Building Legacy: The Sarah Queen Project Transforms Seattle’s Central District
If you have followed our journey, you know we've been working on very special projects. Recently, CapitalHillSeattle.com covered one of our major endeavors, and we have some exciting updates to share!
The Sarah Queen Project, named in honor of Sarah Queen Gardner, embodies her legacy of strong family and community values. Sarah Queen, my grandmother, along with many other working families, has been a pillar of our community. This development seeks to honor that tradition.
The Sarah Queen is a mixed-use development on 23rd Ave. in the Central District, one of Seattle’s most progressive neighborhoods. The building rises to a commanding eight stories and will feature 112 stunning apartment homes, as well as above-street-level commercial and live-work studios. Our goal is to seamlessly blend luxury, innovation, and cutting-edge design to redefine urban sophistication.
The Sarah Queen Project began with the acquisition of the Mount Calvary Christian Center property in 2020 for approximately $6.9 million. To support this significant investment, Gardner Global formed a strategic partnership with Heartland, an investment firm, which provided an additional $3.75 million. This partnership helped lay the financial groundwork for the project.
In 2022, we further bolstered our financial foundation by securing a $4.5 million grant from Amazon. This generous support from Amazon underscores the community's and corporate recognition of the project's potential to make a huge impact on the Central District.
Our vision for the Sarah Queen Project is deeply rooted in the community upliftment and economic empowerment. From the outset, we aimed to include black-owned enterprises in the development process, ensuring that the project contributes directly to the growth and prosperity of these businesses. We sought contributions from affordable housing developers and nonprofit organizations like Africatown, which are dedicated to building wealth for black and brown communities.
This collaborative approach aligns with GardnerGlobal's commitment to creating inclusive living spaces that benefit all residents. By fostering partnerships with entities dedicated to up-scaling our community, we ensure that the development not only provides luxury living options but also supports the socio-economic advancement of the Central District.
To provide a clear picture of the financial landscape, the total property acquisition cost was more or less $6.9 million. The crucial contributions from our partners and grants have been pivotal in supporting the property acquisition and development costs. The partnership with Heartland brought in $3.75 million, while the $4.5 million grant from Amazon significantly advanced our project funding, allowing us to move forward with confidence and stability.
The Queen Sarah project is currently being prepared for public design review. This project represents the diverse and vibrant nature of todays Seattleite, reflecting the casual-comfortable, business chic, and urban-core fashion style of this socially active community.
As Seattle considers its new 20-year growth plan, critics worry it still burdens historically marginalized communities, yet people recognize The Sarah Queen Project as a groundbreaking urban development model that balances the city’s need for new housing with fairness and inclusivity. We acknowledge these concerns and commit to ensuring that our development approach promotes fair growth. By spearheading innovative projects like SQ Project, we are leading the charge toward a more inclusive future for development in the Central District.
Our project stands as a testament to the fusion of luxury and community values, honoring the legacy of Sarah Queen Gardner and many others who have been pillars of the community. We are excited about the progress and look forward to the continued journey of transforming this vision into a reality.
Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to Gardner Global. Together, we are building not just structures but a stronger, more vibrant community.