Proposed Affordable Homes: St. Luke’s Site

Thank you for wanting to learn more about BRIDGE Housing and our discussions with St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

The full development proposal for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church includes two integrated but separate apartment projects, along with a new church for St. Luke’s. The full development will be located on St. Luke’s property which is approximately 55,000 square feet. For the sake of cohesion, both apartment buildings will be developed with the same design team but have different development partners.

The apartment building facing 58th Street will be developed by BRIDGE Housing with a focus on affordable family housing. This FAQ page provides information about the BRIDGE Housing component.

The apartment facing 22nd Avenue will be developed by Security Properties and includes ground-level space for a new St. Luke’s church. For information about the Security Properties component, here is a link to their project site: www.spstlukeshousing.com.

About BRIDGE Housing
BRIDGE Housing has a 39-year track record of building affordable and mixed-income housing in Seattle and throughout the West Coast. We are very excited to be part of St. Luke’s vision and recognize that the parish has been a long-standing neighbor and spiritual anchor to the Ballard community.

Our partnership focuses on providing affordable residences to families with low incomes. Based on our research, this project is the first family affordable housing development in 20 years in District 6, the Ballard neighborhood. It is St. Luke’s vision for keeping Ballard attainable for all families and we are pleased to be partnering with the church.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Following are Frequently Asked Questions and respective answers, as of July 2022. This website is interactive, so you can send us comments or additional questions. In addition, we will continue to update this page as more information becomes available.

What is BRIDGE Housing planning to build on the site?
The apartment building facing 58th street will be developed by BRIDGE Housing with a focus on low-income family housing. Currently, BRIDGE Housing is proposing 84 apartment units with an emphasis on two- and three-bedroom homes. These are permanently affordable rental apartments, different than temporary, transitional or Housing First accommodations. (Housing First is an approach to serving individuals who are experiencing homelessness.)

Who will BRIDGE Housing serve?
The proposed apartments will serve families at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), currently $77,650 for a family of four in the Ballard area. For more information about BRIDGE resident demographics, please read Who Lives in BRIDGE Housing.

Is St. Luke’s moving back when the project is completed?
It is proposed that St. Luke’s will have a new church, on the ground floor, of the new development by Security Properties. BRIDGE’S affordable housing development does not include the church site.

How will St. Luke’s Episcopal Church continue to serve the congregation and community?
During construction of the Security Properties development, St. Luke’s will continue its mission to feed people in body, mind and spirit in a temporary location nearby. The church will worship on Sundays and other religious holidays and will operate their Edible Hope Kitchen at another location providing meals for the hungry. They will continue to welcome all as an inclusive, diverse community.

How tall is the building?
The height was approved at a January 3, 2022, West Design Review Board Meeting. It will be 8-stories to have a majority of two-and-three-bedroom units. Along 58th Street there will be a public courtyard that is set back from the sidewalk to provide open space and reinforce the public greenway. The massing does include modulation, which means it is not a flat wall. We are still working on the recommended design for City review and will update this website as soon as we have a preferred design.

What is the timeline?
The entitlement process in Seattle can take anywhere from 16-24 months, so the permitting process is much slower than most people realize. Currently, we have received the green light from the West Design Review Board to apply for a Master Use Permit.

While the City reviews our Master Use Permit, they will also review our final design, building finishes, and street improvements. When we have design approval by the city of Seattle, we will post the renderings and information on this site and host a community meeting.

We cannot start any mobilization for construction until we have approval of the design and all our building permits, including the Master Use Permit. We may or may not start construction in mid-2023. It is too early for us to be definitive right now; more to come.

Who will manage the site when it is operational?
The proposed apartments will have a live-in manager, property management office, and on-site comprehensive resident support services. In addition, we will be working with FamilyWorks as our service provider.

FamilyWorks has provided holistic family services and food access programs in North Seattle for 25 years. Their services provide opportunities for families to build resiliency and connect within their communities. They plan to provide community-building events, family support, and resource navigation as core resident services, helping residents to feel a sense of community and belonging, and to contribute toward their overall stability in affordable housing. Some examples of community-building events include family engagement programs such as cooking classes, multi-lingual playgroups and parenting classes. Events could also be cultural celebrations, back-to-school events and holiday programs.

How will prospective residents be referred to BRIDGE Housing?
In general terms, BRIDGE will employ early community outreach and affirmative marketing strategies to identify prospective residents and help them overcome issues that might otherwise lead to denial of a rental application. Staff will establish in-person relationships with community leaders, culturally specific organizations, service providers, schools, churches, community centers, and others serving families and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) households.

How much parking is associated with the project?
Our project has 21 surface parking stalls with the entrance proposed on 58th Street.

Does the other project have parking?
Yes, Security Properties is proposing underground parking. Here is a link to their project site: www.spstlukeshousing.com.

Why is the parking for the affordable building not underground?
Building underground parking is very expensive. Market rate apartments can off-set the cost through parking stall rental rates. That is not feasible for low-income developments. We have a commitment to keep the expense of living at our community at or below 60% of the Area Medium Income in Ballard.

Are there any amenities at the building?
Yes, we believe it’s important to foster community through shared spaces. Proposed amenities include:

  • Community Room
  • Bike Storage and Gear Room
  • Rooftop Deck

What happens to the SLUG garden?
That site will be developed as part of the affordable family development. St. Luke’s has already informed SLUG, St. Luke’s Urban Gardeners, and they are invited to use the garden until we are ready to start construction.

How do I stay informed?
Please bookmark this page; we will add additional FAQs as and when we are able to answer them.

What if I have more questions?
Please send us your questions via this landing page.

BRIDGE Housing