Beacon Hill Blog

Plaza Roberto Maestas project moving forward

To the community from El Centro de la Raza:

In late February El Centro de la Raza presented to the community its latest designs for Plaza Roberto Maestas (PRM). We have been delayed in getting this post out to the wider community by the significant fight for State housing resources for this project in Olympia right now. PRM is the mixed-use community-inspired transit oriented development project that will be built on El Centro’s currently vacant south parking lot, next to the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station. It will be 113 units of affordable housing over 30,000 square feet of daycare, multi-cultural community center, retail/restaurant and office space. The latest design renderings incorporate feedback gathered from over ten community meetings and focus groups that took place in 2012. ECDLR just scheduled its first City of Seattle Early Design Guidance meeting for June 25th at 6:30pm at Wellspring Family Services on Rainier Avenue. This meeting will kick off our permitting process and is open to the public.

Plaza Roberto Maestas will be built in the spirit of Dr. King’s “Beloved Community.” It will be a physical place that honors the history and culture of El Centro de la Raza, while serving as a “town center” gathering place for the larger Beacon Hill community to utilize and enjoy.

For those that have not been able to attend community meetings to date, we have compiled this post and the following Frequently Asked Questions to maximize information sharing and community awareness of the project. In the near future, El Centro de la Raza hopes to co-host a meeting with the North Beacon Hill Council, Beacon BIKES and SDOT to talk about parking, traffic and pedestrian safety in the Beacon Hill neighborhood around this project. We will announce a date for this meeting soon.

Please feel free to contact Kate Gill de la Garza, Project Manager, with any questions about PRM. She can be reached at 206-860-2491 ext. 202 or at kated@beacondevgroup.com.

Read on for the FAQs about the Plaza Roberto Maestas project:
More »

Tags: development, el centro de la raza, plaza roberto maestas, station block development, transit-oriented development

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo this Saturday at El Centro de la Raza

All Beacon Hill neighbors are invited to celebrate at El Centro de la Raza’s 8th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration this Saturday, May 4, from 1-5 p.m. at El Centro, 2524 16th Ave S., and on Roberto Maestas Festival Street next to Beacon Hill Station in North Beacon Hill. Admission and parking are free for this event celebrating Mexican heritage with music, prizes, children’s activities, craft and informational booths and traditional Mexican foods for sale.

This year’s live entertainment features performances by Ce Atl Tonalli Danza Azteca, Chief Sealth MEChLA Dance Group, the Seattle Fandango Project and a desfile cultural by the José Martí Child Development Center showcasing cultural attire.

See the event page on Facebook here.

Tags: el centro de la raza

Spanish language and tamale classes coming to El Centro

El Centro de la Raza (2524 16th Ave. S.) is offering Spanish language and tamale-making classes in the next few weeks. Class fees will help support the programs and services that El Centro offers.

Spanish language classes start on Tuesday, April 16, and run until June 20 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. They are taught by professional native speakers in an interactive, community-based setting. Levels from beginner through intermediate are available. The tuition fee is $300. For more information, call 206-957-4605 or email execasst@elcentrodelaraza.org.

The regular tamale-making class returns on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Students will learn how to make traditional authentic pork tamales. Tuition of $75 includes the recipe and a dozen uncooked tamales. For more information, call 206-957-4611 or email development@elcentrodelaraza.org.

Tags: classes, el centro de la raza

Preschool, yoga and tax prep available at El Centro de la Raza

Kids, yoga fans and taxpayers are part of some of the upcoming and current activities at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Ave S. Read on for more information:

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Jonna Bracken is teaching yoga classes at Skin Deep Dance studio on the second floor of El Centro on Thursday evenings, from 7:00-8:15 p.m. The class is open to all levels of practitioners and is an alignment-based class. The fee is four classes for $55 or eight classes for $100, but you can try your first class for free. Questions? Contact Jonna via email at jonnayoga@gmail.com.

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The José Martí Child Development Center is currently enrolling children aged 18 months to four years old for preschool programs with a focus on dual-language education in Spanish and English and a rich multicultural program featuring age-appropriate developmental goals to prepare kids for later success in kindergarten.

Classes for kids aged 18 months through three years start on April 1. Classes for four-year-olds start on June 1.

Assistance is available to fill out applications for subsidies from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) or the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Slots are also available for private pay families. For more information or to enroll, call 206-957-4619 or email jmcdc@elcentrodelaraza.org.

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As mentioned on this site last month, there is a free tax preparation clinic currently operating at El Centro. In addition to tax preparation, help is available for completing the FAFSA (application for student loans for college), applying for food stamps, utility assistance, free credit reports and more.

