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Swedes come to Seattle and go to… Northgate

Posted by Geeky Swedes on March 31st, 2009

Imagine the Geeky Swedes’ surprise when a busload of city officials from Sweden went to Northgate, not Ballard, to tour a new European-style development there called Thornton Place (rendering below).

It was organized by Washington Swedish Consul Lars Jonsson, who also happens to be one the developers behind the project. Jonsson said he’s working on a “Swedish week” for next year that would be timed with Swedish Hospital’s centennial. “We will have, I think, a lot of high-powered Swedes coming over for that event,” he told SeattlePI.com. “Perhaps even royalty.”

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  • chopper_74
    I'm awaiting the invitation..
  • Nordic Woman
    Hah! I'm on the list!
  • mamaC
    Swedish Hospitals origins have nothing to do with Sweden. Curious.
  • hopefulpoet
    oohhhh - even royalty? gosh and my goodness.
    I am not worthy.
  • bmvaughn
    Well maybe just Fredie Ljunberg...
  • elenchos
    Why would real Swedes want to meet a lot of Ballard NIMBYs who whine about taxes, hate density, and can't bear the sight of the less fortunate? After they try the meatballs, what's to talk about?
  • Nordic Woman
    Of course Swedish Hospital has something to do with Swedes!
    "Swedish Hospital

    One of the Club's concerns was the health care of the Swedes in the area and when Svenska Lasarettet (Swedish Hospital) was organized in June 1908, nearly all the men signing the papers of incorporation were members of the club including Otto Roseleaf, P. A. Hallberg, J. A. Soderberg (1866-1935), John Kalberg, Godfrey Chealander (1868-1953), N. J. Nyquist, Emil Lovegren, Israel Nelson, Gustaf Axel Edelsvard, H. E. Turner, and Dr. Nils A. Johanson, the main driving force behind the hospital.

    The hospital opened in 1910 in a leased building on 1733 Belmont Avenue, moving to a new building on Summit and Columbia in 1912. Today Swedish Hospital Medical Center is an internationally recognized multi-specialty medical center and contains several campuses. It is the largest health care facility in the Pacific Northwest and the dreams of the first-generation Swedes have indeed paid off -- the hospital has not only played an important part in the city's Scandinavian history but in the lives of everyone in the Northwest. "
  • The Swedish Chef
    Bork bork bork!
  • boardbrown
    Aside from the silly Swede aspect to this story, this project is actually pretty nice as far as multifamily developments go. I've wandered around there a bit, and there are some real nice spaces and ammenties on that site. It definately has a strong communal intimacy to it that is typically lacking in Seattle projects of this scope.

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