Building Harmony Capital Campaign

Jazz Night School’s Permanent Home Project

Joining Forces

With a goal of permanence and sustainability, Jazz Night School is creating a path to ownership of a new facility that will also create permanent homes for other cultural community members, plus ~85 affordable housing units. Founder/executive director Erik Hanson with Jazz Night School volunteer/property development facilitator Ben Rankin formed a coalition with LEMS Bookstore, a local Black-owned Southeast Seattle cultural institution to achieve the now-shared goal of creating a building on a 20,000 SF property in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood that will:

• provide a permanent debt-free home for Jazz Night School.
• provide a permanent debt-free home for LEMS Bookstore.
• create ~85 units of affordable housing.
• play a significant role in the cultural and economic growth of the Columbia Hillman Arts & Cultural District and Rainier Valley Creative District.
• create a cultural landmark building in a landmark district. 

Location

5021, 5015 & 5001 RAINIER AVENUE SOUTH SEATTLE, WA 98118

Building Harmony: Brick By Brick

Funding Sources

With a Building Harmony capital campaign goal of $6,000,000, donor bricks play an important role in launching and showing commitment for the project. Currently $692,730 is pledged toward our $1,000,000 donor brick goal.

Institutional donors will make up the largest portion of our funding but they typically require projects to be well underway before joining.

Donor Impact

Owning an 8,000 SF ground floor commercial condominium debt-free will lay the foundation for permanence and sustainability, and will provide Jazz Night School with greater revenue opportunities and much-needed spaces such as:

• Event Space / Large Ensemble Rehearsal Facility
• 6 Ensemble Rooms
• 4 Practice / Tutoring Rooms
  
• Lobby space
• Cafe
• Office Suite - 2 Private Offices & Conference / Work Room
• ...and more!

The overall project will also catalyze growth of the Columbia Hillman Arts & Cultural District, combat cultural and diversity displacement, and empower Black businesses and service organizations by:

• attracting students from across the region, who in turn utilize local businesses
• employing more professional artists/educators
• creating a new community space for art-related purposes
• generate significant jobs in labor and trade via the construction project
• providing affordable housing for ~85 households
• ensuring LEMS Bookstore continues its legacy of impact

A Brick For You - Donate Here

We've set three donor levels at amounts that aim to provide everyone with a pledge-target they can reach for, and fulfill over four or five years:  

• Emerald Brick: (Leadership Level): $5,000 x 5 yrs = $25,000
• Gold Brick: $1,250 x 4 yrs = $5,000
• Silver Brick: $250 x 4 yrs = $1,000

Accepted payment methods include check, credit card, donor advised funds, required minimum distributions, and stocks. Brick levels aren't right for you? Each form provides option for choosing your own amount and payment timing. 

You can be a part of building this new permanent Jazz Night School home by choosing a Brick that works for you, and pledging it right now. Please remember that the actual contributions have up to five years to be fulfilled. PLUS: If you have employer matches you can use them to help fulfill your pledge too!

Thank you for considering joining this project, and for understanding and valuing the impact Jazz Night School has on so many lives.

Have questions? Reach out to our Executive Director, Erik Hanson, at erikh@jazznightschool.org for a conversation, more materials, or access to a recorded informational meeting from May 26, 2026. 

Progress To Date