Montlake

Resting in a green, homey cut of land just south of the University District, Montlake is one of Seattle’s most lovely, convenient neighborhoods. It’s a comfortable retreat with easy access to the best the city has to offer. Historic but big on renovation, lively but good for families, Montlake has everything a proud Seattleite could want.

Compared to most neighborhoods in Seattle, Montlake is relatively new. It didn’t see its first formal development projects until the early 1900’s and it came into its own only by the 1940’s. Modern day Montlake is an affluent neighborhood of single-family homes, classic architecture and some of Seattle’s finest parks. Because of Portage Bay to the north as well as roadways and older surrounding districts, Montlake has always been a small neighborhood, retaining a clear community identity.

Montlake has a history of civic activism to maintain the peace and well-being of its homes and businesses. After the construction of State Route 520 through the northern tip of the Washington Park Arboretum and likewise the northern blocks of the neighborhood, the Montlake Community Club grew to be a development-conscious organization that successfully lobbied to protect several districts in Seattle, the Arboretum included, from a proposed highway expansion project in the 1960’s. Since then, the Community Club has been a significant contributor to Seattle’s careful urban development strategies.

It’s easy to see why the residents of Montlake would want to preserve the balance of urban zones and green spaces in the city. The district is surrounded by parks beyond which are some of Seattle’s greatest culture centers. Aside from the lush Arboretum on its east end, there is the kid-favorite Montlake Playfield in the northwest corner as well as Interlaken Park on the border of Montlake and Capitol Hill. Both are excellent places for children, especially the Playfield with its year-round indoor facilities.

Montlake is the location of several registered historical buildings. The Seattle Yacht Club occupies a bright, nautical-themed building on Portage Bay and the famous Spite House, a 24^th Avenue residence constructed in response to a laughably low land purchase offer in the early 1900’s, remains occupied to this day. Montlake is also home to the Museum of History and Industry, a facility dedicated to the preservation of Seattle’s rich past.

With its close proximity to Capitol Hill and the busy University District, Montlake has only a small business area including locally owned shops and restaurants. 10^th Avenue East turns into Broadway, the main thoroughfare of Capitol Hill, just south of Volunteer Park. There residents enjoy the most diverse collection of eateries and boutiques in the entire city.

Most of the schools in Montlake are competitive private programs. There are several Seattle public facilities in nearby Capitol Hill, as well as Montlake Elementary on the north end of the neighborhood. The Pre-K-8 Bertschi School is highly regarded as is the Seattle Preparatory School. Montlake is also the location of the Seattle Hebrew Academy for grades Pre-K-8.

Montlake is an ideal locations for commuters to North Seattle, the University District, Bellevue and Downtown. The homes provide a lived-in atmosphere without feeling worn and historical facades with modern interiors. For those looking to settle down but remain close to the city, it doesn’t get much better than Montlake.