Q& A with David Dologite, Director of Real Estate and Sustainable Communities, Capitol Hill Housing

In his work at this nonprofit, Capitol Hill resident David Dologite is responsible for affordable housing and development of community facilities. One of his priorities is the commercial vitality among small businesses along 12th Avenue from East Jefferson Street to the Pike/Pine corridor. Neighborhood planning for 12th Avenue includes new facilities for the performing arts, an effort that has been a decade in the making.

Can you describe 12 Ave Arts, the new mixed-use building now under construction at 1620 12th Ave.?

There has been less and less affordable
art space on Capitol Hill. With 12 Ave Arts, we’ll add two performing arts theaters to the neighborhood, one with an 85-seat capacity, another with 150 seats. They’ll operate
in partnerships with Strawberry Theatre Workshop, Washington Ensemble Theatre, New Century Theatre Company and Cornish College of the Arts. We’ll have community- oriented office space for nonprofits that have been displaced by high rents. Capitol Hill Housing will be located there, too. There will be retail on the ground floor, including a restaurant. We’ll also have 88 workforce housing units affordable to lower income, working families and individuals.

What was the appeal of the 12th Avenue location?

What we have here is the genesis of a Capitol Hill arts district. Velocity Dance Center is right across the street. At Seattle University, there’s the Lee Center for the Arts just a few minutes south on 12th. And at Seattle Central Community College, there’s Erickson Theater Off Broadway and the Broadway Performance Hall. There are possibilities for cross promotions and joint programming, much like the First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square, although this would be for the performing arts —theater, dance and music. I predict this will turn 12th Avenue into a mecca for the arts. Providing affordable space for the arts is part of our neighborhood planning for this area. We work together with many groups and Seattle University has been a strong partner, given its 12th Avenue visibility.

Other Capitol Hill Housing projects that might interest neighbors?

Recently we completed The Jefferson at 12th and Jefferson, a 40-unit workforce housing project—affordable to lower income, working families and individuals—with commercial space on the ground floor.