King County to build 232 affordable housing units near Northgate light rail
Feb 26, 2020, 2:04 PM
A new light rail station is built in front of Northgate Mall in Seattle. (Stephanie Klein, MyNorthwest)
(Stephanie Klein, MyNorthwest)
King County and the City of Seattle, along with partners BRIDGE Housing Corporation and Capitol Hill Housing, announced plans to develop land near the future site of the Northgate Link light rail station for affordable housing.
The plans for the King County Metro owned land would build 232 affordable housing units.
A look at NHL Seattle’s ambitious plans for re-imagined Northgate Mall
According to a news release Wednesday, the units will be affordable to households earning 60 percent or less of the area median income ($66,420 for a family of four in 2019). The planned development will host a mix of sizes, including 52 two- or three-bedroom units. A number of units will be reserved for system-connected households.
The land is valued at $4 million, currently housing the Northgate Park & Ride. King County and Metro are providing the land to BRIDGE and CHH for a long-term, zero dollar lease. The City of Seattle Office of Housing and King County Department of Community and Human Services will contribute $10 million each to the project.
A final agreement will be transmitted to council this summer, with hopes for a groundbreaking in 2022.
Metro intends to hold the property until 2024, when the light rail station in Lynnwood is expected to open. The needs of the area will continue to be evaluated in the coming years.
“Renters shouldn’t have to choose between a home that’s affordable, and one that’s close to work and transit,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “This project adds hundreds of affordable units next to one of the most significant transit hubs in King County, connecting more people to the greenest way to get around.”
The Northgate light rail station is projected to open in 2021, along with the U District and Roosevelt stations.
Who named Seattle’s Northgate Mall?
Demolition at Northgate Mall is underway as construction of the NHL Seattle practice facilities and Northgate Ice Centre is scheduled to start this month, with a targeted completion of June 2021.
