Video: Inside DESC’s almost-finished Cottage Grove Commons

| Delridge | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Next month, the DESC housing complex now known as Cottage Grove Commons is scheduled to open at 5444 Delridge Way SW, after about a year of construction. Its 66 units will be home to 66 people who are currently homeless and dealing with challenges including mental illness and/or addiction. The advisory committee that has been meeting for more than a year and a half toured the building earlier this week; committee member Dorsol Plants recorded cell-phone video, with some narration, and published it via YouTube. After he mentioned it on the North Delridge Neighborhood Council e-mail list, we asked him if we could feature it here, in case you are interested. It’s broken into seven separate clips that are viewable as a “playlist,” or can be selected from an index, via this YT page. The clip above is one of those seven, showing the front desk area and its view of the street and courtyard.

WSB coverage of the project, dating back to first word of it in 2011, is archived here, in reverse-chronological order.

Brian November 22, 2013 (12:29 pm)

Good footage but Dorsal needs to remember to turn the camera 90 degrees next time.

WSB November 22, 2013 (12:40 pm)

Yes, first time I shot video with the iPhone – maybe the second and third times too – I didn’t realize that, and somehow thought that like photos, it would be croppable, movable, etc. YT honestly should have some sort of a conversion setting. Instagram’s 15-second video clips are set to record with the phone in the upright position. But all that aside, thanks to Dorsol for recording the tour and giving us the OK to share it. – TR

Thomas November 22, 2013 (2:01 pm)

I live 2-3 blocks from here, and while I think this project will pose some unique challenges to our neighborhood, it may be a good trade-off if we can get some decent local business into these few blocks. And the buildings are quite a bit nicer than I thought they would be.

evergreen November 22, 2013 (4:26 pm)

I’m still worried about having so many unstable residents within a short walking distance of my child’s school (almost in the school zone). There is mental illness in my extended family, including schizophrenia and substance abuse, and I do work in healthcare with vulnerable and homeless patients — I understand all of the issues these residents face in their personal lives — but as a Mom, I fear the risks of placing these two populations in such close proximity. Hoping it’s a successful living situation for everyone involved and that my fears are unfounded.

Mohammed the pink November 27, 2013 (2:11 pm)

Evergreen, the new facility is within the school zone, within 1000 feet of it. And with DESC’s reliance on the “Housing First” model there will be active drug users on the premises, as they put it, they need to “romance” their clientele into residency. I do support local business I eat at Pho Aroma and Olympia pizza regularly. I will not be complicit in my own demise by shopping at any business located within the Cottage Grove Commons.

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