High Point

A community on the up-and-up. Immense transformation has occurred in the last few years, bringing advances in traffic control, green construction, bike and pedestrian safety, and general living conditions. Strides have also been taken to publicize these enhancements, evident from a well-maintained website (http://highpointneighborhood.org). You can even ‘fan’ them on Facebook (http://on.fb.me/eDzA4x). High Point spans from the southern edge of Camp Long (http://bitly.com/fadFa0) in the north, to Othello St. and Holden St. in the south. The west to east breadth is 35th Avenue to Delridge Way, respectively.

History

Not much is published regarding the history of High Point, though their website does claim to be populating that link “soon.” What is known, as mentioned in part above, is that the face of the community has greatly changed. Before the turn of the millenium, much needed to be accomplished with respect to the infrastructure and housing layout. Even now, grand measures are being taken to expand the updating, bringing the neighborhood into the 21st century.

Demographics and Income

According to city-data.com (http://bitly.com/apQS4n), income levels within the neighborhood range from $17,000 to $72,000. These numbers indicate "poverty" of some residents, existing next door to middle class families. The western side is comprised primarily with households bringing in sub $30K in yearly income. The southern part is the hotbed, in regards to wages, with household averages around $60K and $70K. Seattle’s typically ‘White’ demographic is broken here with an almost equal representation of Blacks, Asians, Hispanics and Whites. Generous representations of single parents, mainly women, with a sizeable younger demographic (possibly from the greater numbers of children at home). In fact, the median age in High Point is seven years below the Seattle average.

Culture

Taking a presumptuous stab: the diversity, low income families, new government-assisted housing, and the influx of middle class singles/couples make for a tasty cultural recipe. Along with low income, single parent homes, unfortunately, comes crime. Too many people battling over too few resources, especially with the opportunity to live in an updated home. On the bright side, High Point’s geographic location (the epicenter of West Seattle) poises it for unparalleled opportunity as a crossroads-oriented community.

Real Estate

Twenty years ago High Point would have appeared much different, thanks to the Seattle Housing Authority (http://seattlehousing.org), which began a major overhaul of the residential housing. One of the goals has been to allow middle and low income families to co-exist. The first phase of the project was completed in 2007, with work continuing on latter phases. It has been one of the larger, if not the most, ambitious residential revamps in the Seattle area. The rapid rebuild of housing units has not lacked quality. Many units feature high energy ratings, including green construction. Streets have been narrowed and blocks shortened to discourage car traffic and encourage transport on foot or by bike. Roughly 35% own their residences, so a substantial number of transient renters dominate the mindset of the neighborhood. Values have plummeted, with an over 20% drop in home prices since 2009. A great opportunity for new blood to move into the area, but a dire period to have bought at the top of the market and be sitting on an upside-down home.

Local Business Tour (Restaurants, Pubs, Coffee Houses, Shops and other Amenities)

Easting establishments and small businesses are sparse, but again, reachable by crossing into other local neighborhoods. A look at the main public businesses: Olympia Pizza & Pasta (http://bitly.com/eqAkG8) - Open since 1972, with pizza being prepared the Greek way; Del Taco (http://deltaco.com) - An inexpensive taco franchise; Joanie’s Catering (http://joaniescatering.net) - Owned by Joan Allen, a Seattle native and well-versed not only in culinary arts, but in presenting a memorable ambiance; and Red Star Pizza (http://redstarpizza.com) - A highly-trained crew dedicated to professional preparation, local ingredients, a renew/reuse mentality, and a reluctance to be managed off-site.

Schools

While education, unfortunately, follows the greenback, some schools are available to High Point residents. Here is an active list: Proyecto Saber (http://bitly.com/fQqA2p) - A middle school focused on the Latino community, particularly in math tutoring; West Seattle Elementary (http://bitly.com/fodOeW) - A diverse school body dedicated to fostering learning not only in academics, but in the arts; Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School (http://guadalupe-school.org/OLG) - Working in partnership with each student’s family to foster a challenging, yet supportive environment for academic achievement, service and leadership training; Northwest Montessori School (http://northwestmontessori.org) - The first established Montessori school in Seattle providing a non-competitive multi-age classroom environment; and Learning for Life 123 (http://learningforlife123.com) - A child care program promoting social, emotional and intellectual growth within a Spanish bilingual environment.

Recreation

The topography is steep, even claiming the highest spot in West Seattle at over 500 feet. Several recreation areas are just minutes away in surrounding neighborhoods (Camp Long http://bitly.com/fadFa0 and the West Seattle Recreation Center (http://bitly.com/hWUs1T) . High Point was not overlooked, however, with green space, having their own play field (http://bitly.com/cWlaiK) in the southwest corner. It features sports facilities, and quality play equipment for children.

Medical and Wellness Facilities

Following on the coat tails of public schools, medical choices are slim. Here’s what can be found: Highpoint Medical and Dental Clinic (http://bitly.com/ek37XI) - Offering a variety of medical/dental services for people of all ages, with a strong drive towards preventative medicine; and Navos (http://navos.org) - Mental health solutions grounded in a a broad community of care.

