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Newsletter - Building Community
Awards & Recognition
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NewHolly nears completion
Rental housing construction contract complete for
all three phases of NewHolly redevelopment
SEATTLE—February 22, 2006—This month marks the completion
of Seattle Housing’s rental housing contracts for all three
phases of the NewHolly redevelopment. Seattle Housing's contract for
the first phase of rental housing construction was with Absher
Construction and the second and third phases were with Walsh
Construction Company.
After more than ten
years of redevelopment work, NewHolly now
blends into the surrounding neighborhood, and has shed the stigma often
associated with very large public housing sites.
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The
transformation of the neighborhood was already noticeable after the
completion of the first phase, gaining recognition and admiration
across the nation as a successful mixed-income community.
“It has been amazing to see the
transformation of the neighborhood,” said Tom Tierney, SHA executive
director. “And it has happened because of the hard work and
partnerships with residents, community members, contractors and SHA
staff members.”
Rental homes in the first phase of NewHolly |
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NewHolly
before redevelopment
The redevelopment efforts have brought the community a long way from
what was originally known as Holly Park – a neighborhood of one- and
two-story wood frame structures originally built for defense workers
in World War II. From the early 1950s through the mid-1990s, Holly
Park provided public housing for low-income families. With seed
money from $48 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development “HOPE VI” grants, SHA initiated a comprehensive planning
and redevelopment project that involved Holly Park residents,
community member and partners.
Replacing all of the
original low-income housing
When the redevelopment of Holly Park began,
there were 871 units of low-income housing on site and most (799) have
already been replaced
on-site or in other parts of Seattle. The remaining 79 are either
currently under construction or in the planning stage. For more information,
click here. NewHolly
nearing completion
Today, the completed NewHolly still provides public housing for
low-income families, and a lot more.
“The residents’ and community
members’ voices were heard and many of their changes were made,”
said Carter Hart, SHA’s development project coordinator supervisor
for NewHolly. “Today, NewHolly is a safer and friendlier
neighborhood thanks to many of these ideas, like having parks and
playgrounds that serve as common areas and porches where neighbors
can visit with one another.”
NewHolly now offers 1,392 units of affordable, safe and decent homes
to a range of income levels. There are 530 units available for
people with very low incomes and 288 for people whose incomes are
moderate, but still below the area median income for Seattle. There
are 470 units for market-rate rentals and homes for sale. About
104 homes for sale have been made available to low-income and first-time
homebuyers. |
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Homes for Sale at
NewHolly
A third of the land at NewHolly
was sold to private homebuilders, who have created a variety of
homes for sale in the community. These home sales have not
only given people the opportunity to buy in-city homes across a wide
price range, they have returned the land to the property tax rolls,
generating revenue to the City of Seattle.
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Bennett-Sherman's homes for sale at
Othello Station |
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Proceeds from the land sales are used by Seattle Housing to pay for
the new low-income and replacement housing.
Even
though the contracts with the private homebuilders are complete, their
homes are still under construction in the community. These new
houses and town homes will be completed and offered for sale in
2006. |
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A few other projects
are still underway in the neighborhood and will be complete this year. The Community and Market
Gardens at the north end of Central Park in Othello Station began
development last month and will be in business this summer to offer
fresh vegetables to residents and the community. |
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Martha Goodlet and Bunly Yun from the P-Patch/
Cultivating Communities Program, which is part of a collaboration
with the non-profit P-Patch Trust and Seattle Housing Authority,
began developing the newest Community and Market Garden at the north
end of Central Park at Othello Station. |
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The
Harry Thomas Community Center at Lee House, which is behind the
Othello Building at Othello Station, will be renovated and reopened
to the community this summer. The Center will offer residents a
community meeting space and offices for small businesses or
non-profits.
Seattle
Housing also will begin developing the 3.6-acre mixed-use site east
of the Othello Building in coordination with completion of Sound
Transit’s new LINK Light Rail station at the corner of Othello and
Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. This land will remain vacant until a
year or so before the LINK Light Rail begins operation.
For
additional details on the NewHolly redevelopment, please
click here.
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