FOLLOWUP: Newest timeline for Glassyard Commons RV/tiny-house site in West Seattle

| Safety | West Seattle news

By Macey Wurm
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

More than six months after we broke the news about an RV lot/tiny-house village planned for 7201 2nd SW in southeast West Seattle, construction has yet to begin.

We’ve been driving by the site looking for signs of impending construction; the photo above is what we saw Tuesday afternoon – nothing in sight. But the Low-Income Housing Institute, which has a $3 million contract to open the site, insists that construction is imminent.

As we’ve reported, the site now called Glassyard Commons would host space for 72 RVs and 20 tiny homes, with the RV residents allowed in if they agree to eventually give up their vehicles.

The project is “religiously sponsored” by New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, in theory making the permitting process more efficient by not requiring the government-owned land to be re-zoned. So far though, the project does not seem to be moving with the speed originally expected, with an original projection that it would be open before the Seattle World Cup matches (the last of which was two weeks ago).

That plan had changed by May, when our observation that construction had yet to start led us to reach out to Marta Kidane, LIHI’s community engagement manager. for an updated projection. She then confirmed that the site wouldn’t be open until after the World Cup. The new estimate at that time: the end of the summer. Also at this time, Kidane mentioned that the construction permit, water-service application, and electrical-service application have “preliminary approval and will be issued soon.”

Records viewable online through the Seattle Services Portal currently show a construction permit awaitings “corrections,” an electrical permit that has been issued, and a minor utility permit that has been issued in recent months at the 7201 2nd Ave SW address.

After observing that construction has yet to begin, we just followed up again with Kidane for an update. As of now, Kidane says, construction is expected to begin this month with a target of opening the site in November.

Mike July 22, 2026 (3:32 pm)

How much money has been frittered away already?

Alki resident July 22, 2026 (3:40 pm)

Reply

Excellent question Mike.
Jordan July 22, 2026 (4:44 pm)

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There’s no way of knowing how much money has already been spent until the City of Seattle pays for a study to be done about how much money has already spent.
- Derek July 22, 2026 (5:33 pm)
  
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  Why do you think a bunch of money has been spent here? Do you guys just echo the same tired right wing talking points with zero ounces of research?
  - k July 22, 2026 (6:34 pm)
    
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    The actual question asked says “frittered away”, so the answer is zero. Yes, money has been spent because the people writing, submitting, and processing permits are not volunteers. These things are obvious, which is how you know the OP’s question is disingenuous.
  - k July 22, 2026 (6:34 pm)
    
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    The actual question asked says “frittered away”, so the answer is zero. Yes, money has been spent because the people writing, submitting, and processing permits are not volunteers. These things are obvious, which is how you know the OP’s question is disingenuous.
  - Question Authority July 22, 2026 (8:40 pm)
    
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    There’s plenty of us moderates who also don’t like wasteful spending, you can stop with the one sided opinion of left good, right bad.
    - K July 23, 2026 (6:00 am)
      
      The problem is when us moderates ask for audits of wasteful spending at SPD, the right starts throwing a slew of accusations and assumptions about what’s driving that request, and generally do everything in their power to make fiscal responsibility a wedge issue.
- T Rex July 22, 2026 (8:21 pm)
  
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  Great evening laugh!!! Well said.