Cherry Hill

Diversity means there’s a lot of things. There’s a lot of a lot of things in Cherry Hill. There’s a lot of good restaurants. There’s a lot of hipsters. There’s a lot of crime. There’s a lot of Seattle U students. There’s a lot of perfectly fine places to live.

That’s Cherry Hill summed up. It’s like the Central District except more so. It’s younger, hipper, and more packed to the brim with every kind of coffee shop and restaurant you can think of.

Everything that you could possibly imagine about a nabe full of hipsters happens in Cherry Hill — that’s right, the cringe and painful smell of someone who deliberately tries to look like shit — but it’s all worth it. Amazing food, shopping, and parks. Good schools, cheap rent, awesome transportation. I absolutely adore this nabe because there’s never a dull moment here. A perfect place for a date, or just to hang out and catch a flick or drink in one of the countless bars in Cherry Hill.
Of course it goes without saying the local art is amazing here; you could find yourself walking along and notice an art display in a window you’ve walked by 20 times but never seen. Empty buildings and postponed development projects are loaded with them.
Community gardens, art, and good company plus hospitals everywhere you look, practically. The only bad part is that pockets of this nabe (and literally one or two blocks) are incredibly dangerous, but once past them it’s gone. Like walking through a door almost, these few areas are better circumvented or avoided altogether.

virginia j.

I guess I technically live in Cherry Hill, although it feels more to me and other residents as the Central District. I know this one almost by heart.

Pros
– Tons of coffee shops, Tougo on 18th and Union and Katy’s 2 blocks east on 20th and Union are great local places that remember your name
– Good, but pricey gumbo (seattle REALLY lacks this) on 23rd and union.
– Ezell’s Chicken on 23rd is practically famous.
– 26th and Cherry’s The Twilight Exit has a great happy hour, good pub food, and a great shuffleboard table. They do bear pong tournaments too when it’s warmer and sunny for all you who like games.
– huge Swedish Hospital off of Cherry st.
-Jefferson’s got some great ethiopian communities with great food like Ethio or Mesob
– Safeway down on 23rd and Madison, and Trader Joes up on 18th and Madison
– TT minor elementary school on 18th and Union and Garfield on 23rd and Jefferson.
– Relatively clean, and somewhat quiet on weekdays and weekends. Can get a bit rowdy from drunk college students wandering around looking for parties but very safe for the most part.
– Very cheap rent
– Parking is unzoned and abundant after 19th street, although there are pockets of communities seeking to zone their areas to stop people from parking and taking the bus downtown.

Cons
– Pockets of this nabe can be extremely dangers, such as 13th – 16th on Jefferson, and much of Yesler. Do NOT walk by these places after dark unless you know themVERY well or live there. I lived on 13th and Jefferson and it wasn’t rare to be hearing bi-monthly gunshots or almost monthly cops rolling up on our street.
-Parking can be tough west of 19th unless you have a zone permit.
– Not many opportunities for buying property in this area, mostly renting
– not too much else

Great area for students at Seattle University or commuters to other locations. I recommend living here to anyone interested. feel free to comment asking more specific questions, and I can get back to you on this nabe.

Christopher M.

This central Seattle nabe is diverse and dense, and one of the more exciting parts of the city to live in. Located on one of Seattle’s Seven Hills, Cherry Hill, known colloquially as “The Cherry,” has a rich history that has left it ethnically diverse and with a vibe that is all it’s own. This nabe feels neither like Capitol Hill or First Hill, and can brag about being the center of many an urban experiment, which has left it filled with a hodgepodge of varying architectural endeavors, most recently of the New Urban style, and a large collection of sustainable buildings.

Historically a Jewish nabe in the sixties, followed by a predominately black nabe in the eighties, Cherry Hill today has no majority ethnic makeup and is instead home to many different ethnicities. The nabe is mostly densely packed bungalows on the the east side, while the west side is large apartment complexes and Seattle University. The northern border follows Madison Street and is the nabe’s main business district, brimming with tons of small restaurants of all cuisines, and small boutique stores slinging everything from vintage clothes to alternative medicinal remedies.

This is a pretty hip nabe today, and it is popular among the artist community due to the convenient location and proximity to Seattle University. The presence of Swedish Medical Center’s main campus has resulted in excellent bus service to and from the nabe, making it’s central Seattle location even more convenient. An excellent nabe for younger professionals or students looking for close-in urban living, while still providing larger apartments than the Central District for less coin.

Zachary Walker