LYNNWOOD—Philanthropist Rick Steves hailed the opening of the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center on Friday, Jan. 9, as the realization of a 30-year dream, a community hub nicknamed the “piazza” that will foster connection and provide vital services to vulnerable residents.
Speaking at the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center ribbon-cutting ceremony, Steves described the 40,000-square-foot facility as a living organism that will “breathe life” through people “coming, people going, people needing, sharing, learning, helping, laughing, playing.” He called the center, inspired by Italy’s vibrant public squares, a direct response to loneliness: “Rather than a crisis of loneliness, under this roof, we’re going to have community.”
The two-story building, which includes an adjacent park and play field, and indoor a basketball court, will offer a community kitchen, early learning programs, expanded Boys and Girls Club services, adult daycare for people with intellectual disabilities, and flexible meeting spaces. A central 27-foot-tall atrium with exposed cross-laminated timber beams, a café, and welcome desk forms the heart of the LEED Gold-certified structure.
Steves rooted the project in personal experience and faith…