Historic YWCA Building to Reopen in Downtown Seattle After Major Rehabilitation

SEATTLE, WA -- YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish is completing a major rehabilitation at YWCA Seneca, a multi-functional site with permanent affordable housing, direct service programs, and administrative offices in downtown Seattle. In honor of International Women’s Day, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 7 to celebrate the reopening of this location, which closed for renovation in July 2023.

WHAT: YWCA Seneca Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

WHEN: Friday, March 7, 2025 | 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: 1118 5th Avenue, Seattle WA, 98101

WHAT: 

• 11:00 a.m. Doors open, reception starts
• 11:30 a.m. Remarks by YWCA representatives and public officials
  • YWCA CEO, Maria Chavez-Wilcox
  • City of Seattle, Mayor Bruce Harrell
  • Washington Governor Bob Ferguson
  • YWCA Board Chair, Calandra Childers
• 12:00 p.m. Ribbon cutting ceremony, tour of new housing units

Funding sources for the renovation included the Washington State Financing Commission, Washington State Department of Commerce low-income tax credits, the City of Seattle Office of Housing, and other private and public partners.

JH Brawner worked on the historic property’s rehabilitation, which included renovating the top five floors of the existing structure and constructing 114 units of permanent affordable housing (98 studios, 16 one-bedrooms) for low-income and formerly homeless residents. In addition, all major systems were replaced and the first two floors were redesigned, while historic exterior and interior elements of the building were preserved.

These improvements were necessary for the long-term protection of housing and service delivery at YWCA’s flagship location, which was constructed from 1912 to 1914. YWCA Seneca was the first purpose-built structure in Seattle designed to benefit women and girls and opened with a variety of services for local women, including hotel accommodations, social facilities, vocational training programs, and more.