The United Way Tax Preparation program is free for anyone making under $51,000. Bring photo ID and Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, along with all wage and earnings statements and any other documents needed for tax filing.

Tax prep sessions are open at El Centro on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. (English/Spanish) and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (English/Spanish/Tagalog).

Tags: children, classes, el centro de la raza, preschool, tax prep

Culinary class: Making authentic pork tamales

Get your apron ready for this month’s edition of El Centro de la Raza’s tamale-making class from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16. A master tamalera will teach the traditional preparation of pork tamales, handmade with cultural ingredients including pork lard.

The $75/person class fee includes the recipe and one dozen uncooked tamales. Cooking supplies and ingredients will be provided, but you should bring your own apron. All fees go to support El Centro’s Senior Nutrition and Wellness program.

You can register online via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, call 206-957-4611 or email development@elcentrodelaraza.org.

Tags: classes, el centro de la raza

Opinions wanted on Plaza Roberto Maestas project

El Centro de la Raza and the Plaza Roberto Maestas design team are hosting a community meeting on Thursday, February 21 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at El Centro’s room 309.

This is the next in a series of community meetings to discuss the redevelopment project on El Centro de la Raza’s south parking lot located on Roberto Maestas Festival Street next to the Link station. Plans for this meeting are to review the feedback so far and to present the latest design for additional community feedback. The intent is for the project to enter the city’s Design Review process this spring.

Childcare and translation will be available upon request, and refreshments and light snacks will be served. El Centro de la Raza is located at 2524 16th Ave. S.

Tags: development, el centro de la raza, transit-oriented development

Free tax prep help available at El Centro

Unfortunately, it is tax season once again. Fortunately, United Way of King County has opened a free tax preparation site right here on Beacon Hill, at El Centro de la Raza (2524 16th Ave. S.).

In addition to tax preparation, you can also get help with completing your FAFSA (application for student loans for college), applying for food stamps, utility assistance, free credit reports and more.

The United Way Tax Preparation program is free for anyone making under $51,000. Bring photo ID and Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, along with all wage and earnings statements and any other documents needed for tax filing.

The tax prep sessions are open at El Centro on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. (English/Spanish) and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (English/Spanish/Tagalog) until April 15.

Taxpayers may also file for free online if they make under $57,000 at myfreetaxes.com.

Tags: el centro de la raza, tax prep

Learn to make tamales at El Centro

Signups are open for this month’s edition of El Centro de la Raza’s tamale-making class from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 23. A master tamalera will teach the traditional preparation of pork tamales, handmade with cultural ingredients including pork lard.

The $75/person class fee includes the recipe and one dozen uncooked tamales. Cooking supplies and ingredients will be provided, but you should bring your own apron. All fees go to support El Centro’s Senior Nutrition and Wellness program.

You can register online via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, call 206-957-4611 or email development@elcentrodelaraza.org.

Tags: classes, el centro de la raza

Tamale class this weekend at El Centro de la Raza

This weekend the taste of tamales returns to El Centro de la Raza with a tamale-making class from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 26. A master tamalera will teach the traditional preparation of pork tamales, handmade with cultural ingredients including pork lard.

The $75/person class fee includes the recipe and one dozen uncooked tamales. Cooking supplies and ingredients will be provided, but you should bring your own apron. All fees go to support El Centro’s Senior Nutrition and Wellness program.

You can register online via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, call 206-957-4611 or email development@elcentrodelaraza.org.

Tags: classes, el centro de la raza

Wednesday: Las Posadas with food, music, piñatas, poetry, and Christmas lights

This Wednesday, December 12, is El Centro de la Raza’s community celebration of
El Día de la Vírgen de Guadalupe y Las Posadas, with holiday music, food, and the annual tree-lighting ceremony. All are invited and welcome, and the event is free for the whole family.

The event starts at 5:00 p.m. at nearby culinary establishments The Station, Travelers Thali House, and El Sabroso, who will serve hot holiday beverages such as cider, chocolate Mexicano, and Champurrado to enjoy. The Station will also have piñatas made by the Jefferson Community Center Teen Program. Inay’s and Baja Bistro will have samples of food including Filipino pastries and chicken soup. The restaurants will also feature performances by the Seattle Fandango Project and A La Carte.

See a map of all the neighborhood events here.

From 5:30 until 7:30, El Centro opens up with their own selection of free holiday food, a nativity scene, Las Posadas, and a visit from Santa Claus.

Starting at 7 p.m., The Station will remain open for the monthly Beacon Bards poetry event.

The Las Posadas event is sponsored by El Centro de la Raza and ROCKiT Community Arts with support from Beacon Hill Merchants’ Association, Verity Credit Union, Sysco, and El Quetzal.

Tags: christmas, el centro de la raza, holiday