By MARK HIGGINS
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

In February 1997, the roof of the 85-year-old Kokusai Theater on Maynard Avenue collapsed, raising concerns about the safety of some of the district's old and semi-abandoned buildings.

One concern is the Hong Kong Restaurant and Hotel. Now empty and forlorn, it was fixture in the International District from the 1940s until it closed in 1984.

Ron Chew, executive director of the The Wing Luke Asian Museum, says his dad worked there for more than 30 years. Chew recalls the time as a kid he was sent up into the empty hotel to catch pigeons for soup.

"I remember all the old waiters, and their customers. A lot are gone now," Chew says. "(The hotel is) sitting here waiting for another period of renaissance."

Some hotels have been renovated as low-income housing by two agencies: Interim/International District Improvement Association and Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation & Development Authority.

Saving the housing has been crucial to creating a neighborhood where seniors can still afford to live. However, almost no middle-income apartments or condos exist in the district, meaning fewer families live in the area and less disposable income is spent there.

The private sector -- after a long hiatus -- is starting to show an interest in the International District. Construction cranes are erecting two mixed-use developments on South Dearborn Street, the southern edge of the International District. The $19.6 million International District Village Square is being touted as the largest public-private project in the neighborhood's history.

The project, which opened in 1998, includes retail space, 75 studio apartments for low-income, elderly residents and four health and human service agencies.

The development authority also is renovating the Bush Hotel on South Jackson Street. The grand old hotel was known for its dark paneling, tile work and open staircase. It was a favorite spot for more affluent travelers arriving by train at Union Station.

The second project, Nikkei Manor at Sixth Avenue South and Dearborn, has 50 market-rate apartments offering assisted living for seniors. The $6.7 million project was completed late in 1997.

Other recent projects in the area include Union Station's redevelopment into office space, and the $12 million to $15 million expansion and redevelopment of the Uwajimaya store on Sixth Avenue South.

The store and neighborhood will benefit from the regional rail transit service that will bring riders into the Metro tunnel entrance, behind Union Station.

Unlike Broadway or the Denny Regrade, the International District has been slow to redevelop, in part due to the complex, multifamily ownership of many buildings.

Some structures pull in just enough rent to cover maintenance costs and provide just enough income that many families are not motivated to redevelop. A special historic designation also limits what can be done with property.

Continued:

• Immigrant surges still boost its energy
• Little Saigon has blossomed over past decade
• Business association maintains pride