By Ruth Bayang
Northwest Asian Weekly
Mary’s Place
Mary’s Place announced on March 28 that it would sign a two-year lease for the former Keiro Care Center at 1601 East Yesler. Mary’s Place provides crisis response family shelter at several locations in King County, as well as employment and wellness services.
Linda Mitchell
Linda Mitchell, the chief communications officer at Mary’s Place, told the Northwest Asian Weekly that Shelter Holdings, LLC, of Bellevue, offered the building to Mary’s Place rent-free for two years. Shelter bought the now-vacant building on Yesler which will be used by Mary’s Place as a 24/7 shelter for families with children who are experiencing homelessness. Mary’s Place said it will make a few minor repairs to the building before moving families in, in early May.
“It’s a beautiful facility that’s just perfect for our needs,” said Mitchell.
Keiro Northwest building (Photo by John Liu)
The former Keiro building is three stories high and 62,388 square feet. It will shelter single and two-parent families with children who are experiencing homelessness, and serve as a family center, modeled after family centers in Burien, North Seattle, Northshore, downtown Seattle, and White Center. Like Mary’s Place other locations, the Yesler family center shelter will be staffed 24 hours, and volunteers will assist with meals and activities.
The private rooms and bathrooms, along with large common areas of the Yesler facility, will provide needed space to allow for social distancing while necessary.