Introduction

The University District isn’t just named for its adjacency to the University of Washington but for its service to the many people that either live here or come to visit. The most prominent feature of the U-District is the “Ave” a long street littered with small shops and restaurants catering to the student population and essentially the back bone of the U-District. Many of these small shops and restaurants have been here for an extremely long time and have developed along with the University of Washington throughout the years. As you move away from the Ave towards I-5 and portage bay you quickly shift into residential areas scattered with shops here or there. The block between Roosevelt and 11^th, and NE 43^rd and NE 42^nd is no exception. Although it may just look like any other block in that area, along with many other blocks in that area it is unique and the buildings on it tell a story of what it once was, what it is, and what it will be.