Lambert House Renovations & Move

MORTGAGE PAID OFF – DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEXT

Earlier this year, Lambert House retired the $2 million mortgage on our property. Paying off a $2 million mortgage in 7 years was a big achievement. If you are one of the donors who contributed to that first phase of our capital campaign, thank you.

Now that we own our facility, we have a responsibility to ourselves and to the youth to maintain it for the future. To that end, we aim to raise an additional $2 million for renovations in the second phase of our capital campaign. So far, we have raised $1,130,000 to stop the steadily worsening flooding of the basement and to expand program space. (Some volunteers will remember being in the basement with our program director with five-gallon buckets bailing an estimated 1,500 cubic feet, or 11,220 gallons, of water in a single day two winters ago. Foundation leaks are common among houses of similar vintage in Seattle.)

THE CONSTRUCTION

Over the next 1.5 years we will replace the entire foundation. The house is scheduled to be lifted off its 1901 brick foundation this August. When we know the exact date and time of the lift, we’ll arrange a field trip with youth and volunteers so they can watch the house-lift on-site.

The foundation’s 1901 brick walls and concrete slab will be demolished and removed. Dirt will be removed; the floor will be lowered; deeper foundation trenches will be excavated; footing drains will be installed; sub-floor drainage will be installed before a new floor slab is poured; the sewer pipe to the street will be lowered; new foundation walls will be poured; windows and exterior doors will be installed; the steep, narrow basement stairs will be replaced; ceiling height will be increased; heat will be added; a bathroom will be added; and new, dry youth programming space will be created including an art studio and a media lounge.

WHERE ARE WE MOVING TO?

During the foundation replacement, Lambert House will occupy another old Capitol Hill house and its adjacent carriage house at the South East corner of the Saint Mark’s Cathedral Campus:

1229 10th Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98102

You can map that address using Google Maps, WAZE, or MapQuest.

TRANSPORTATION

To reach our temporary location:

  1. METRO Bus Route #49 stops right in front, connecting to Link Light Rail and other METRO busses at the Capitol Hill Station

  2. Walk 19 minutes to/from the Capitol Hill Light Rail Station

  3. Drive 6 minutes from our current location

WHEN WILL WE START PROGRAMMING IN THE NEW SPACE?

Our first youth events at 1229 10th Avenue East will be:

Drop-in will operate at our current location through Wednesday, July 3rd. Drop-in will be on break from July 4th through 12th for the holiday weekend and moving; we will still offer our online programs July 8-13.

Youth who want to help pack program supplies at our 15th Ave location on July 8th & 9th, or unpack and set up our temporary space at Saint Mark’s on July 11th & 12th should reach out to Program Director Brandon Knox at brandon@lamberthouse.org

PARKING

  1. Ample free street parking near 1229 - 10th Ave. East is available on:

    • 10th Avenue East

    • East Galer Street

    • East Highland Drive

    • Federal Avenue East

  2. Parking on the St. Mark’s campus costs $2.18 per hour. Signs explain how to pay. We do not know how strictly it is enforced.

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

When arriving on foot from the light rail, by northbound #49 bus, or when parking on the street, please use the PEDESTRIAN STOP LIGHT and crosswalk at East Galer Street. There is a lot of fast-moving traffic on 10th Ave. East. Let’s not have any accidents or injuries.

MISCELLANY & WHAT TO EXPECT

Adjusting to a new space may be disconcerting or unsettling. We do not completely control the temporary space in the way we are used to, so staff may be able to say ‘Yes,’ or have to say ‘No,’ to some suggestions. Some of the spaces will be used by other groups when we are not there.

We’ll be in two separate buildings, connected by a short, outdoor walkway with several steps. There will be some new and/or different rules related to how we use these new spaces.

We’ll have fewer rooms for youth, and fewer offices. There is a bathroom in each building. Both spaces are wheelchair accessible but getting between them in a wheelchair is circuitous and outdoors. We can decorate the interior of one of the buildings but not the other.

We’re lucky to have found the space at St. Mark’s. The cathedral leadership, staff, and congregants are extremely welcoming to Lambert House.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN ONGOING

We still need money to complete the interior of the new basement. We hope to have an art studio, lounge/media room, improved clothing and hygiene bank, event supply storage, server room, and bathroom.  

If you want to make a contribution or a pledge to the capital campaign, please make it in addition to any donations to our programming that you usually make. Capital campaigns are one-time and must not cannibalize operating support. We still need your support to run our programs.

As always, you may donate at www.lamberthouse.org through the PayPal or Network for Good links there. You can also always donate by check, which saves 3% processing fees. You may even hand me cash. Appreciated stock can be easily transferred into our Morgan Stanley brokerage account. Cars can be donated (see our website). You can designate “Capital Campaign” with any of these donation types. Any amount is valuable. No amount is too small or too large.

Warmly,

-Ken