Treehouse, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of King County's foster children, recently staked its claim as the primary tenant in a new three-story brick building just off Rainier Avenue South.
When the box with the skewed window on the facade was painted green, the brown steel beams looked more like tree trunks and the box like a neighborhood tree house.
That is what the designers wanted for the 2100 Building. Squeezed between a pharmacy and Center Park, a Seattle Housing Authority residence for people with disabilities, the new building completes a stair-step transition from the newly resurfaced urban thoroughfare of Rainier Avenue South up to Martin Luther King Jr. Way South.
Thistledown LLC, long-time supporters of Treehouse, envisioned a space for non-profits to gather, function and serve the community. Representatives approached Treehouse with the idea and the concept became reality.
"The amazing thing about this building is that it was developed specifically for the purpose of enriching the lives of foster kids," said Grace Wiener, the organization's do-all office administrator and project manager for the new location. "Its not often that you build a building and you know the other tenants, you know the purpose it's going to have."
The YMCA Transitions program, one of several social services managed by the downtown YMCA, will occupy the north end of the second floor. The program assists young adults, who at 18 must leave the foster care system, with the change to independent living.
Susan O'Brien, director of Transitions, said her staff is excited about the move to the 2100 building, at 2100 24th Ave. S., scheduled for Oct. 4-5.
"It's light, bright and welcoming," she said. "It will be this program's home base."
Staff will report to the new location on Monday, Oct. 6, to unpack and settle in.
"We're excited by being right next door to Treehouse," O'Brien said.
Additional foster-care-centric groups continue to finalize negotiations for tenant space in the building.
Building visitors stroll past the steel trees and under the tree house into the lobby with a floor-to-ceiling atrium. Temporary flooring is now in place, but a tiled maze pattern will emerge as the grand opening nears.
The Wearhouse, a Treehouse service with clothing, toys, books and school supplies for qualified children, is just off the lobby. Retail in design, but not in pricing, kids can shop-at no cost-four times a year. Wall mountings for display hooks are already in place for the new and slightly used clothing and supplies. Three brightly painted dressing cubicles sit flush against the west wall of large space.
"The state gives foster parents $100 and says go clothe your kid for the year," said Dick Rosenwald, mobilization director for the organization. Rosenwald, who handles development, implementation and communication at every level of the organization, said concerned social workers got together to help foster care children and families.
The program helps kids return to school with new or nearly new clothes and the necessary supplies. Rosenwald said this helps the foster children pay attention to their education and school experience, rather than stick out as a child who has to do without.
The second floor has space for offices and the resources for the staff to support the additional services Treehouse offers.
Janis Avery, executive director of Treehouse, told a recent tour group that the extra space will help with families seeking assistance.
"Frequently we like to conference with families, and we've had a single couch to do that," said Avery. "So sometimes families have been lined up to get a chance to sit down." The designers thought of children when choosing colors for Treehouse's second floor administrative area. A column is painted purple, but reads more like the richness of grape and a yellow wall is as bright as a sunflower. The green is the color of Easter-basket plastic grass.
"We're going to have kites and fun banners hanging in the lobby that will really have that kid-friendly feel," said Wiener.
Secured parking for more than 90 cars is beneath the three levels. A large boardroom with tiered seating is the first space off of the lobby. The northwest corner of the first floor has meeting spaces that can be altered depending on the size of the group.
"Community meeting space is very hard to find at a good rate; non-profits do not have a lot of money for that sort of thing in their budget," said Wiener.
Tours of the new facility have been held since mid-summer and the ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Veteran's Day -Nov. 11-when children will not be in school. A child in the program and Dr. Constance Rice, wife of former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, will co-host the ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. A four-hour "Fun Fair Extraordinaire," with carnival games, clowns, toys and interactive booths, will begin after the ceremony.
Admission to the fair is by donation of merchandise to The Wearhouse. Information displays and information booths will set up in the first floor meeting space.
Pat Owen is a Mount Baker resident and freelance journalist. She may be reached via editor@sdistrictjournal.com.
