Thirty Years in the Making: What the Skyway Community Center Teaches Us About Community-Led Design

On October 10, about 100 Skyway neighbors gathered at Dimmitt Middle School to do something that rarely happens this early in a public building project: tell the county what their future community center should feel like, and share stories about the place it will replace.

The future Skyway Community Center will rise on the site of the former Skyway Park Bowl, a bowling alley King County purchased earlier this year next to Skyway Park. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028. For a community in unincorporated King County that has asked for a center since 1994, that date matters. So does how it got here.

As architects who work across South Seattle and South King County, we have been watching this project closely. It is a strong local example of what community-led design can look like when it is given time, money, and real decision-making weight.

A center decades in the making

Skyway-West Hill is unincorporated, which means the county, not a city, provides local services. Neighbors here have long had fewer civic buildings than nearby cities. According to King County Parks, the 2021-22 county budget set aside $10 million for a community center. Of that, $2 million funded the Skyway Resource Center, which opened in 2025 and is run by Skyway Coalition, leaving $8 million for planning.

Planning and early design began in December 2023, and a Concept Development Report followed in 2025. The county chose a 3.82-acre site next to Skyway Park because of strong community preference and the approval of the Skyway Community Advisory Committee.

The funding picture

The design team estimates Parks needs an additional $32 million to build the center, and the 2026-2031 Parks Levy will provide $13 million for construction and initial operations. That gap is the next big challenge, and it is a familiar one for community-serving buildings across the region.

What neighbors are asking for

The program reflects what residents said they need. Plans described by King County include a large multi-use community room, a full-size gym, dedicated areas for art, technology, and fitness, youth and teen spaces, and a senior gathering and wellness space. Outside, the concept calls for indoor and outdoor activity zones, a picnic shelter, a water feature, a stage area, and play structures. The county is aiming for LEED Platinum and Net Zero Energy.

That mix of teen space and elder space under one roof stands out. It tells you this is a building for families across generations, not a single-purpose facility.

How the engagement actually worked

The project timeline shows a sustained effort rather than a single public meeting. King County Parks reports:

• July and August 2024: more than 200 people weighed in on programming and the site.
• January and February 2025: more than 200 people responded to possible layouts.
• June and July 2025: a virtual meeting, an online page with more than 900 views, and tabling that reached more than 300 people.
• July and August 2026: three listening sessions with youth and elders, whose ideas were folded into the concept.

The October celebration added an oral history project about Skyway Park Bowl, with residents contributing photos and recorded stories, joined by the Black Genealogy Research Group. That is a thoughtful move. A building that honors what came before it is easier for a neighborhood to claim as its own.

Lessons for other South King County projects

We see four lessons here for nonprofits, churches, and community groups planning their own buildings.

1. Start with the community's own question

The Department of Local Services first led outreach after constituents proposed the center. When the idea comes from the neighborhood, engagement is about refining a shared goal, not selling a plan.

2. Give advisors a real seat

The Skyway Community Advisory Committee advises Parks on design and programming and met repeatedly through 2025 and 2026. Advisory groups work best when their input visibly changes the drawings.

3. Go to people where they are

Tabling, youth sessions, elder sessions, food, and music reached people who will never attend a formal hearing. If your engagement plan is only meetings, you are hearing from a narrow slice of your community.

4. Plan for the funding gap early

Even with levy dollars, a $32 million gap remains. Design choices made now, like phasing, flexible rooms, and durable materials, can make a project easier to fund in stages.

Other ways Skyway and White Center residents are shaping their neighborhoods

The center is not the only community-driven investment underway. In September, King County opened applications for $2.7 million in participatory budgeting grants across the Elevate Skyway Community Fund and the Uplift White Center Community Fund. Community members review and score proposals, and a Community Advisory Board helped shape the priorities. Applications closed October 11, so watch for results and future rounds through King County Local Services.

For community organizations, these grants are often the first step toward a capital project. A small planning grant can fund the feasibility study and engagement work that later makes a building grant competitive.

Let's design with your community

La Union Studio is a BIPOC-owned architecture and interiors studio that pairs design with community engagement and grant support. If your organization is dreaming about a community space in Skyway, White Center, or anywhere in South King County, we would love to listen first. Book a consultation and let's talk about where to start.

FAQ

When will the Skyway Community Center be built?

King County says construction is scheduled to begin in 2028 on the former Skyway Park Bowl site next to Skyway Park. No completion date has been announced, and the project still needs additional construction funding.

How is the Skyway Community Center being funded?

The 2021-22 King County budget set aside $10 million for planning and related work, and the 2026-2031 Parks Levy will provide $13 million for construction and initial operations. The design team estimates an additional $32 million is needed to build it.

How can community groups in Skyway and White Center get funding for local projects?

King County's participatory budgeting program offers community-led grants through the Elevate Skyway and Uplift White Center funds. The 2026 round closed October 11. Check King County Local Services for future rounds, and consider pairing a grant with early design and engagement work.

Sources: King County Field Notes: Executive Zahilay celebrates future Skyway Community Center · King County Parks: Skyway Community Center Project · King County Local Blog: Participatory budgeting grants open in Skyway and White Center