First Hill | Will Springer

One of the oldest neighborhoods in Seattle, First Hill could be deemed the city’s first “suburb.” As early as the 1890s, First Hill offered a quiet alternative to the city life for successful businessmen, judges, attorneys and their families. First Hill got its name for being the first (and quite steep) incline people encountered when walking east from downtown. Today, it’s a leafy option to downtown/Belltown and – more than a century after becoming a living destination – remains one of the popular neighborhoods in which to live and explore.

The area will always be an integral part of the city because it is home to our three major hospitals – Harborview, Swedish and Virginia Mason – earning the nickname “Pill Hill.” It’s also recognized for being the home to the Frye Art Museum, established by Charles and Emma Frye, who several decades ago owned a successful meatpacking plant in South Seattle. Opened in 1952 at 704 Terry Avenue, the museum remains free to visitors and features more than 200 paintings from the family collection.

The neighborhood features many fine condominiums, including:

The Decatur, a classic New York City style condo, at Boren Avenue and Spring Street;
First Hill Plaza, a 33-story local icon with indoor pool, at Boylston Avenue and Spring Street;
Parkview Plaza, an 18-story condo with indoor pool, at Boren Avenue and Seneca Street.
The Meridian, a classic, contemporary condo, housing 161 units in 27 stories, at 1420 Terry Avenue.
Luma, one of the newest and most contemporary condos in the neighborhood, with 168 units, at Boylston Avenue and Seneca Street.
Graystone, the newest offering, stands 31 stories tall and features 271 luxury residences with many perks through its concierge services, at 8th Avenue and Columbia Street.

First Hill is one of the city’s lynchpin neighborhoods, bordered to the west by I-5 and downtown, to the north by East Pike Street, to the south by Yesler Way and the International District, and to the east by Seattle University along 12^th Avenue (but many claim the boundary stops along Broadway). Getting around the city is fairly simply, with several Seattle Metro bus lines running through the neighborhood and the First Hill streetcar connecting passengers to Capitol Hill and Pioneer Square.

LOCAL RESOURCES

Top area restaurants (Yelp.com)

Top area drinking establishments (Yelp.com)

Top destinations (Tripadvisor.com)

Keeping in the know: The Evergrey, Nextdoor, Patch

Schools: Seattle Public Schools and School Address Lookup Tool (2019-20 school year), Greatschools.org, Schooldigger.com)

Public Schools for First Hill: Lowell Elementary, Meany Middle, Garfield High

Public Transportation: Seattle/King County Metro, Link light rail and Sounder train, Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit

Hospitals: Harborview Medical Center (the only Level 1 trauma center in Washington State), Seattle Children’s, Swedish Medical Center – Ballard, Swedish Medical Center – First Hill, Swedish – Cherry Hill, University of Washington Medical Center, Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care