Byrd Barr Place, a cornerstone organization in the Central District providing social safety net services to residents, has returned home after more than a year of renovations at its historical Fire Station No. 23 building. 

The resumption Tuesday of the food bank, renamed The Market, was a kind of grand reopening for Byrd Barr Place. The organization has helped uplift residents in and around the historically Black neighborhood since the 1960s. By 11 a.m., the lobby was packed with clients eager to browse the wide selection of fresh produce, baked goods, pantry staples and frozen meals. 

The return to its Central District headquarters signals the beginning of a new chapter for Byrd Barr Place, marking the end of a 10-year effort to take ownership of the building from the city, said Chief Executive Officer Andrea Caupain Sanderson. The city moved to transfer the property to the Black-led organization in September 2020, after protests for racial justice following the murder of George Floyd. Renovations began shortly after.

“It holds so many memories and stories for people,” Caupain Sanderson said. “It’s important to own it, this space, this place, and to own it out right. For our Black community it’s monumental.” 

Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.;

Wednesday, noon to 4 p.m.;

Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Market, open Tuesday through Thursday, looks and feels significantly different from the original food-bank setup, said director of operations Tafari Maynard.

Residents no longer stand in long lines outside the building and shuffle next to tables of produce. Instead, guests sit and wait inside a spacious community room in the lobby. The market is akin to a modern grocery store with aisles lined by sleek wooden shelves and commercial display refrigerators.

In many ways, the food bank is a gateway to other programs and services at Byrd Barr Place, such as rental and utility assistance, Maynard said. 

The cosmetic changes create a more welcoming environment that will help expand the organization’s reach and appeal, Maynard said.

“Helping people keep and build their dignity is the core of our services,” Caupain Sanderson said. 

Byrd Barr Place traces its origins to the Central Area Motivation Program, which formed in 1964 in the Central District. Originally at an office building near 17th Avenue and East Union Street, the group aimed to help the Black families and residents who found themselves confined to the neighborhood because of racial restrictive covenants and discrimination. 

A “war on poverty” era initiative, the organization championed civil rights issues, offered after-school programs for children and secured job placements for workers. 

In 1968, the organization moved into the old fire station after its office was damaged by arson. It’s since operated as a hub of community engagement, Caupain Sanderson said, a place where generations of Black residents have attended Christmas parties and organized local rallies.

Now, after decades of displacement and gentrification, less than a fifth of the Central District neighborhood is made up of Black households, compared to nearly 75% in 1970.

While the demographics of their clients have changed over the years, the need for services in the city is still palpable, Maynard said. 

Many who seek services at Byrd Barr Place are older residents on fixed incomes, Maynard said, or people with disabilities. Some are unhoused, or are on the edge of homelessness. A significant number of clients are low-income residents from the Chinatown International District, Maynard said. 

In addition to offering food and assistance to help families build financial stability, Byrd Barr Place conducts research on equity, poverty and the impacts of structural racism.

“There’s so many people who don’t have access to enough money or access to get food from the grocery stores, and there’s a lot of vulnerable people who need help,” said Byrd Barr Place volunteer Eydie Jones. 

On Tuesday, Aja Reb arrived at Byrd Barr Place with an orange reusable tote bag in hand. 

Reb, who grew up in Seattle, lives a few blocks from Byrd Barr Place. But it wasn’t until Reb was laid off from their job at an animal rescue during the pandemic that they started using the organization’s food bank services when it was temporarily operating at a Pike Street location. 

Since then, Reb has managed to secure a new job, but “finances are still really tight,” they said.  

“I think a lot of people are grateful” for Byrd Barr Place, Reb said. 

CORRECTION: Byrd Barr Place CEO Andrea Caupain Sanderson’s name was misspelled in an early version of this story.

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