Spiritual Centers and Churches

The diversity piece has penetrated more than skin deep. A couple of spiritual centers confirm this fact: Vietnamese Thien-Baptist Church (http://thienanvn.org/ta) - A deep-rooted Vietnamese congregation and Highpoint Lighthouse Samoan AG (http://bitly.com/gHcDa7) - A Samoan congregation led by Pastor Natia Paaga, which is part of the Assemblies of God Denomination (http://ag.org).

Transportation Access and Tips

Accessing the rest of the Emerald City is not as tedious as other West Seattle locations further west and south. Being equidistant between the West Seattle Bridge and Highland Park Way, feeding to Highway 99 and 509, at least gives route options to residents. Of course, during high commute times, neither of these "exits" are ideal. Hence, the painful commuting reality of living west of the Duwamish River (http://bitly.com/9vZ9KQ) is still felt here.

Summary

The time and resources having been poured into High Point are not in vain, as there is "high" hopes for further development and an emergent economy, boasting diversity found no where else in Seattle except for in the Central District.

You drive around the High Point neighborhood and Seattle and you don’t really notice that it’s a neighborhood as it blends in with the surrounding areas. Lots of condos and townhomes are mixed in with older World War style homes. The standard mixture of apartments and cars parked along the street don’t help to distinguish the area for any other residential area in Seattle.

Being that it’s named because it’s the highest point in the Seattle area doesn’t give the neighborhood any other allure. It’s sure to have snow when Mother Nature decides to drop some on the area. It’s a great place for families especially since the housing prices are really affordable and that the Seattle Council has decided to take an interest in redeveloping the area. It’s got a few restaurants and coffee shops in the area but it’s really not a nightlife destination. It’s not the place to live if you feel like you need adventure and easy to access clubs and eateries but it’s a great neighborhood to raise kids in.

High Point has recently been the subject of major redevelopment initiatives. The Seattle Housing Authority removed all of the existing housing, roads, and utilities and replaced them with new roads, an underground infrastructure, residencies, and community facilities meant for a mixed-income community. All told, it is expected that there will be around 1500 housing units with a variety of family types. While half are slotted for low-income rentals, the rest will be comprised of single family homes, assisted living options, condos, and town homes to be sold to private owners.

The redevelopment at high point has included a variety of green and sustainable initiatives, such as Energy Star ratings, high levels in BuiltGreen certification, and porous sidewalks and parking areas that are meant to more efficiently reintegrate rainwater into the water treatment systems. Also notable are the number of “breathe-easy” homes being integrated into the building plans which are meant to accommodate residents who suffer from asthma-related symptoms.

Supporting the area is a small-scale mixed-use commercial center that’s meant to attend to the residents’ immediate needs. I should also point out the Nouveau Bakery, as long as we’re still talking commerce. You’ll need to pick up a twice-baked almond croissant to get that real deal, smooth, but not too sweet morsel. Also on the list is Phoenicia, where you’ve got to go and grab a sweet potato pizza—a starchy concoction that leaves you wanting more.

High Point was originally a World War II neighborhood built to provide government housing. Through the 1990s, it was known for low-income housing with a rundown feeling. In 2003, however, the Seattle Housing Authority decided to redevelop the area. Today, West Seattle's High Point neighborhood is one of the newest communities in the city. High Point has won awards such as "Best Master Planned Community" and green-living accolades for its unique features. High Point is known for being "green." All housing here is Energy Star Rated, and the area features numerous environmentally-friendly building innovations.

Built to offer a diverse range of housing options, High Point offers townhomes, condos, single family homes, and affordable housing. Although it is a planned community, it is also quite diverse, with large populations of both Southeast Asian and East African immigrants. The redevelopment of High Point has recently entered Phase 2; when complete, there will be about 1,600 housing units and 4,000 residents here. Although all housing was created by just five builders, you need not worry about repetitiveness here; High Point was created with an artful array of building designs and colors in mind.

Named for its location as one of the highest-elevation points in Seattle, High Point residents enjoy beautiful views of the city. The neighborhood, which is 34 blocks, and 120 acres, is easily accessible by public transit and known for its safety and a tight-knit community feeling cemented by the High Point Neighborhood Association. Although there are few shopping options within High Point, the area is near the many opportunities of West Seattle. High Point was also planned with plenty of parks, trails, and playgrounds, and is also home to High Point Elementary, the High Point Community Center, and High Point Public Library.

High Point is a neighborhood in the Delridge district, so named because it is one of the highest points in Seattle—the intersection of 35th Avenue SW and SW Myrtle Street is 520 feet above sea level. High Point is an area in the western portion of Seattle. Neighboring communities include North Delridge, Riverview, High Point, Highland Park, South Delridge, and Roxhill.

Many of the houses in the neighborhood were built during World War II as government housing, and continued to serve as low-income housing through the 1990s. In 2003 a five-year project began to tear this housing down to make way for more integrated housing. A commercial complex is also currently being developed, which will include a grocery store, coffee shop, and many more commercial services.

High Point has many Southeast Asian and East African immigrants offering some diversity to this community.