The Othello neighborhood in South Seattle is a vibrant multi-cultural community with a uniquely rich immigrant and refugee history. While the opening of the Othello light rail station in 2009 brought easier connectivity to Othello, it also opened the door for new development and a different demographic of neighbors. Othello Square is the community’s collective move for embracing change while maintaining diversity and opportunity in their unique neighborhood. Starting as a grass roots movement, Othello residents and community groups joined together to take charge of the future of their neighborhood by imagining empty parcels at the intersection of MLK Jr Way and Othello Street as a community “opportunity center”. Othello Square is a mixture of neighborhood housing, educational facilities and community services representing a wide range of stakeholders, cultures, and demographics. Between the buildings lies a shared central courtyard aimed to be a collective resource for Othello Square users and the larger Othello neighborhood.