Marion West Apartment project in Seattle to help homeless young people

SEATTLE  --  A new building in the U. District will house community members in need of a little help.

A grand opening held Tuesday celebrated the newly finished Marion West Apartments.  The 49 studio apartments are designed for the young homeless aged 18 to 24 and low-income workers who are just entering the workforce.

The building also includes community spaces, classrooms, counseling offices and a food bank that’ll use the roof to grow vegetables.

“As you all know, the University District and a lot of other parts of the city are out of reach for regular people, let alone people that are struggling in our community,” said Sally Clark, former Seattle City Council member who now serves as the University of Washington’s director of Regional and Community Relations.  “We need a lot more of this at the University of Washington and the university is partnering to find ways to make that happen as we move forward.  This is a great example.”

The Low Income Housing Institute says it will be a safe space for the people who need it most.

The project is named after Marion West, who helped break the color barrier in the U. District by housing African Americans and students of color back in the 1950s.

The building includes energy-efficient features and offers community space, resident lounges, decks and a community kitchen.

The project was funded through the City of Seattle, King County, the Washington State Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development .  KeyBank provided construction financing for both the food bank and housing.