History
Queen Anne, once an overgrown forest, attracted rich settlers who made their fortune during the Alaskan Gold Rush. These rich settlers built lovely mansions that grace the slopes of Queen Anne today. The neighborhood was named for the Queen Anne architectural style of its early Victorian mansions.

Description
Queen Anne is located north of downtown, and is considered a neighborhood of choice for those who work in Downtown Seattle or on the Eastside due to its strategic location. Rentals in upper Queen Anne surround Queen Anne Ave., the main thoroughfare, and are also found in surrounding blocks. Upper Queen Anne Ave. is sprinkled with specialty shops, ranging from upscale dress shops to local pubs. Rentals in the lower Queen Anne, surrounding Seattle Center, are also much sought after. There you will find many exotic restaurants and coffee shops in abundance. The west side of Queen Anne faces Magnolia, and the Interbay golf course. This industrial area has fewer apartment buildings, and more fast-food joints and retail shops. On the eastern part of Queen Anne, the area is mainly commercial but rentals on the Lake Union side boast of beautiful views of the water. the Seattle Center area.

Residents
Upper Queen Anne is home to long-time residents and has a higher number of residential homes. The lower part of Queen Anne has more rentals and tends to attract young professionals, students, and artists. Queen Anne is a mixture of people from every income bracket. It is considered a high rent district in Seattle and its plentiful apartment buildings and historical mansions draw renters and home buyers alike into the area.

Fun Stuff
The Seattle Center is located at the base of Queen Anne and many consider it the cultural heart of Seattle. It is home to the three major performing arts organizations: the Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Seattle Repertory Theatre. It is also home to the Seattle Children’s Museum and the Pacific Science Center. Professional sports teams also call the Seattle Center home; the Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team (WHL), and Seattle Storm basketball team (WNBA) both host their home games at the Key Arena.

On June 23, 2000 the Experience Music Project opened at the Seattle Center. Love it or hate it, the unique, Frank Gehry-designed steal structure (described by the Seattle Times as “the wreck of the Partridge Family bus”) is now an unmistakable landmark of Seattle Center.  This interactive music museum combines hands-on experiences with interpretive exhibits that tell the story of the creative process in American popular music. EMP is the first institution of its kind.

Bumbershoot, Seattle’s favorite music and art festival, takes place at the Seattle Center every Labor Day weekend. It is one of the most innovative, inexpensive and inspiring arts festivals in the country, with a four-day showcase of extraordinary art, culture and entertainment. Enjoy music, theatre, dance, film and video, literary arts, comedy, kids arts, and more. The Northwest Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center is the annual ethnic, folk, and traditional art festival. Artists create an ethnic extravaganza embracing music and dance performances, visual arts and folklore exhibits.

Our city’s most famous landmark, The Space Needle, is located at the Seattle Center and many make the surprisingly short elevator trip to the top for a fantastic view of the. It additionally holds a unique, revolving restaurant.  At the base of the Needle, an amusement park and fun center is present. Queen Anne also has numerous parks that circle the hill offering relaxing scenic overlooks. Kerry Park, on the south slope, is a favorite among locals and tourists for its magnificent view of the Seattle skyline, Elliott Bay and Mt. Rainier.

Average Rent: $$$$

Primary Housing:

Small Apartment Buildings

Medium Apartment Buildings

Townhomes

Single-Family Homes

Duplexes/Multiplexes

Commute Times:

Downtown 5-10 minutes

Eastside 25 minutes, 45 minutes with traffic

Queen Anne offers one of the best selections of rental housing options in Seattle. Queen Anne is a relatively large geographic area located just north of Downtown and Belltown and just west of Lake Union. Its close proximity to Downtown makes it one of the more expensive areas in Seattle. Development began in the early 1900's and continues today. Along with Capitol Hill, Queen Anne offers Seattle's best selection of vintage properties with brick exteriors and hardwood floors. The full span of the century is reflected in Queen Anne's architecture. This area is home to some of the areas most spectacular homes as well as a large concentration of apartment buildings. Those looking for housing located a short walk to cafes, shops and amenities should focus on being located close to the top of Queen Anne hill, on the south slope, lower Queen Anne or the area around the Space Needle. Properties with views south to Downtown, east to Lake Union and the Cascade Mountains, north to Fremont and Wallingford, west to Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains wrap around Queen Anne hill. Those with a more restricted budget but wanting a Queen Anne location can find more reasonably priced units on the northwest side as well as the north slope, located close to Seattle Pacific University. Queen Anne offers a large number of townhome and single-family home options for rent as well. Based on location size and condition, these properties will range from moderately expensive to very expensive.