Friends of Seattle is a proud member of the Dearborn Street Coalition for a Livable Neighborhood
After 18 months, we are excited to report that the Dearborn Street Coalition for Livable Neighborhoods (DSCLN) has reached an agreement with Ravenhurst Developers over 10 acres of land at the Seattle Goodwill site on Dearborn Street and Rainier Avenue. The development, which includes a six-story building, with 600,000 square feet of retail space, 45,000 square feet of office space, and 500 homes, will have a dramatic impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. The DSCLN and Ravenhurst agreed to a community benefits agreement, or CBA, which is a legally binding contract between the developer and DSCLN that sets forth the benefits that the community will receive from the development. Some highlights of the agreement include:
- Ravenhurst committed to $2 million dollars in benefits to the community, including offering below market rent to local non-profits, training to local small businesses, a traffic mitigation study, and a Vietnamese Community Center.
- 200 of the 500 units for affordable housing.
- Ravenhurst will hire contractors for the project that pay living-wage jobs, with health care and retirement benefits.
- The development will use environmentally sound building practices.
Friends of Seattle is proud member of the DSCLN.
Read more about the agreement:
News stories:
http://pugetsoundsage.org/article.php?id=151
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/377412_goodwill03.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008152450_dearborn02m.html
Historical background: The Friends of Seattle steering committee approved FoS's formal membership in the Dearborn Street Coalition for Livable Neighborhoods (PDF). The DSCLN, which worked to make the proposed mixed-use development on Rainier Ave and Dearborn St (the site of a Goodill store and parking lot) more friendly to the residents of surrounding neighborhoods such as Little Saigon, had an extremely successful rally on Saturday, April 21, 2007. The rally sent a strong message to the developer and the City Council that the developer's original plans did not meet the needs of the local community.
Our early commentary on the issue is here.
