December 20, 2023, 11:00 am. 711 S. 38th St., Tacoma
Asia Pacific Cultural Center and Low Income Housing Institute are announcing a historic groundbreaking ceremony for Patsy Surh Place.
Patsy Surh Place is a new, mixed-use construction project located in the Lincoln District Neighborhood of Tacoma. This 6-story building will provide 77 affordable housing units for seniors making 30% and 50% of Area Median Income. The building will include 47 studios and 31 one-bedroom units. On-site amenities will include a community lounge, an exterior courtyard, a multipurpose room and gallery space, and centralized laundry. Two retail bays for small businesses will be built along S. 38th St. One unit will be set aside for a live-in manager unit.
"I am profoundly proud and honored to have senior housing named after me. It is a testament to a shared commitment to the well-being and community support for our elderly. I look forward to the positive impact and sense of belonging that Patsy Surh Place will bring to older individuals in our community! Thank you so much LIHI and APCC for recognizing me in this special way - I am truly honored!” – Patsy Surh
Patsy Surh O'Connell is an exceptional community leader with an unwavering commitment in promoting Asian and Pacific Islander heritage, culture, and arts throughout the region. Patsy’s passion stems from a unique desire to honor her Korean heritage and to honor her parents’ legacy. She was born in Shanghai, China to Korean parents, and lived her early life in Korea before immigrating to America as a student in 1963. She is proud to be Korean and wants other Asia Pacific people to feel the same way about who they are. She also wants to help people to know more about the Asia Pacific community. This led to her establishing the Asia Pacific Cultural Center in 1996 with a dream to create a central gathering place for people to connect through Asian Pacific art and culture. Currently Patsy serves as APCC’s President, and under her strong leadership the organization has grown and expanded to serve hundreds of thousands of people each year throughout the State of Washington.
Patsy Surh O’Connell’s record of accomplishments and excellence as an artist, advocate, and community leader is further demonstrated by how actively involved she is in the community and the influence she has had on so many people. She has collaborated with numerous organizations and agencies in planning and developing culture and arts programs and events for the community. Mrs. O’Connell was instrumental in forming the Washington Korean Artists Association, which now showcases dozens of Korean artists of all forms throughout the state of Washington. She enthusiastically served two four-year terms in the Washington State Arts Commission. She proudly represented Washington State for two terms serving on the Board of Trustees of the Western States Arts Federation. She was awarded the Governor's Heritage Award for an Individual as part of the 2018 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards for her decades of work and dedication. Mrs. O’Connell has a heart of gold. Her sincerity and kindness shines through in all the work that she has done for the community.
APCC Board
Patsy Surh O'Connell, Belinda Y. Louie, Albert Q. Cosio, Francisco Pascua, Elaine S. Ishihara, Tuyet Nguyen, Robert Yu, June Sekiguchi, Latha Sambamurti, Gloria Dixon, Tina Huynh, Katie Condit, Susanna Keilman, Ray Hing
LIHI Board
Melinda Nichols, Linda Battles, Nancy Bennett Evans, Duncan Haas, Herman Kahaloa, Tom Mathews, Henry McGee, Bryan M. Park, Cathy Danigelis, Peter Guzman, Brione Scott, Marvin Dumas
Thank you to Banner Bank for sponsoring the groundbreaking.
Program: December 20, 2023, 11:00 am. 711 S. 38th St., Tacoma
Welcome
Faaluaina Pritchard, APCC
Sharon Lee, LIHI
Speakers
Honorable Victoria Woodards, Mayor - City of Tacoma
Honorable Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County Executive
Honorable Laurie Jinkins, Speaker of House, WA State Legislature
Honorable Derek Kilmer, United States Congress District 6
Honorable Marilyn Strickland, United States Congress District 10
Honorable Yasmin Trudeau, WA State Senator
Honorable Catherine Ushka, Tacoma City Council
Juan Beltran - Gonzalez, Senator Patty Murray Office
Lisa Vatske, WA State Housing Finance Commission
Patsy Surh O’Connell, APCC
Architect: Weber Thompson
Contractor: Walsh Construction Co.