rare opportunity to design the building and childcare space simultaneously. The resulting childcare center design is seamlessly integrated into the ground floor of the building. The façade at the childcare center is consistent with other residential amenity spaces with additional vertical colored glazing bands emphasizing the cheerful character of the early education space. The angled entry lobby at the northeast corner of the building ties to the undulating hallways inside, creating an intriguing and welcoming environment for young bodies and minds. In the north courtyard, the residential outdoor space and the childcare center’s outdoor play area are placed side by side, allowing kids living in this building to play at the playground after center hours and on weekends. This innovative approach received approval from the State licensing reviewers, marking it as the first of its kind in Washington State.

“WE BUILD COMMUNITY”

As Maiko Chin, former executive director of SCIDpda, states, “We don’t just build housing, we build community.” Guided by this project objective, the design promotes social interactions and fosters a sense of community through thoughtful programming and design of residential amenity space.

To cultivate connections among residents, the design features a centralized laundry room on the ground floor rather than multiple smaller laundry rooms on each residential floor. Conveniently located near the elevators and with ample natural light and fresh air, the space provides folding tables and a seating area for casual interactions among neighbors. The corridor nook outside the laundry room allows neighbors to linger and chat as their paths cross.

The kids’ center is a generous 800 sf multi-purpose space, dedicated to the 100-150 children and teens living in this building. The center features operable windows for fresh air, an upper quieter area and a main floor with flexible seating to accommodate various activities, such as working on homework and school projects, doing arts and crafts, playing games and puzzles, or simply hanging out with friends.

Amenity spaces at the ground floor are clustered to increase convenience and support social encounters. Designed as an “amenity suite,” the community room, kids’ center and central laundry are grouped together with the kids’ center placed in the middle. Interconnecting doors and full height glazing link the three spaces. This layout takes advantage of the social power of everyday spaces and creates beneficial synergies — allowing parents and grandparents to gather in the community room or fold clothes in the laundry while keeping an eye on children playing and studying nearby.

Another effective way to foster connections is through a well-designed mail area that incorporates natural light, attractive casework and spaces to linger. Located between the main lobby and the pathway to the courtyard, it serves as a natural spot for residents to catch up on community life.

COMMUNITY ART INTEGRATION

The project’s art integration is inspired by the community’s rich history of art at this site. The walls of the former King County Records Building, located on the project site, were home to the Off the Wall graffiti competition for over a decade. To continue this legacy, the team identified multiple locations for art installations throughout the building and site. SCIDpda and the local arts organization 206 Zulu — formerly involved in the graffiti competition — selected the muralists. Community feedback was gathered to inform and inspire the designs of the murals, ensuring they represented the collective values and diversity of the neighborhood.

The murals gracing the exterior walls of the building along 13th Avenue and in the courtyard spaces are more than just visual elements; they are essential components of the community’s narrative. Through these artistic interventions, Yesler Terrace not only honors its heritage but also envisions a future where art acts as a universal language, fostering connections and resilience. The murals stand as testaments to the collaborative efforts of Seattle’s community and artists to build a vibrant, culturally rich and interconnected neighborhood.

ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY

The design promotes sustainable living, preserves the environment and increases energy and water efficiency. Exceeding the Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard for publicly funded affordable housing projects in Washington, 13th and Fir Family Housing has an estimated 21 kBTU/sf/yr EUI for site energy consumption and 57% reduction in energy use compared to an AIA 2030 Commitment baseline property.

All units feature thermostatically controlled heaters with seven-day programmable thermostats in the living room, LED light fixtures and ultra-low-flow toilets. The building has an energy-efficient envelope (R-25 in the walls; R-49 in the roof; R-38 in the slab over unheated space) and very tight envelope construction (tested at 0.148 cfm/SF). A 43kW photovoltaic solar rooftop array produces clean energy that feeds into the municipal electrical grid.

Sustainable measures that contribute to cost savings in building operations and for residents include triple-pane unit windows to manage thermal losses and noise mitigation, high-performance glazing and dual thermal break storefront window systems at ground level, as well as Energy Star residential appliances and centralized laundry facilities. Additional features include an on-site bioretention stormwater system, EV-ready dedicated parking space, sedum tray green-roof system for stormwater filtration and reduced heat island effect, and composite wood products with CARB-compliant no-added-formaldehyde certification.

Biophilic design and healthy living strategies are incorporated throughout the building and site to support residents’ well-being and connection with natural rhythms. A central stair with door-hold-open functionality promotes active living and encourages residents to take the stairs rather than elevators. On the upper residential floors, resident lounges on each floor feature large windows and views of the outdoor courtyard.