Spruce Street School files $7M permit for First Hill campus renovation

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 Announces $7 Million Renovation of Madison at Summit for 2028 K–5 Move

The private K–5 school announced plans to renovate the Madison at Summit building with a $7 million permit filing this summer, as it positions to move its programs to a First Hill campus for the fall of 2028. The project is part of a long‑running effort tied to Spruce Street School’s vision of a campus that supports its approximately 110 students while expanding its accessibility and offerings. The school will remain at its current address, 914 Virginia Street, through 2028 as work proceeds toward the new space on First Hill.

Spruce Street School was founded in 1982 and has long operated as a multi‑age program with a focus on highly personalized instruction and social‑emotional development in addition to academics. The school’s enrollment is around 110 students across kindergarten through fifth grade, and the tuition has been cited in the school’s materials as roughly $35,000 per year, with a listed annual figure of $35,818 in some references. The use of the Madison building is described by the school as part of a plan to establish a long‑term home that can support their program and community needs as they grow.

The First Hill site will feature a 20,000‑square‑foot classroom building, designed to expand instructional space for K–5 students. In addition, the roof level, described as about 24,000 square feet, is planned to be developed into an outdoor play area with limited instructional uses and housing of mechanical equipment. The project scope includes substantial renovation across all three levels of the property, with the garage level redeveloped to provide stair and elevator access, storage, and bicycle parking; the first floor redesigned for classrooms, administrative uses, and support spaces; and the roof space repurposed for play and essential infrastructure. A massive underground parking lot is also noted in the permit materials.

The property currently houses Salal Credit Union and ATI Physical Therapy, and Seattle Academy also operates in the building. Spruce Street School plans to partner with Seattle Academy to support campus planning as renovations proceed, with Seattle Academy continuing to use classrooms and offices in the building during the transformation. This collaboration reflects a broader, ongoing relationship with nearby educational institutions in the First Hill area.

The new First Hill campus is expected to open in the fall of 2028, with Spruce Street School stating a goal for 2035 to be “the highest quality, most financially accessible K–5 independent school of its kind in the Seattle area” and to remain “distinguished for our unique program and excellent teachers.” The school aims to admit students who would thrive in its program regardless of family means, and to continue expanding its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts alongside efforts to make tuition more accessible over time.

From a logistical standpoint, the Madison at Summit site is favored for its size, ample parking, transit access, and proximity to the RapidRide G line, all of which Spruce Street School executives say support an urban campus experience while maintaining convenient access for families. The school’s leadership has described an urban campus as a core component of its offering, noting that the First Hill location will help preserve a community‑focused environment that remains connected to the city’s transit network and nearby services.

As part of the broader neighborhood context, the area around Madison Street has seen ongoing development and shifts in private and alternative education and related services, alongside public school recalibrations. Other institutions and development projects in the Capitol Hill, Central District, and First Hill corridors have continued to evolve, influenced by a combination of central location, transit access, and a growing mix of educational and community programs. The RapidRide G line’s expansion has been cited as a transformative factor for street life, driving changes in how residents and students move through the area.

Spruce Street School’s history stretches back to its founding by Harvey Sadis, with its original home on Spruce Street in Seattle’s Central District. The school moved to Yale Avenue North in 1984, then relocated to 914 Virginia Street in 2005, where it has operated for years as a private K–5 program emphasizing highly personalized instruction and a holistic approach to development. Its curriculum integrates multiple subjects and sources beyond standard textbooks, reflecting a comprehensive educational philosophy. In recent years, the school has emphasized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in both staff and classroom practices, along with ongoing efforts to widen affordability for families seeking its program.

The Madison property expansion aligns with Spruce Street School’s stated long‑term strategy and community goals, while it coincides with a neighborhood climate in which education and development organizations have continued to grow and adapt in response to changing enrollment patterns and funding environments for public schools. The overall effect is a more expansive campus footprint intended to preserve the school’s multi‑age classroom model and its emphasis on social‑emotional development alongside academic rigor, with a long‑range plan to sustain and grow the school’s offerings in an increasingly urban setting.

Key features of the planned project

• New campus footprint: 20,000‑square‑foot classroom building on the Madison at Summit site.
• Roof space use: approximately 24,000 square feet designated for outdoor play and limited instructional use, plus housing for mechanical equipment.
• Underground parking: a two‑level or “massive” underground parking area to support students, staff, and families.
• Three levels of work: garage level for access, first floor for classrooms/admin, roof for play and equipment.
• Current tenants: Salal Credit Union, ATI Physical Therapy, and Seattle Academy, with SAAS continuing to use parts of the building during redevelopment.
• Partnerships: Spruce Street School will coordinate with Seattle Academy for campus planning and shared use during renovation.
• Timeline: renovation permit filed this summer with an anticipated first‑Hill campus opening in fall 2028; current campus remains in operation until relocation.
• Long‑term goals: by 2035, a commitment to the highest quality and financial accessibility for the K–5 independent school segment in the Seattle area, with a focus on inclusive access and teacher excellence.
• Neighborhood context: an increasingly integrated education and development landscape around Capitol Hill, Central District, and First Hill, with transit improvements and new facilities shaping the urban campus environment.

FAQ

Key features table

Feature	Details
Current school level	K–5 private program with about 110 students
New campus size	20,000‑square‑foot classroom building
Roof use	Outdoor play space on a ~24,000 SF roof deck
Parking plan	Underground parking facility accompanying renovations
Work levels	Garage level, first floor, and roof level renovations
Timeline	Renovation permit filed in summer; First Hill campus opening in fall 2028
Current tenants in building	Salal Credit Union, ATI Physical Therapy, Seattle Academy
Partnerships	Collaboration with Seattle Academy for campus planning; SAAS will continue using space
Long‑term goal	2035 objective to be highly quality and financially accessible for Seattle area K–5 independent education

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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