A MESSAGE FROM DEAN THOMASON

Saint Mark's Receives $100,000 Grant from Trinity Church Wall Street to further explore affordable housing on the Cathedral campus

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to share that Saint Mark’s is the recipient of a $100,000 grant from Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies to help fund feasibility and predevelopment costs for further exploring affordable housing on the Cathedral campus. The grant will span a six-month period through April 2024 and supports the completion of key assessments of the St. Nicholas site such as financial feasibility, geotechnical surveys, environmental and historic building rehabilitation studies.

From its formation by Vestry leadership in fall 2022, the Affordable Housing Exploratory (AHE) Committee has been committed to offsetting pre-development costs in exploring affordable housing on campus. In May 2023, Enterprise Community Partners awarded Saint Mark’s $35,000 that funded initial feasibility costs, including working with a consultant, architect, and surveyor.

The work of exploring affordable housing on campus is guided by Saint Mark’s mutual ministry goals of Restorative Justice and Systemic Change, Intergenerational and Innovative Community, and Creation Care and Carbon Reduction. Safe and affordable housing is a foundational need to live and thrive but the rise in the cost of buying and renting homes in Seattle continues to make it challenging for individuals and families to live in the city.

In September the AHE Committee shared initial background on affordable housing and progress made in this phase of exploration in two parish forums. Recordings and resources from those conversations, in addition to FAQs, can be found at saintmarks.org/affordablehousing. No decisions have been made, and the AHE Committee continues to seek your input -- email affordablehousing@saintmarks.org with comments or questions.

While no decision has been made about this project, the grant from Trinity Church Wall Street will enable the Saint Mark’s Vestry to make a well-informed, data-driven and mission-guided decision about redevelopment at the appropriate time. We are glad for this partnership with Trinity, and we will continue to communicate at key stages in the exploratory process.

Faithfully yours,

The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason
Dean and Rector