A Capitol Hill LGBTQ youth nonprofit needs around $2 million to keep its 35-year home. It likely says a lot about the strength of the Lambert House that the news about its 15th Ave home brings a confident statement about its future — not a panicked cry for help. The response also says a lot about what it is like to run a successful nonprofit on Capitol Hill as the waves of development continue.
“The planned sale of the property comes at a time when Lambert House was considering the possibility of expanding our space,” writes Lambert executive director Ken Shulman in an announcement about the situation.
“It also coincides with the redevelopment of many properties on Capitol Hill, and elsewhere in Seattle, as land values have skyrocketed and older buildings are being razed to make way for denser and more profitable use.”
Saturday, Lambert House’s support from beyond the city limits was illustrated by a Saturday benefit at a benefactor’s Shoreline home. The Puget Sound Business Journal says Gerrard Beattie Knapp and Windermere Capitol Hill are helping Lambert House “explore its options” including possibly bidding on the 1901-built house near 15th and Denny that could fetch as much as $1.8 million on the open market.
Shulman says Lambert House is launching a capital campaign to raise funds to either purchase the house — of find a new home to provide “a safe place for queer youth ages 11 to 22.”
Dating back to Seattle Pride 1991, Lambert House keeps a busy calendar of youth activities and provides programs and education centered on queer issues. Youth aged 11 to 13 require parental consent to participate. You can learn more about the Lambert House programs here.
The Lambert House capital campaign is just getting started. You can check out ways to donate and support Lambert House here.
The changes coming for Lambert House aren’t unusual for nonprofits
The change Lambert House is now facing is a familiar one for Hill nonprofits — some of the largest, strongest organizations have taken different paths to solving it. Earlier this year, Seattle Area Support Groups and Community Center moved into its new 15th Ave office after a townhouse developer purchased the old Dunshee House. This spring, Hugo House will move to a temporary home on First Hill while a development that includes a new writing center for the literary nonprofit is built on the site of its current 11th Ave home. Meanwhile, there are other models to consider. Velocity Dance’s work shaping the V2 space in the old Value Village building has the nonprofit considering setting up satellite arts spaces around the city vs. investing in one big dance center.
Like SASG, Hugo House, and Velocity, Lambert House is on the firmest possible nonprofit ground — even with the house possibly headed for demolition and redevelopment.
“The existence of Lambert House is not threatened,” Shulman writes. “The organization is healthy, with thriving programs, and we have expanded our geographical reach beyond Seattle in recent years.”
Shulman’s full announcement on the changes for Lambert House is below.
Dang, just the other day I was walking by Lambert House thinking how great it was that they have kept that beautiful old house in the face of such development. I thought that they already owned the building.
I am glad to hear that Lambert House is not in any danger, other than potentially having to move.