The new home for CASA Latina, a non-profit provider of services to the immigrant community in Seattle, will be a multi-purpose facility housing a hiring hall, classrooms, meeting rooms and a “living room” for their growing constituency.

Since 1996, CASA has supported families and workers with ESL classes, women’s groups, and a wage claim clinic as well as access to employment. After working out of cramped downtown offices for 10 years, the agency decided to make a move to a new neighborhood. An existing building will be renovated in the first phase of the project to house offices and a temporary hiring hall for the day-labor function. In the second phase, a new 10,000 SF building will be built on an adjacent site. Together, the two buildings will become the CASA Latina campus and include some expanded program elements such as a café and storefront retail.

The design includes a hill climb between the two buildings with a small plaza at street level. Ample space for art, landscaping and community gathering space are planned. A key attribute of the building will be flexibility, for as CASA grows, their home will have to accommodate expanded programs and new challenges. Completion is anticipated in December 2009. The project is being funded by the City of Seattle, the State of Washington and various private entities.