23rd and Cherry
Acer House is being proudly built at one of the most imporant intersections in the heart of Seattle’s Central Area.
Constructing in Our Context
The corner of 23rd and Cherry is both the last major ‘undeveloped’ intersection of the 23rd corridor, but also the entrance for the Garfield Superblock, a thriving open space with parks, a school, a community center and cultural institutions. The Central Area itself is and was a thriving heart of the Black and immigrant communities of Seattle.
Our goal is to create a new development which anchors all these threads together and becomes and integral part of our broader community, drawing residents, businesses, and visitors into a welcoming ecosystem.
The Central Area is central to Seattle in many ways. Not only is it in the geographic center of Seattle, is an area to which many waves of immigrants moved. Most notable among these communities was that of Black families that settled in the area in the years following World War II.
This Black community first suffered from a series of discriminatory practices which prevented them from investing in their own homes or new ones elsewhere. In more recent years, in-equitable development practices have displaced the community, both cause Black residents to leave their homes and preventing them from participating in the vast amount of wealth creation that has come to the area.
To learn more about the Central Area and how it continues to be shaped by migration, (in)equity and development, we encourage you to read the Central Area Design Guidelines, an official City document that was authored with community input by the principal designers of Acer House, Grace Kim and Donald King.
The Garfield Super Block immediately to the Southeast of Acer House is a thriving part of the Central Area currently undergoing a major major renovation and restoration. The following is a quote from the Superblock improvement project description:
Located at the heart of the Central Area, the Garfield Superblock is the community’s central gathering place as well as a historical City-wide destination. Known to some as “Little City Hall”, the space pulsates with a rich history of events, people, and moments, which continues today.
The block is comprised of the Garfield Community Center, Medger Evars Pool, the Tennis Courts and adjoining Garfield Park, including the historic Garfield Ball Fields; the Teen-Life Center, the Quincy Jones Performing Arts Center; and Garfield High School and Track and Field. The community is known for its ethnic and racial diversity, being a historic platform of important civic events and cultural arts, and warm, welcoming hospitality during celebrati ons and in times of need.