Every development has a story, but few are storied projects. The Sarah Queen has been designed to celebrate her rich and interwoven stories: the Black community’s deep roots in the Central District, an entrepreneurial family and a strong and connected neighborhood.
The Sarah Queen (TSQ we’ll call her) is a mixed-use development at 23rd & Union in Seattle’s historic Central District neighborhood. A four-square-mile area, the CD has always been a diverse destination, with cultural groups settling its streets in waves over the past hundred years. European Americans were followed by Japanese, Jewish and Black communities. The cultural mosaic that resulted was a wellspring of creativity. Music from blues to jazz, cuisine from Mediterranean specialties to soul food delights, and unique and colorful art infused the neighborhood with life and vibrancy.
The early 2000’s brought more change, and the Black community began to be displaced, businesses closed, and the neighborhood’s light dimmed. Over the past 10 years that light has come back on, shining ever more brightly each year. Reinvestment and new development have re-energized the neighborhood with over 1,000 new multifamily units, popular and creative restaurants and locally-owned retail. Once again, the CD’s sidewalks are alive with a bold diversity of people and cultures, creating new neighborhood flavors, textures and experiences.
As the Central District evolved and changed, on the other side of the state, in Spokane, WA, a woman named Sarah Queen Gardner was weaving her own story. Sarah opened salons in challenging locations and neighborhoods, with a goal of not only building her family business, but of also creating lift for the communities around her. A pioneering businesswoman, civic activist and deeply religious woman, Sarah welcomed all people and was a champion of the Black community, working tirelessly to ensure the city leadership met the needs of its people. Sarah’s optimism, work ethic and commitment to community created a strong impression on her grandson, project developer, Jaebadiah Gardner.
Once the location of the Mount Calvary Christian Center, the project site has long been an address that played witness to hope, celebrations, challenges and the beauty of neighbors coming together. The church was a foundation of the Black community, of the neighborhood, and of the people who gathered to worship within its walls. As parishioners moved out of the community, and headed to Seattle’s outskirts, the church leadership began to look for a path forward. Jaebadiah Gardner, the founder and owner of GardnerGlobal saw an opportunity to build a project that would speak to his grandmother’s passions: entrepreneurship, community leadership and the creation of meaningful connections between people. The fact that this was a church property only seemed appropriate as well, and with Jaebadiah’s purchase, the land would continue to be Black-owned.
Introducing The Sarah Queen – a unique mixed-use project being built on one of the last developable parcels in the 23rd & Union urban village. With the land secured, a sparse development pipeline and aggressive pricing from the trades, TSQ is positioned to be one of the first projects opening in the next cycle.
See why below.
Jaebadiah Gardner is the founder and CEO of Gardner Global, a vertically integrated development services and property management firm based in Seattle. With a background in construction and project management, Jaebadiah leads his team in a collaborative, community-centric approach to real estate, resulting in the development of exceptional places where people simply want to be. The Liberty Bank Building, located just a block from The Sarah Queen project site, is an example of such a place. Honoring its history while looking to the future, The Liberty Bank Building offers affordable housing and has become a community hub for the Central District.
Heartland is a Seattle-based real estate advisory and investment firm with 40 years of experience creating value for clients, including families and family-owned businesses, non-profit organizations, corporations, and real estate development, investment and operating companies. Heartland combines strategy development and analytical rigor with execution capabilities in real estate brokerage, asset management, capital markets, and development services to positively impact the communities, organizations and families with whom we work.
Does The Sarah Queen development perk your interest? We’d be honored to talk to you about our plans. Please connect with us and we can get a conversation started.
1409 Post Alley Seattle, WA 98101
gardnerglobal.com
JSG@gardnerglobal.com
(206) 556-3329
801 2nd Ave, Suite 614 Seattle, WA 98104
heartlandllc.com
bwharton@htland.com
(206) 805-2467
cfiori@htland.com
(206) 805-2462
