VIBE

Original ⋅ Hip ⋅ Active

NOTABLE

The Ballard Locks enable boat traffic to move from freshwater Lake Union to the salt water of Puget Sound. Fremont’s burgeoning tech industry is reshaping the local community in a big way.

SIZE

87,000 residents in District 6 of Seattle

HOUSING

Traditional, Craftsman, Mid-Century Modern, Tudor, new construction, townhomes, and condos

The close proximity to downtown Seattle and local tech hubs makes Ballard an extremely convenient place to call home New businesses and housing construction are booming to accommodate the growth Ballard is experiencing. Sidewalks are bustling with people walking their pets, window shopping and meeting up with others for a meal. Ballard Avenue, a nationally registered historic district, hales back to the area’s blue collar roots. Ballard’s Market Street, on the other hand, is the neighborhood’s modern business district. Ballard houses a vibrant working waterfront. Fisherman’s Terminal is home base for the North Pacific Fishing Fleet. The terminal also offers a collection of delicious dining options and is a great place to purchase the freshest seafood. The Ballard locks, officially named the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, enable boat traffic to move from freshwater Lake Union to the salt water of Puget Sound---a 26-foot grade change.

The Green Lake neighborhood is centrally triangulated between the Phinney Ridge, Greenwood, and Wallingford neighborhoods. Green Lake, the namesake lake of the neighborhood, is a freshwater lake located within Green Lake Park. Home buyers will find an extensive variety of housing types in the Green Lake area. Since 1995, the neighborhood has undergone significant redevelopment. Many houses have been completely remodeled and enlarged, often with the addition of a second floor.

Sometimes referred to as "The People's Republic of Fremont" or "The Artists' Republic of Fremont," and at one time a center of the counterculture, Fremont has become somewhat gentrified in recent years. The neighborhood is home to the Fremont Troll, an 18-foot-tall concrete sculpture of a troll crushing a Volkswagen Beetle in its left hand, created in 1990 and situated under the north end of the Aurora Bridge that was renamed Troll Avenue N. In addition, signs throughout Fremont give advice such as: "set your watch back five minutes," "set your watch forward five minutes," and "throw your watch away." Since the early 1970s some Fremont residents have been referring to their neighborhood as "The Center of the Universe" (which also appears on a large "Welcome" sign).