“Heart of High Point” campaign needs you

| Development | High Point | How to help | West Seattle news

That’s an architect rendering of Neighborhood House, the new social-services center to be built in High Point starting this fall. 80% of the money for it already has been raised – now the “Heart of High Point” campaign wants to get the word out about this major West Seattle project, and invites you to a gathering next Monday night. Here’s what Cathy Cooper e-mailed WSB about it:

This “Heart of High Point” Neighborhood Center will be a Gold LEED certified
Green building, with solar panels, water filtration systems, a deep-well based heating/cooling system … all set in the environmentally sensitive and award winning High Point community. This building will be a real-life example of how to create sustainable spaces for delivering social services, combating poverty, and building a stronger community.

The HPNC will provide vital community services and support programs to more than 4,000 residents and their families annually. It will provide access to critical support services to 700 low-income families living in the redeveloped public housing in the High Point mixed income community.

The center will also demonstrate how cultures all over the world view environmental stewardship, and how immigrants from these cultures can teach us all lessons about caring for our shared planet.

To help spread the word about this exciting new development in our own backyard, a group of West Seattle-connected volunteers are meeting at Mission (2325 California Ave SW) at 5:45 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 18. We’re focused on how to raise awareness about the “Heart of High Point” campaignand let West Seattelites know what this new building is all about. We’d like to invite our neighbors to join us. For more information, contact me at cooper1513@comcast.net.

coffee geek February 14, 2008 (10:55 am)

I oppose this project. The gathering place for the neighborhood will result in excessive laughter (noise). There’s bound to be punk kids roaming around and they’re likely to deal drugs, torture my cat, stomp on my prize tulips, and skateboard. Why can’t everything stay the way it was when I moved here two years ago? WHY??

Pete February 14, 2008 (3:02 pm)

what you thought they weren’t going to build anything else? you can always protest int eh street….

Wendy February 14, 2008 (3:59 pm)

I am actually very excited about this building. They will provide meeting space for neighborhood groups and it will be a shorter hike than going to the library! I imagine the Neighborhood Association, the HOA and the Open Space Associations will all be able to host their meetings here instead of the community center – which frankly, is not within the community but on the farthest southern tip! After dark, in the rain, across a street with no safety walk, and you need about 15 minutes to do it. If you’re running late, you just end up driving. Do you realize how big of a hypocrite I feel like when I drive to a meeting that’s “within” my own neighborhood? Of course I am not alone, almost everyone does it (even just the few blocks to the library). I can’t wait for summer and daylight in the evenings!

coffee geek February 14, 2008 (7:45 pm)

Thought my sarcasm would be obvious…a little attempt at humor, remembering the skateboard park NIMBY gripe-fest. Of course Neighborhood House is a great thing!

Joe February 15, 2008 (1:14 pm)

Just curious who will pay for the operation of this facility? I enjoy living in High Point, but it’s pretty expensive homeowner dues. Are the homeowners going to pay for the operation of this facility? It’s just getting out of hand. I’m currently paying over $300/month in HOA dues. Is this going to take it higher yet?

Nathan February 16, 2008 (10:20 am)

Sure the building is a good idea, but I have to agree with Joe. Where’s the limit? I too am paying more than $300 per month in HOA dues, and think that it is absurd if we are all of the sudden on the hook to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of this additional building. For many homeowners, the SHA was subsidizing dues for a while, and then they went up when the subsidy disappeared. If this gets tacked on as well, how are people going to want to move in here, pay a mortgage plus $300? $400? $500? in HOA dues?

Peter Wolf February 16, 2008 (11:49 am)

Hello Joe, The new High Point Neighborhood Center (HPNC)will be owned and operated by Neighborhood House a 102 year old non-profit organization providing services to individuals and families in Seattle and King County since 1906. (www.nhwa.org) I live in West Seattle, work for Neighborhood House and am part of the planning team. All operating expenses of the Neighborhood Center will be covered by Neighborhood House through our budget and collection of rents from other program providers renting space in the building. The HPNC will not cause homeowners dues to go up. I/we are working hard so that the Center will make life even more enjoyable for you and your neighbhors in High Point.

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