Who lives and works here
SLU ranks among Seattle's biggest office districts, home to Amazon's offices and a growing circle of life sciences institutions. For many renters, the real draw is simple: you can walk to work.
Getting Around Before You Pick a Block
A handful of streets shape everyday life here, so check each building against them. Mercer and Valley Streets carry you east and west, and around 2017 the city rebuilt Mercer as a tree-lined, two-way boulevard. Valley became a quieter two-way street designed with people on foot in mind.
Heading north or south, you will rely on Dexter, 9th, Westlake and Fairview Avenues N., plus Eastlake Avenue E. An apartment right on Mercer feels very different from one tucked onto a side street near Valley. If you can, stroll the block at a few different times of day before deciding.
Parks and Green Space Close to Home
Tower living gets easier when you have room to stretch out. SLU offers one big waterfront park and a few smaller spots that matter most to the people who live nearby.
Lake Union Park
Spend an afternoon at this lakefront park, which opened in 2008 and was completed in 2010. Its roughly 12 acres take in a walkway along the water, open lawn and a footbridge over the western waterway. The park sits on a peninsula a lumber company built into the lake in 1909, a reminder of the shoreline's industrial past.
Wander down to the wharf to see historic vessels at their moorings, including the steamer Virginia V, the lightship Swiftsure, the tug Arthur Foss and the fireboat Duwamish, several of them City of Seattle landmarks. Just to the east, The Center for Wooden Boats displays smaller craft. Nearby, the Museum of History & Industry reopened in December 2012 inside the former Naval Reserve Armory; check with the museum for current hours and admission.
Denny Park for dog owners
Fill an entire block at Denny Park, 100 Dexter Ave N, Seattle's oldest park. The land was given as a cemetery in 1861 and became a park in 1883. Seattle Parks and Recreation lists it as an off-leash area, a handy perk if you rent with a dog, and our Denny Park dog park guide has more.
Cascade Playground and the community garden
Over on the east side, head to Cascade Playground at 333 Pontius Ave N. Close by, the Cascade P-Patch community garden at 310 Minor Ave N offers 57 plots and has been part of the city's P-Patch program since 1996, a welcome option if your apartment lacks outdoor space.
The Cascade Side and Its Landmarks
East of Fairview Avenue N., the area long went by Cascade, where Russian, Swedish, Norwegian and Greek families settled in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The name came from the Cascade School, built in 1894 and demolished after the 1949 earthquake. Look for Immanuel Lutheran Church and St. Spiridon Russian Orthodox Cathedral, which still stand from that era.
Older buildings add character between the new towers. Seattle City Light built the Lake Union Steam Plant in 1914; it became a city landmark in 1994 and now holds biotech offices, and you can read more in our Lake Union Steam Plant guide. The 1914 Ford Assembly Plant was the first Model T plant west of the Mississippi River, and other survivors include the 1927 Troy Laundry Building and the 1930 Seattle Times Building.
Seattle Renter Rules to Know Before You Sign
Renting in SLU means renting under Seattle's rules, which go further than state law in several areas. Statewide, the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act governs relations between landlords and tenants, and the city layers its own regulations on top.
The Renter's Handbook
Seattle requires landlords to hand tenants a printed copy of the Renter's Handbook when they sign a first rental agreement. A digital copy is allowed for renewals, for annual delivery to month-to-month tenants and whenever the City updates the handbook. The current edition follows the stages of the renting cycle and includes an index for looking up specific terms.
Download a printer-friendly version from the City of Seattle's Renting in Seattle website. While you are there, browse its coverage of fair housing law, evictions and quick help for common problems, plus contact information if you need assistance.
Short stays versus leases
Some renters want a furnished place for just a few weeks. Seattle treats a unit rented for fewer than 30 consecutive nights as a short-term rental, which is different from a lease. Operators need a city license, and every listing must show the license number, so looking for it is an easy way to confirm a short stay is legitimate.
