Multicultural Village
housing and community center that supports residents with developmental disabilities

Open Doors for Multicultural Families (ODMF) and Mercy Housing Northwest (MHNW) are moving forward with a vision to create a Multicultural Village—an inclusive residential community located within a mixed-use development that will offer a variety of amenities and services. The physical and programmatic design of the Village will center people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) but will support people of all abilities. This is a unique residential model not currently found in the general marketplace. The proposed site for the Multicultural Village is located adjacent to the Kent/Des Moines light rail station underway in south King County.

Schemata Workshop was hired by ODMF to assist in the development of a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Vision and Strategy. We facilitated stakeholder meetings and community engagement; conducted capacity studies to understand development potential of the site and programming studies to develop the size requirements for ODMF operated spaces*; prepared an arts master plan, met with public agencies and elected officials, and advised ODMF on completing funding applications, negotiations with the housing developer and general affordable housing development practices. MHNW will develop 160-200 affordable homes for households earning <60% AMI. Twenty percent of them will be set aside for neurodiverse individuals and their families. We will be supporting ODMF and MHNW in their proposal to Sound Transit to be awarded the site.

*ODMF intends to operate a multicultural community center, an inclusive/integrated early learning facility, and adult day program. ODMF will also move their offices to the site.

Project Information

CLIENT
Mercy Housing Northwest and
Open Doors for Multicultural Families

LOCATION
Kent, WA

PROJECT TYPE
Affordable Housing
Community Facilities
Commercial
Community Engagement
Multifamily
Transit
Urban Design

COMPLETED
2026 (anticipated)

SCOPE
Feasibility Study
Programming
Schematic Design
Design Development
Construction Documents
Construction Administration
Project Close Out
Arts Master Plan / Coordination
Early Learning Center

SIZE
230 units

PROJECT TEAM
Schemata Workshop (Architect)
Mercy Housing NW (Developer)
Walsh Construction (General Contractor)
Headwater People (Indigenous Design)
Studio Pacifica (Accessibility)
Jensen Hughes (Code Consultant)
Berger Partnership (Landscape)
Latitude 48 (Civil)
CPL (Structural)
Eunice Wayman Consulting (Arts Manager)
A3 Acoustics (Acoustics)
CAST (Architect for Early Learning Center)
Lotus Development (Developer for ODMF)