DEVELOPMENT: New owner for former church site at 2900 SW Myrtle

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(Image from Google Street View)

The former Trueliving Church site in southeast High Point – long eyed for redevelopment – has new ownership. We checked into its status after multiple questions from readers. Records show the church sold its site at 2900 SW Myrtle for $3 million less than two weeks ago, and dedicated its new location in Burien today. The church had been in West Seattle for more than 30 years. But change for its site had long been in the wind – three years ago, we wrote about a proposal for 34 residential units on the site. A version of that application is still alive in city files, although it’s not clear yet what the current plan is for the site: The new owner is another church, Debre Menkirat Kidus Georgis Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Two readers report activity on the site, including clearing brush. We’re working to contact them to find out about their plan for the site.

Jason November 10, 2024 (7:39 pm)

Yes, we need to keep up infill and get density going. Housing prices are insane and you can’t get a starter home anymore hardly. Housing density is the single thing that will lower housing costs. Every time.

flimflam November 11, 2024 (9:09 am)

The idea that housing prices (especially a SFH) will drop is a fantasy.
CarDriver November 11, 2024 (10:31 am)

Are you a developer? Please give us documentation that density is a guarantee of lower prices.
- Jason November 11, 2024 (11:40 am)
  
  The data says density (along with some zoning changes) bring down housing costs. Have to adjust for inflation and minor location factors (like Kansas versus Seattle type gaps) but yes, it overall brings down not only costs for purchaser, but costs for building. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/land-use-reforms-and-housing-costs
  - Jethro Marx November 11, 2024 (1:54 pm)
    
    You seem to be adding to what the authors propose to have found in that study, although I did not read the whole thing. The abstract includes no such claims, instead proposing that zoning policy that increases allowable density has a very small impact on supply, focused at the top end of the market.
    
    “…we find no statistically significant evidence that additional lower-cost units became available or became less expensive in the years following reforms.”
    
    But also I’m pretty sure this church property will continue to be used as a worship space.
    
    Good luck with all that trickle-down housing density theory though.
- K November 12, 2024 (12:11 pm)
  
  Housing prices are supply and demand. Increase supply, prices will stabilize, if not drop, because it alleviates demand. Right now the rate of new development is not fast enough to tip the balance. The demand still far outstrips supply. But more development will absolutely help housing prices. You don’t need any studies to see that; supply and demand is simple economics.
  - Jethro Marx November 12, 2024 (3:50 pm)
    
    Yes, people keep saying this. Can you show me an example in our country where building new housing at the upper end of the market lowered prices across the board?
    
    Or, since it’s simple, maybe you could show us a time and place anywhere that private developers increased the supply of housing and prices decreased.
    - K November 16, 2024 (4:13 pm)
      
      Look at Houston’s housing market over the last 20 years or so compared to San Fransisco’s. Heck, look at what the glut of condo building in the late 1990s did for condo prices in Belltown come 2001 or so. Someone always posts a response like this like it’s some kind of “gotcha” but your unwillingness to look up stats and verify for yourself does not actually mean that evidence doesn’t exist. Supply and demand. It’s a real thing.

SvD November 12, 2024 (9:17 am)

Clever omission of the very next sentence of the abstract Jethro quoted,

“However, impacts are positive across the affordability spectrum and we cannot rule out that impacts are equivalent across different income segments.”
Please Jethro, explain how supply does not affect price?

Jethro Marx November 12, 2024 (10:46 am)

Yes, I suppose it was clever of me to ignore the meaningless but hopeful fluff and limit the quote to the authors’ definitive statements that directly refute the claim Jason was trying to use the study to support.

As to your question, adding more luxury boxes to a stadium will never reduce the cost of the cheap seats, will it? It may increase them, and it will certainly increase the average cost.

I know there’s some urban legend out there that density will make housing cheaper, the earth greener, and city dwellers happier, but that all seems pretty questionable to me. It certainly is not supported by the study Jason linked here.

PK November 16, 2024 (2:36 pm)

There have now been NUMEROUS noise and parking complaints called in to SPD about the new owners. Amplified drums and chanting and car noise at 2, 3, 4, and 5am. Not a way to get in good with your new neighbors. SPD, DO SOMETHING. Rather than your normal ‘nothing’.

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