As part of its 50th Anniversary celebrations, the Seattle Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) planned three different neighborhood tours, each leading guests through a different era of the organization’s history.
The first tour, Rooted in Preservation (1975-1999), allowed guests to discover the early years of SCIDpda, when community leaders fought to preserve the Chinatown International District and secure vital resources like the Bush Hotel and New Central Hotel. The second, Growing with Community (1995-2014), explored SCIDpda’s expansion into real estate development. This period saw major investments in housing, small business support, and cultural spaces that define the neighborhood.
Finally, in Building for Future Generations (2015+), you can learn how SCIDpda has evolved to meet new challenges, focusing on SCIDpda’s strategic growth, community partnerships, and vision for the next 50 years.
📅 Thursday, September 18, 2025
🕒 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Tour begins at Hing Hay Park
But in case you missed it…
Tour 2 Highlights
🏘 IDVS I & II
We began the tour at International District Village Square I (1998) and II (2004) — cornerstones of community-led development. IDVS II was SCIDpda’s first family-focused housing, with 56 units that range from subsidized to affordable.
The buildings also housed key community services, including the public library, Legacy House, and providers like ICHS, ACRS, and Denise Louie. We also honored the legacy of Gene Viernes and Silme Domingo, Filipino-American labor activists whose fight for justice still echoes here in the CID.
🎨 Canton Alley & Facade Improvements
In the early 2010s, SCIDpda helped revitalize Canton Alley into a lively space for community gathering. It was used for some of SCIDpda’s events, such as the Outdoor Party in Canton Alley, raising awareness for other organizations in the neighborhood to utilize the space.
🌿 Hing Hay Park, Public Safety, and Spring Clean
We stood in the expanded Hing Hay Park, redesigned to support multigenerational use and outdoor events. The park was central to SCIDpda-led safety initiatives like Block Watch and Spring Clean, a beloved neighborhood cleanup tradition since 1999.
🚈 Transit & Streetcar
We reflected on how the renovation of the lightrail station and streetcar construction impacted neighborhood businesses. Delays and disruptions sparked broader conversations around community input, leading to efforts like the CID Retail Study and one-on-one business assistance to support local resilience.
🏙 Yesler Terrace & Little Saigon
We ended the tour by connecting the CID to surrounding neighborhoods. The redevelopment of Yesler Terrace began in 2012, with housing expansions and improved connections like the hill climb. In Little Saigon, we explored how the formation of Friends of Little Saigon — supported by SCIDpda — helped preserve culture, resist large-scale development, and eventually shape the Little Saigon Action Plan.
✨ Join us for Tour 3: Building for Future Generations (2015+) to see how SCIDpda has evolved to meet new challenges, from acquiring and developing more properties to supporting the CID’s long-term sustainability. This era also focuses on SCIDpda’s strategic growth, community partnerships, and vision for the next 50 years.
