Not a warehouse, but a support system

CNYSEATTLE

On a side street in Kenmore, Washington in the United States, a 1,860 square-metre warehouse blends in with its industrial surroundings. The building houses several tenants, including a toy company, an upholsterer, and a maker of commercial fire alarms and security systems.

But the nondescript warehouse is also a hub for the area’s Asian communities. For decades, the property’s owners have hosted lectures and tutoring, Lunar New Year celebrations and ballroom dance lessons. Residents of the small city on the north shore of Lake Washington and beyond recall feeling that the space was the center of a support system.