SEATTLE, WA – Historic Seattle and the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) today announced the transfer of ownership and stewardship of Victorian Row Apartments, located at 1234 S King Street in the Little Saigon neighborhood of the Chinatown International District (CID). Effective November 24, 2025, SCIDpda will assume operations of the 14-unit historic property.
Built in 1891, Victorian Row is the only unaltered apartment building in Seattle predating the 1900s. The building was designated a Seattle Landmark in 1979 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Historic Seattle has stewarded the property since 1993, rehabilitating it into affordable housing and maintaining its cultural and architectural integrity for more than three decades.
“Stewardship of the Victorian Row property made a lot of sense for us,” said Jamie Lee and Jared Jonson, Co-Executive Directors of SCIDpda. “While 14 units may sound small, the property includes larger units of up to three bedrooms—consistent with the family-sized housing SCIDpda has prioritized in its new developments. Integrating Victorian Row into our portfolio strengthens our commitment to preserving historic properties while creating meaningful housing opportunities in the CID.”
The property’s unit mix includes two studios, two one-bedrooms, six two-bedrooms, and four three-bedrooms. Twelve units are supported by City of Seattle Office of Housing subsidies, ensuring long-term affordability.
With the transfer, SCIDpda will expand its housing portfolio to 559 affordable units across the CID. The organization is already deeply invested in Little Saigon through its partnership with Friends of Little Saigon (FLS) on the Landmark Project, slated to open in 2026, and through the CID Small Business Relief Team, which assists CID small businesses year-round with economic development and technical support, while aligning and sharing resources to best serve businesses across the neighborhood.
SCIDpda acknowledges ongoing challenges in the area. The organization is collaborating with FLS, neighboring property owners, and the City of Seattle to advance solutions—including improved security, community engagement, and park activations at the adjacent Hoa Mai Park. SCIDpda intends to submit a proposal to the City to support ongoing operations of the building, with the potential to leverage common-area units in Victorian Row for programming.
“We have always recognized that achieving our mission of saving meaningful places to foster lively communities can’t be accomplished in a silo — it takes a team,” said Kji Kelly, Executive Director. “We are confident that SCIDpda—a fellow public development authority with a 50-year record of preserving community properties and developing affordable housing—will continue this work with the same values of preservation, community engagement, and cultural integrity.”
The transfer aligns with SCIDpda’s current strategic plan, which emphasizes developing affordable housing and preserving community properties to meet the needs of the CID. With its long-term stake in the neighborhood, SCIDpda views the acquisition of Victorian Row as both a continuation of preservation efforts and an opportunity to deepen its impact in Little Saigon.
About SCIDpda
Founded in 1975, the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) is a community developer dedicated to preserving, promoting, and developing the Chinatown International District as a vibrant community and unique ethnic neighborhood. SCIDpda’s work spans three areas: managing affordable housing and commercial properties, developing new housing projects such as Beacon Pacific Village and 13th & Fir Family Housing, and advancing community and economic development through small business support, public space activation, and neighborhood engagement.
About Historic Seattle
Historic Seattle has actively participated in saving and activating historic places for community use and enjoyment since the organization was created in 1973. Through the organization’s education, advocacy and preservation work, the organization shapes a livable city that values and protects its collective history.
Media Contacts
SCIDpda
Joseph Guanlao, Sr. Development & Communication Manager
joseph@scidpda.org
(206) 334-2548
Historic Seattle
Kji Kelly, Executive Director
kjik@historicseattle.org
206-622-6952
