By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
With their ever-growing community in mind, the Tulalip Tribes hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on August 5 for their new 85-unit apartment building, Quil Creek Crossing. Located just off 27th Avenue on Sandra Madison Loop Road, the groundbreaking marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Tribes’ history.
Following a blessing of the land by tribal members Clarissa Johnny and Andy James, community members gathered to witness Tribal leaders, and representatives from the Wenaha Group and Korsmo Construction, as each of their golden shovels struck the earth.
Chairwoman Teri Gobin spoke about how the property was once filled with tires and junk vehicles and how glad she is that Tulalip could turn it into housing for tribal members. She emphasized that taking the land back was extremely important, but what’s more critical is providing affordable living spaces for Tribal members.
Vice Chairwoman Misty Napeahi shared, “We started this project pre-COVID, and we wanted to build a community for our 19-25-year-olds. There are 648 young adults in that age group. So, we thought about building a community for them. What would they want? We have one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. We know some of our people already have children, so we wanted to build for their families. It will be a beautiful complex with a basketball court, a BBQ pit, and walking trails. We are trying to build a healthy community for our young people. Also, they will have an opportunity to get residency so that in the future, if they do want children, they will be eligible for enrollment.”
The new apartment building is being created with an emphasis on comfort, while also acknowledging that it can be loud when many families are in one place. Secretary Theresa Sheldon discussed the challenges of growing up in low-income housing with holes in her floors and how so many of us accept these problems as normal. She went on to discuss the available amenities that will be offered in the apartments. There will be modern appliances, stylish cabinets, and quality rugs. Additionally, she mentioned using soundproof materials for the walls and floors to ensure privacy.
“The site was designed with families in mind,” said Jason Crain, senior project manager for the Wenaha Group. “Most apartment complexes avoid having 3-bedroom units, and this apartment complex has several. It was intentional by the Tribes to promote a family environment, create a home, and raise your kids. The site has a bunch of amenities to support that. There is a large playground and a garden area. There are some playscape areas that are going to have some culturally significant artwork in the native language. The aesthetic of the building is designed to reflect the Tribe’s heritage and its relationship with cedar. It’s not cedar but designed to look like cedar.”
Crain commended COO Sam Davis and his team for helping the tribe focus on family and community and emphasizing the importance of supporting the Tribe’s growth and future. And with rental costs at an all-time high, building these apartments couldn’t come at a better time.
Council Member Glen Gobin discussed the Tribe’s longstanding goal of constructing more homes and apartments, but that they often lacked the necessary infrastructure. With the availability of sewer and electrical services and adequate space, bringing in an apartment complex as big as this will help immensely. Gobin said, “It’s also a change in how we build homes and places for our young people and elders. We have other apartments, but none like these. These are meant to be homesites for people to come in and live for as long as they need. We hope it’s transitional, but if they end up being there for 20-30 years, then that’s where they are.”
Construction on Quil Creek Crossing will begin soon, and the complex is slated for completion in 2026.