Hello everyone,

Something amazing and beautiful happened this week: We officially purchased The El Rey for $20! 

That means we completely stopped its demolition and secured its future for community use. It still feels unreal to say that, but we are thrilled to finally share that this sweetheart building is definitively not getting torn down, and instead is going to be transformed into an incredible piece of Seattle's cultural fabric.

Now the real work begins!

The building needs immediate stabilization. For the past year, the vacant structure has required a 24-hour fire watch costing $50,000 a month. Our first priority is restoring safety systems to lift this emergency order. Once stabilized, we will begin a phased rehabilitation process spanning several years.

Here is our slide deck that outlines our plans for the building:  What comes next!


This is a multi-year and multi-million dollar project that will grow and change over time, and we want our community to be part of that journey. We will send monthly updates that share what is happening inside the building, what milestones are approaching, and the many ways you can take part. Whether it is joining us for a tour, helping during stabilization, offering ideas for future programs, or simply cheering us on, there will be steady opportunities to be involved as The El Rey comes back to life.


Thank you so much! 
It’s really moving to think about how many people have supported us so far and we are so grateful we have the backing of the community. 



Warmly,

Timothy