A Seattle nonprofit has big plans to develop vacant space in the King Street rail station.
Phillip Deng of MarketShare said they became aware of the open space off Jackson Street about three years ago.
“Honestly, we couldn’t believe it, why this space hasn’t found a use yet,” he said.
Now the group is working to convert about 10,000 square feet into an area for food stalls – a market where immigrant, refugee and native families could launch a business preparing their cultural cuisine.
MarketShare would provide the kitchen infrastructure, but still needs investment from the families.
“So it’s not a free ride by any stretch,” Deng said. “But it’s an opportunity that right now isn’t really available in this neighborhood.”
“It’s not about pulling somebody up,” he added. “It’s really about figuring out how to knock down this wall that divides us.”
MarketShare recently launched what it's calling a crowdfounding campaign, a play on the popular trend of crowdfunding. They hope to raise $100,000 from 100,000 different people.
“We do this, because if one dollar equals one voice, then funders become founders,” said Deng. “So this is about connecting to create a place to connect.”
He hopes that with that seed money and community investment, they can raise the rest of the funds to lease the space and begin development.
With that, they will hopefully transform a place designed to take people far away into one that brings them closer together too.
"These are hubs; these are where paths cross," Deng said. "And a lot of times they're filled with great food. And we think Seattle as a rising global city really should have a kitchen table, so to speak."
