Last Thursday, Mercy Housing Northwest broke ground on their new afforsable housing complex Mercy Othello Plaza at 6930 Martin Luther King Jr. Way South. When it opens in March 2017, the building will include 108 apartments, more than sixty of which will be two- and three-bedroom units and rent will range from $450 to $1,110/month. Mercy Housing Northwest also plans to relocate its headquarters from downtown to become the project’s anchor tenant in the ground floor office space. Plans also call for further retail tenants and 45 parking spots.
Located just one block from the Othello light rail station, this project is the kind of complex that Seattle mayor Ed Murray is hoping to see more of since his recent backing of HALA recommendations for more affordable housing in the city.
"There is a clear need in Seattle for affordable family-sized housing, and Mercy Othello Plaza helps meet that need," said Mayor Ed Murray. "This is exactly the type of investment that helps make Seattle a more affordable and livable place for working families, new immigrants to this country and those facing obstacles to stable housing. When this project is complete, residents will live in a diverse neighborhood steps away from open spaces, health services and transit options that connect them to jobs and educational opportunities throughout the city."
Funding is the biggest obstacle for projects such as this one. The $35 million project raised it's funds through The City of Seattle Office of Housing, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo Bank, The Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Low Income Housing Tax Credits and The Rainier Valley Community Development Fund as well as private philanthropic donations.
Ankrom Moisan Architects designed Othello Plaza while Walsh Construction is the general contractor.
· These Seattle apartments will rent for as low as $450 a month [PSBJ]
· MHNW celebrates start of construction of Mercy Othello Plaza [MHNW]
· Othello Affordable Housing Project Looks to Build Community [CS]