Seattle's Little Saigon neighborhood protests plans at Goodwill site

Tam Nguyen's restaurant, Saigon Bistro, has been a gathering spot in Seattle's Little Saigon neighborhood since he and his wife opened it 14 years ago.

But will his customers still be around to gather, Nguyen wonders, if a proposed $300 million retail development goes in nearby?

"Most of my customers are Vietnamese. How will they afford to live here? I think we will lose them," said Nguyen, 62, who expects rents to rise.

Nguyen joined a multiethnic, multigenerational crowd of more than 400 protesters Saturday marching to the site of the proposed 10-acre development at the Seattle Goodwill on South Dearborn Street.

They marched to the steady beat of a drummer who accompanied a team of dragon dancers. Some carried signs or strapped on boxes with slogans such as "Think traffic is bad now?" or "Big box? Not in my neighborhood."

Dearborn Street Developers is proposing 600,000 square feet of retail and 550 apartments where Goodwill now sits, between Rainier Avenue South and the International District. Target and Lowe's are among possible tenants. Goodwill would give the land to the developers in exchange for a new store and training center at the site.

Developers' pledge

Developers have pledged that more than one-third of the apartments would be affordable, and they've offered small-business rent subsidies. They've met with community groups about 70 times in the past two years, said Marc Stiles, a spokesman for the developers. And they're willing to keep meeting, he said. Stiles believes there isn't much left that separates the two sides.

Some rally participants acknowledged feeling a little conflicted about the project. It could be nice to have a retailer like Target close by, some admitted. But many aren't convinced.

Sarah Sjostedt, a Seattle University student, worries about traffic congestion and the loss of an "authentic" neighborhood where people still shop for fresh vegetables from streetside stands, "and you can get a tofu sandwich for $1.75," she said. "It will make it like every other suburban neighborhood."

Plans "out of sync"

Protesters said they're not opposed to development on the Goodwill site but say this project is out of sync, with a retail footprint 3 ½ times larger than that of all the existing businesses in Little Saigon, said Quang Nguyen of the Vietnamese American Economic Development Association. They also seek fair-wage jobs and environmentally friendly buildings.

"I'm afraid it will eventually just sweep away our Little Saigon," said Michele Hoang, co-owner of Jackson Vision Clinic, who spoke at the rally in a roped-off section of Goodwill's parking lot.

She said she appreciates having a neighborhood where she can take her children to experience Vietnamese culture.

"This is our food. This is our culture," she said. "I don't want them to forget that."

Rally organizers said they hoped the protest would show both developers and the Seattle City Council that there is active opposition. Despite the meetings with developers, they think many of their concerns have not been addressed.

"We expect the negotiations to be more productive, the more pressure there is," said David West, director of Puget Sound SAGE, an advocacy group for responsible development and one of 20 groups behind Saturday's rally.

Jolayne Houtz: jhoutz@seattletimes.com; 206-464-3122.