First Hill, Seattle, August 13, 2025
News Summary
A private K–5 school has applied for a $7 million construction permit to renovate the Madison at Summit property it purchased in 2019. Plans call for a 20,000-square-foot classroom building, a roughly 24,000-square-foot rooftop play area, and renovations across the garage, first floor and roof levels. The building currently houses a credit union, a physical therapy clinic and classrooms used by a private middle/high school, which will continue to occupy portions of the site. The school reports about 110 K–5 students and says it will remain at its current location while completing the build-out.
Spruce Street School files $7M renovation permit for First Hill “Madison at Summit” building; K–5 move set for fall 2028
Key facts up front
A private K–5 school that charges roughly $35,000 a year in tuition has applied for a construction permit to begin a $7 million renovation of a First Hill property it bought in 2019. The school plans to keep operating at its current site through 2028 and to open the new First Hill campus in fall 2028.
What the permit and purchase mean
The school purchased the Madison at Summit building in 2019 for $15.15 million and described that purchase as part of a long-term plan to make the building its permanent campus. This summer the school filed for a permit detailing work across all three levels of the property, including redevelopment of the garage level, major renovations to the first floor for classrooms and offices, and transformation of the roof into an outdoor play area.
Permit documents describe a planned 20,000-square-foot classroom building, a roof area of roughly 24,000 square feet intended for outdoor play and limited instructional use, and work to improve stair and elevator access, storage and bike parking on the garage level. The permit also mentions a massive underground parking lot.
Timing, enrollment and costs
The private school reported an enrollment of about 110 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Two tuition figures appear in material about the school: a rounded figure of $35,000 a year and a more exact listing of $35,818. School leaders say they do not plan to relocate from their current address until 2028.
Tenants, partnerships and campus sharing
The Madison at Summit property currently houses a credit union branch and a physical therapy clinic, and it already contains classroom and office space used by a private middle and high school. Permit notes say the existing high school will continue to use classrooms and offices in the building while the elementary school develops its space. School administration indicated they will work with that high school to coordinate campus planning during the build-out.
Project scope and building features
Permit-level descriptions outline three major work areas: the garage level being redeveloped for access, storage, and bike parking; the first floor receiving substantial interior renovation to support classrooms, administration, and support services; and the rooftop being developed for play, limited instruction, and mechanical systems. The project calls out significant underground parking, and notes work will touch every level of the building.
School goals and program
Founded in 1982, the school has moved a few times before settling at its current location in 2005. It describes its K–5 program as providing highly personalized instruction with an emphasis on social-emotional development as well as academics. Classrooms are typically multi-age, spanning about three age groups, and the curriculum draws from many sources beyond standard textbooks. Long-term strategy materials emphasize widening staff and classroom diversity, equity and inclusion, and increasing affordability for families. The school has stated an aspiration for 2035 to be widely recognized as a top-quality and financially accessible K–5 independent school in the area while remaining distinct for its program and teachers.
Neighborhood context and development
The First Hill and nearby Capitol Hill and Central District corridor has seen steady growth of private and alternative education programs and other developments drawn by central location and transit access. Recent neighborhood changes include new private school expansions nearby, transformed older buildings repurposed for education and services, and new transit lines that have reshaped the street for buses, drivers and pedestrians. Local plans and county projects have added to the momentum, with public crisis response facilities and other civic uses planned within walking distance of the site.
Community reaction and wider school district trends
Materials and online comments show mixed community reaction: some readers raised concerns about large nearby crisis care facilities and questioned how “financially accessible” a tuitioned private school can be in practice. The private school expansion contrasts with the public district’s recent struggles with inconsistent enrollment and funding; just last year district leaders pulled back from a plan that would have shuttered several campuses in the area.
Other local notes
The stretch of Madison above Broadway has seen a number of changes this year, including commercial closures and new civic planning. Transit improvements and new public safety and crisis response hubs are affecting traffic and planning in the neighborhood. These shifts were part of the school’s rationale in selecting the Madison at Summit property for its future campus, citing the property’s size, parking, and transit connections as logistical advantages.
Officials and next steps
School officials declined to comment on the specifics of the project when permit materials were filed. The planned First Hill campus is expected to open in fall 2028. The school maintains a website with program and admissions information at sprucestreetschool.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When will the new First Hill campus open?
The school expects to open the First Hill campus in fall 2028 and will remain at its current location until then.
2. How much will the renovation cost?
The school filed for a construction permit for a project estimated at $7 million.
3. What are the main features of the renovation?
The permit describes work on three levels, a 20,000-square-foot classroom building, a roughly 24,000-square-foot roof area for outdoor play, upgraded garage level access, storage and bike parking, and major first-floor classroom and administrative renovations. The permit also references an extensive underground parking area.
4. Who currently uses the building?
The building houses a credit union branch, a physical therapy clinic, and classroom and office space used by a private middle and high school. That school is expected to continue using parts of the building while the elementary school develops its space.
5. How many students does Spruce Street School have and what is the tuition?
The school reported about 110 students in K–5. Materials list tuition around $35,000 per year and another listing shows $35,818.
6. Will the project affect neighborhood traffic or parking?
The permit indicates substantial work on parking and building access, including underground parking and redeveloped garage access; local traffic impacts will depend on construction phasing and city permitting conditions.
Key project features at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Property purchase price (2019) | $15.15 million |
| Renovation permit value | $7 million |
| Planned classroom area | 20,000 sq ft |
| Planned roof/play area | ~24,000 sq ft |
| School enrollment (K–5) | ~110 students |
| Tuition listed | $35,000 per year and $35,818 |
| Target opening | Fall 2028 |
| Current tenants | Credit union branch, physical therapy clinic, and private middle/high school classrooms and offices |
For more information about the school and its program, visit sprucestreetschool.org.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Capitol Hill Seattle: Spruce Street School — First Hill project
- Wikipedia: Spruce Street School (search)
- Capitol Hill Seattle: Spruce Street School — follow-up (part 2)
- Google Search: Spruce Street School Madison Summit First Hill
- Capitol Hill Seattle: Spruce Street School — project details (part 5)
- Google Scholar: Spruce Street School Madison Summit
- Daily Journal of Commerce: Real estate/permit notice
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Madison at Summit (search)
- KING 5: Deadly shooting investigated — Central District
- Google News: Central District shooting Seattle
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