Trinity Parish plans 30-story condo tower in First Hill

A First Hill church is planning a massive undertaking: a 30-story condo tower with 200-plus units.

Trinity Episcopal Parish owns several buildings adjacent to the 1892 church, but maintaining them has started to not be worth the money and effort. So they made the decision to sell development rights to the land to Australia-based Caydon Property Group while maintaining ownership rights.

The church itself will stay intact. Church operations will continue on the first three floors of the new building, and they hope to continue providing space to nonprofits and service providers.

In a press release, Trinity said the project “will allow Trinity and Caydon to make a substantial financial contribution to the City of Seattle for new affordable housing.” A spokesperson for Trinity confirmed that they plan to pay an in-lieu fee. (Current draft zoning changes for the area, which have not yet gone through City Council, would require $21 per square foot.)

The buildings currently on the site currently provide 10,000 square feet of space to service providers, and they hope to bring the same folks into the new, upgraded space.

Northwest Harvest runs an office out of the space, but they recently moved their executive offices to Belltown. They still operate the Cherry Street Food Bank out of the space, though. They’re searching for a new location.

When they find their new space, they hope to expand their services. Diana Axness, Northwest Harvest Board Chair, said in a statement that “a new home and realize the vision for our next-generation Food Bank and Community Engagement Hub,” including wraparound services for food bank clients.

A thrift store they operate with First Baptist is also currently on-site. Trinity also hosts arts nonprofits in the space, who “will be accommodated as possible during construction,” according to representatives of the church.

In their release, Trinity acknowledges that some service providers “may not choose to move twice,” but says all that currently occupy the space will be offered a new home in the new building.

Chicago-based SCB Architects will design the project with architect Clint Pehrson Architect. Caydon says they’ll have more details closer to early design guidance later this year.

The project is Caydon’s first on the west coast of the United States. Construction could start in about a year; Caydon estimates the project will be completed in 2019 or 2020.

This article has been updated since its original publication with additional information and to reflect that Cherry Street Food Bank has decided to not take a spot in the new building.

• 8th and Cherry Street [CPG]