Lake City Community Center Development
February 2026
Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Seattle Office of Housing have partnered with Mercy Housing to develop a new facility that will include a community center with 112 affordable housing units above. We would like your final feedback on the community center design and invite your input on the new play area planned adjacent to the community center building.
Three Opportunities to Learn More & Get Involved:
- Tuesday, March 10 from 4:30 - 6:30 pm - Drop-In at Lake City branch Library, 12501 28th Ave. NE
- Thursday, March 12 from 5 - 6 pm - Online Community meeting --You are invited to a Zoom webinar!
- Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android:https://zoom.us/j/94272576280
- Join via audio:+1 253 205 0468 US+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)Webinar ID: 942 7257 6280
- Online Playground Option Survey - see above
We are designing a community center that reflects the needs and desires of Lake City! Please participate.
The design team presented to the Design Commission on September 4, 2025. Here is the presentation:
Project Description
The Lake City Community Center has been an integral part of Lake City’s neighborhood history, serving as a hub for community activities and bringing together people of all ages and cultures. In 2023, a fire destroyed a major portion of the building, and the community center was demolished.
In 2024, Seattle Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Department of Neighborhoods, conducted a building needs assessment to better understand the community’s priorities for the new center. In 2025, the city selected Mercy Housing to lead the redevelopment, which will include 113 affordable rental homes on the upper floors and a new community center at street level. This innovative design will be the first of its kind for the City of Seattle by combining affordable housing, essential services, and shared community spaces to create a welcoming place where residents can live, gather, and thrive. Seattle Parks and Recreation, along with the Office of Housing and the Department of Neighborhoods, will continue to gather community input through public meetings to ensure the new community center meets both current and future needs of the Lake City community.
For more information on the housing component, please visit the Lake City Community Center and Affordable Housing Co-Location Redevelopment project page.
SPR is collaborating with the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) to conduct an inclusive public outreach and collate all the input to inform the design process for the community center component of the project.
Project Advisor Team
We held our first Project Advisory Team (PAT) meeting on June 17 with follow-up meetings on July 22 and October 22, 2025. We heard many important concerns and comments from the team and are working towards incorporating the feedback received to make the engagement process more meaningful for the community. If you are interested in viewing the recordings/meeting minutes of past meetings, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Here's the presentation on Oct 22,2025:
The Advisory Team serves as a sounding board for the design team and acts as a bridge between the design team and the Lake City neighborhood communities in relaying information related to the outreach efforts. The PAT is advisory to SPR and helps with the engagement process in a way that ensures all community voices are heard.
The Advisory Team serves as a sounding board for the design team and acts as a link between SPR and the Lake City neighborhood communities in relaying information related to the outreach efforts. The PAT is advisory to SPR and helps with the engagement process in a way that ensures all community voices are heard.
Community Documents
Housing Co-Location Redevelopment
The Lake City Community Center (LCCC) has been a key part of the neighborhood’s history, serving as a hub for community activities. Formerly operated by the Lions Club and later Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) from 2017 to 2023, it brought together people of all ages and cultures despite its small capacity. After a fire in April 2023 led to its closure and demolition in early 2024, plans began for redevelopment. This redevelopment will combine a new community center with affordable housing and services near transit, offering multiple benefits to the growing neighborhood.
The Development Team
The Seattle Office of Housing (OH), in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), has selected Mercy Housing to redevelop the former Lake City Community Center site.
This redevelopment of 112 affordable rental homes will include a large share of family homes that have 2-, 3-, and 4-bedrooms with an average affordability of ~49% AMI. FamilyWorks will provide services on-site for both residents and community center visitors. Mercy Housing also plans to implement their Resident Services and Mercy Scholars program for school-aged children at this housing community.
Subject to City Council approval, the City anticipates providing the land to Mercy Housing through a ground lease with a term of up to 99 years. The Office of Housing will also provide funding to redevelop the housing. The property is located at 12531 28th Avenue NE.
Looking Ahead
The new Lake City Community Center is being designed through a close collaboration between the Development Team and Seattle Parks and Recreation staff. Providing valuable input along the way is the Project Advisory Team (PAT), a dedicated group of Lake City community members who bring diverse ages, experiences, and connections to local organizations.
We will share more updates and opportunities to engage as the development progresses.
