$32 million White Center Community HUB breaks ground; First stage to open in fall of 2025

Many community leaders were in attendance for the groundbreaking of the White Center Community Hub project now slated for opening in fall of 2025.

Photo by Patrick Robinson

The White Center Community Hub, a $32 million community center in planning since 2017 broke ground at Dick Thurnau Park on May 18. 

Well over 200 community members and dignitaries were in attendance including leaders who made it possible (see the full speakers list below).

The White Center Community HUB will feature a large hall, recording studio, maker space, community kitchen, and much more, alongside vital affordable housing. 

Community members in White Center envision…

• Self-determination and community ownership: Develop the site in partnership with the people who live and work in White Center and make sure it reflects community priorities.

• Center of learning: Create a hub for lifelong learning, including opportunities such as work force training, small business incubation, youth tutoring, computer labs, alternative education and child care.

• Integrated health services: Behavioral and physical health services integrated through SWYFS Counseling Center and HealthPoint’s medical clinic operating in partnership for seamless support of the whole person.

• Quality homes for working families: Build 76 quality homes affordable to individuals and families earning between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income – the people that help make White Center work like teachers, janitors, and bus drivers. For example, incomes might range between roughly $32,000 and $64,000 a year for a family of four.

Reflecting the long term collaborative nature of thie project, 16 speakers came to the podium to address the crowd. Dow Constantine, King County Executive said, 

“White Center has been part of my life, my whole life… It is really a testament to the power of community and urban development and what is possible when communities and local governments partner. King County is and has been proud and pleased to be able to be a part of this effort. Working with the County Council, we have invested $16,000,000 in this project to create 76 affordable homes alongside the space for community and education programs and integrated health services and small businesses and your collective voice as a community and your advocacy made this work, and the White Center community hub possible…It’s been years now since we transferred this county land to the White Center CDA.

During COVID, we created a participatory budgeting process and I want to thank the people of White Center, in particular for voting to allocate $750,000 from that budgeting process to this project.

And we cannot forget the direct work of the King County Council, $1 million was awarded in the 2022 Council budget and that is owing pretty much exclusively to the efforts of your now former County Council member who has chosen to go pursue other interesting avenues, but he’s here with us today. Please welcome and thank King County Council Member Emeritus Joe McDermott. Thank you, Joe for all you’ve done for our community. The investments made by public funders and private funders will match the lived experience of those who call this neighborhood home, including those who’ve been here for generations. Including those who just recently arrived.

Our purpose at King County at Martin Luther King County, our true North, is to create a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We seek to align all of our work around that single purpose. And that means services and infrastructure and opportunities, and it means centering community in our decision making. So thank you for being a part of taking that vision. The vision of a community where every person, regardless of where you started in life, can truly fulfill your potential. And taking another step toward making it real here in White Center. Thank you so much and congratulations everyone. “

The full list of speakers at the White Center Community Hub groundbreaking event May 18.

• Sili Savusa, ED, PICA-WA, former ED, WCCDA

• Dow Constantine, King County Executive

• Ivan Duran, Highline Public Schools Superintendent, and Stephanie Tidholm, Director of Highline Public School Board

• Sherry Williams, Health Point Vice President of Community Engagement and External Affairs

• Eileen Norton, Cochair, Board of Directors, SWYFS

• Steve Daschle, Former ED, SWYFS

• Senator Joe Nguyen

• Chris Persons, ED, CRH

• Pastor Lina Thomson, Board Member, YES! Foundation of White Center

• Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, King County Council District 8

• Rocky Fong, VP of Community & Business Development, JP Morgan Chase

• Jon Clarke, Chief Lending Officer, Enterprise Community Loan Fund

• Michael Tanaka, Outreach and Grants Coordinator, Office of Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal

• Aaron D. Garcia, ED, WCCDA