The demolition of the Mount Calvary Christian Center (MCCC) in September has led to a mixed reaction from the community in the Central District. Located next to Uncle Ike’s Cannabis Dispensary on 23rd Avenue and Union Street, the MCCC is set to be replaced by a mixed-use apartment building as part of the Sarah Queen Project. The project is headed by retail developer Jaebadiah Gardner, who bought the MCCC property in 2020 for $6.9 million with hopes of establishing a new building dedicated to mixed-income, affordable housing. Gardner’s purchase of the MCCC property aligns with the ideals of the previous owner, who put the land up for sale to provide an opportunity for mixed used developments to be constructed.
The Sarah Queen Project is set to consist of 8 stories with 117 housing units within the building. GardnerGlobal, Gardner’s development organization, is currently working in step design and obtaining a builders’ permit. The project has now been active for 4 years and construction will begin in quarter two of 2026. Originally, Gardner approached Pastor Witherspoon, the pastor of the MCCC, when he discovered the property was being listed for sale.
Gardner has been doing community work in the Central District for 15+ years and has been developing projects of his own since 2015, contributing to the construction of the Liberty Bank Building on the northwest corner of 24th and Union. In an interview with The Messenger, Gardner stated that his three primary goals were to “be a presentation of the building black wealth for the community,” to “create affordable housing in the neighborhood,” and to “build a building that represents [the black community of the CD] culturally.” Gardner believes the demolition of the church, contrasted with the development opportunity, is a “bittersweet” event that will be a step forward to community growth.
Seattle mural artist Myron Curry is working with the Sarah Queen Project to paint a mural for it once construction is finished. Curry is aiming to bring visual beauty to the Central District and create art that community members can appreciate and identify with. Alongside this upcoming project, Curry has worked on several other murals around the Central District, including the ground-level exterior of the mixed-use building on the Union intersection’s southeast corner. While his interactions with Jaebadiah have been brief, he states that “[Gardner is] from here, he knows the city here, he knows the people here, so I would expect it to be an amazing place”.
While construction is set to begin in 2026, community members are still shocked about the demolition of a church which has been a pivotal landmark since the 80s. “It was very sudden,” says a woman working nearby. Gardner’s description of the community reaction is that “some folks are sad, but then they’re also like, you know what? Like, mad love and respect.”
The Sarah Queen project represents a new beginning for the Central District. By focusing on affordable housing and cultural representation, it will be a progressive step forward for the black community and mixed wealth in the Central District.