By Omari Salisbury 

The Mount Calvary Christian Center in Seattle's Central District is slated for demolition in early February. The property was purchased for $3.75M  in June 2021 by GardnerGlobal and partners Heartland and Laird Norton, with plans to develop an eight-story mixed-income housing building.

Jaebadiah Gardner, the founder and CEO of GardnerGlobal, shared the news in an exclusive interview. "We're slated to demolish the building the first week of February," Gardner confirmed.

The looming demolition of the church has been met with mixed emotions across the Central District since the sale almost four years ago. While some are excited about the new development, others are saddened to see the historic church and landmark go.

Gardner acknowledged the community's attachment to the church, stating, "It's important for me to make sure that as a business, we keep our folks in the loop." He emphasized that the demolition is a necessary step in the development process. "Just because you don't see things happening doesn't mean things are not happening," he said.

New Building to Honor Legacy of Black Women and Entrepreneurship

The new building, named Sarah Queen after Gardner's grandmother, aims to honor the legacy of black women and entrepreneurship. "My grandmother was a churchgoing woman," Gardner shared. "And it so happens that I had the opportunity to purchase a church site named Mount Calvary, and that was the same name of a church where she was buried."

Gardner envisions the building as a tribute to his grandmother's entrepreneurial spirit and faith. "I want people to really hone in on the history of two things," he said. "I'm naming the building after my grandmother, Sarah Queen Gardner... My grandmother was a churchgoing woman. Monday to Monday, she was in church in Spokane, Washington."

The design of the building will reflect these themes, with subtle nods to black women's entrepreneurship and the black church. "I want to really tap into the culture and the history of black women entrepreneurship and the black church," Gardner explained. "Those are two big things that I'm tasking our architect with."

Commitment to Black Participation in the Project

As a black developer, Gardner says he is committed to involving black people and black-owned businesses in the project. "I don't really need to think that hard about hiring black people," he said. "I'm hiring black people if they're qualified and can do the work."

Gardner emphasized that his focus is on ensuring that black contractors receive a significant share of the contract dollars. "It's not about the percentage to me, it's about the contract dollar amount to me," he stated. "And I want to make sure that we're spreading that dollar amount across the board as evenly as possible."

Project Timeline and Affordable Housing

The $50 million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. The building will house 125 to 130 units, with a mix of studios, one-bedrooms, and two-bedrooms.

Gardner plans to make a significant portion of the units affordable. "At least a lot of the studios and one-bedrooms [will be] at a price point that we think people will be able to afford comfortably," he assured.

In addition to the Sarah Queen building, GardnerGlobal is also planning to develop a 100% affordable housing building on the adjacent teen center site across the street that he also acquired from Mount Calvary and the adjacent property from a private owner for $4.3M.

Community Engagement and Transparency

Gardner says he is committed to informing the community about the project's progress. "I feel like it is a responsibility given that the Central District has so much history with us as a community," he said.

Mount Calvary's Current Location

While they await the completion of their new church home, Mount Calvary Christian Center is currently holding Sunday services at Emerald City Seventh Day Adventist Church located at 801 25th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 at 10 am.

Looking Ahead

The demolition of Mount Calvary Christian Center marks the beginning of a new chapter in the ever-expanding book of  23rd and East Union, often referred to as the most controversial block in Seattle. With Jaebadiah Gardner’s stated commitment to affordable housing and black entrepreneurship, the Sarah Queen building has the potential to be a positive addition to the neighborhood. As a child of the Central District myself, I can only wait and see and hope that he is right.