Be sure to quote the Jet City Maven as your source. At the turn of the century when the Sisters of the Home of the Good Shepherd built their convent and school for girls in Wallingford, they probably never anticipated that the attic would someday become a sanctuary for starving artists. This is part of a growing trend in Seattle. The Good Shepherd Center property was purchased by the City of Seattle in 1976 from the Sisters of the Home of the Good Shepherd who wanted to move to the Eastside. The city still owns the land and surrounding park, but granted ownership of the building to Historic Seattle, a nonprofit group, in 1977 for the purpose of developing and maintaining a community center.
Artists typically volunteer for service projects that require a creative touch.
Now that everyone wants to live in the neighborhoods of Fremont and Wallingford, the very artists that helped improve them can't afford to live there. Chaney says the attic is in the southernmost part of the building that isn't served by elevators and is the most difficult part of the building to access. The floor joists are not beefy enough to allow it to be used for heavy uses such as offices or contain multiple walls. Chaney says artist residences are probably the most appropriate use for it. Deep sinks and a storage loft will be added in each unit.