After many years of community planning, the Mount Baker station area is entering an exciting new phase. The City of Seattle and Sound Transit are working in partnership with community stakeholders and a consultant team to develop preferred site features for the City’s Mount Baker sites and the Sound Transit East Portal site. The Mount Baker sites will provide affordable housing, childcare and an early learning research facility. Sound Transit seeks to redevelop its adjacent East Portal site for affordable housing. Both sites have opportunity for potential open space.
This transformational redevelopment opportunity fulfills longstanding City, Sound Transit, and community goals to create more affordable housing and a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly area around the light rail station.
A major project update and presentation of site design ideas will be shared with the public this month in June. Community stakeholders are encouraged to participate in an online Q&A session hosted in partnership with Sound Transit on June 16 to answer any questions about the project. More information is below.
Wednesday, June 16, 12:00–1:00 pm
Online: https://bit.ly/3v4fghU | Passcode: 855837
Phone: 253-215-8782 or 346-248-7799 | Webinar ID: 828 7922 1298 | Passcode: 855837
Wednesday, June 16, 5:00–6:00 pm
Online: https://bit.ly/3zeE9KU | Passcode 235022
Phone: 253-215-8782 or 669-900-6833 | Webinar ID: 812 8855 3055 | Passcode: 235022
In addition, an online survey is available from June 9 – 23 for community to comment on the site design ideas and provide additional feedback. The survey is available in English, Amharic, Cambodian (Khmer), Lao, Oromo, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya, and Vietnamese.
The Mount Baker station area is a community of residents, small businesses, and neighborhood institutions that reflects the diversity of the Rainier Valley. Decades of planning have envisioned a station area as a vibrant neighborhood destination that is welcoming and safe for all. Planning efforts include the North Rainier Neighborhood Plan and Accessible Mount Baker.
In June 2020, the University of Washington transferred three parcels next to the Link light rail station, including the former UW Laundry site, to the City of Seattle to redevelop for affordable housing, childcare and an early learning research facility. Redevelopment of the City of Seattle Mount Baker sites and Sound Transit’s East Portal site will be a multi-year, multi-phase process. There will continue to be opportunities for community engagement throughout the redevelopment of the sites.
