This joint project of Friends of Little Sà i Gòn (FLS) and Seattle Chinatown International District and Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) offers affordable family-sized housing and a ground floor cultural center with commercial space, a community kitchen, and art reflecting Vietnamese and Southeast Asian culture. Programs will include small business technical support, cultural events and activities for people of all ages, and history and art exhibits.
Project Story
Friends of Little Sà i Gòn (FLS) was established in 2011, with support from SCIDpda, to work towards the community’s vision for a Vietnamese cultural center, more affordable housing, and affordable commercial space in Seattle’s Little Saigon neighborhood. In 2023, after years of identifying, bidding on, and being outbid by private developers for potential sites, including a pivot to leasing a space that would become the Little Saigon Creative, FLS acquired property for the Little Saigon Landmark Project with seed funding from Seattle’s Equitable Development Initiative and worked to secure additional funding commitments from both public and private sources. SCIDpda will own and manage the six upper floors of housing and FLS will own and operate the ground floor cultural center.
From their community engagement process through 2024, they received strong and consistent feedback that the Landmark Project should be a physical representation of the Vietnamese American experience and center the community’s identity in Little Saigon. Its interior (Side x Side Architects) and exterior (Mithun) designs draw inspiration from natural materials found in Vietnam, utilizing colors reminiscent of traditional elements such as jade, and featuring an open concept ground floor.
The building’s art will build on these design elements and enhance the cultural expression of the overall project and will include murals, historical exhibits, signage, and banners. Whether the art is featured on the exterior of the building or housed within, it will serve as visual storytelling, build on and amplify existing community narratives, and celebrate the cultural and historical significance of Seattle’s Vietnamese American community.
Sustainability & Construction
- Construction Timeline: Project will break ground in Q4 2026. 18-month construction timeframe with expected Q2 2028 completion.
- Sustainability Features: Rooftop solar (PV) array, all-electric building with a heat pump-based hydronic heating, energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) in the dwelling units, C406 energy efficiency credits, ~1,371 SF extensive green roof (4–8″ growing medium), bioretention planters handling on-site stormwater management at the level 3 courtyard, 2,529 SF of structural soil cells supporting new street trees, EPA WaterSense-labeled fixtures.
Project Partners
