Tukwila

Set along the Duwamish River, Allentown is part of Tukwila, a suburban city in King County, about 10 miles south of Downtown Seattle. "Allentown is a small neighborhood, but pretty popular in Tukwila — it's highly regarded," says Jim Pullin, managing broker at Skyline Properties. The community is split into residential and commercial sections. Industry in the area includes data centers, manufacturing companies and transportation businesses. For those who commute elsewhere, state Route 599 crosses through the neighborhood; Interstate 5 is just a couple of miles to the east. About 4 miles away, King County International Airport, known locally as Boeing Airfield South, is not a point to take off for vacation flights: it serves corporate airlines and private jets. On-site is the Museum of Flight, the world's largest nonprofit air and space museum. Allentown is equally close to the widely used Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, SeaTac. There's a fair share of aircraft flying above Allentown, so noise complaints may arise. This is in addition to the sound of trucks passing through on state Route 599. The city of Tukwila's development of an Environmental Impact Statement is part of the effort to reroute truck traffic away from the residential areas, perhaps via one of the proposed alternative routes. Bacovino winery has a tasting room and both indoor and outdoor spaces. Afternoon events like wine and cheese pairings, chocolate bar making, and sip and paint sessions bring more visitors to sample Washington's grapes and consider joining the wine club. A bit south of the neighborhood, Drip & Sip Café serves Vietnamese-style drip coffee drinks and bahn mi. It's a mile or so farther to more eateries and stores along Pacific Highway. Saar's Super Saver Foods is an option for groceries. Part of the reason people choose Tukwila for real estate purchases is because it's in the county. "It's a very popular destination for residents and real estate developers because King County is easier to work with than the city of Seattle," Pullin says. The city's regulations around short-term rentals, for example, would be stricter. "Investors love it here because there's going to be more STR opportunities." Allentown's single-family homes include modestly sized bungalows built in the first half of the 20th century ranging from $383,000 to $572,000. Much of the original stock has already been replaced with newly built properties, such as contemporary-style houses of 2,400 to 3,000 square feet for $875,000 to $975,000. Those right beside the river come with the highest price tags. "Some people fish from their balconies on the Duwamish. Opinions vary on if you should eat it," Pullin says. The Duwamish Hill Preserve is an expansive 10-acre site with a forested trail and educational markers explaining how the land and plants are connected to the Duwamish tribe. Trails are one of the main recreational features in Allentown; there's more on the southern side of Allentown at Codiga Park. The Green River Trail runs along the Duwamish, providing scenic views and a relaxing environment. The Tukwila Community Center has several outdoor amenities, including a skate park. For the kids, there's a playground and a spray park for cool summertime fun. The Tukwila Senior Center offers fitness, recreation and wellness programming. Classes include line dancing, soft kung fu and strength training. Nearby public schools are part of the historic Tukwila School District, founded in 1892. Kids may start at Tukwila Elementary, which has a B-minus grade from Niche. Showalter Middle is graded C, and Foster Senior High has a B-minus. Home of the Bulldogs, Foster has a College & Career Center and clubs, including eSports, robotics and Future Business Leaders of America. Near the King County International Airport, Raisbeck Aviation High School, A-plus, shares resources with the Museum of Flight. The school has the country's only aviation-themed college preparatory program and is open to students in the greater Puget Sound area via lottery.

Offering an abundance of nearby amenities and classic homes with curb appeal, Cascade View is a welcome residential respite on Tukwila’s western end. The community offers a mixed bag of housing options for prospective homebuyers, with a blend of single-family homes, condominiums and town houses peppered through a streetscape filled with towering Douglas fir and other evergreen trees. Many of the roads throughout Cascade View end in cul-de-sacs, providing residents with some peace and quiet and less through traffic. Single-family houses throughout the neighborhood have recently sold anywhere from the low $400,000 range to $800,000, with options ranging from cozy 2-bedroom cottages to newly built Craftsman-style homes with front porches perfect for a morning cup of coffee. Town houses are also available, many of which feature enclosed garages and modern interior features. Many children living in the community can walk or ride their bikes to Cascade View Elementary School, with its central location in the heart of the neighborhood. Part of the Tukwila School District, Cascade View Elementary offers various before- and after-school programs throughout the week and a Dual Language Program that allows students to become bilingual at an early age. Children will then likely attend Showalter Middle School and Foster High School. Foster High School has received a B- rating from Niche, offering various athletic programs, including badminton, swimming and many more. If your child needs to check out books for their summer reading list, the Tukwila Library is close by. Parents can take their children to Cascade View Community Park for a quick afternoon outing with an expansive playground area and green spaces. Cascade View provides residents with great proximity to North SeaTac Park, which features a BMX track, athletic fields and courts and a picnic shelter perfect for a mid-afternoon lunch. Nearby Hilltop Park has seven acres of open fields, making it a great place to take your pup for a couple of hours of fetch or to relax with a good book under the Douglas firs. Head down Tukwila International Boulevard for a variety of shopping and dining options, whether you’re starting your morning with a latte and a bagel at Mighty Mugs Coffee or grabbing a meal on the go from one of the many fast food options. Residents have quick access to cuisine from all over the world, ranging from Congolese, Ethiopian, and Salvadoran, among others. If you need groceries for tonight’s dinner, there are several options around, and if you want fresh, locally grown produce, make sure to head to the Tukwila Village Farmers Market that takes place on Wednesdays during the summer and fall months. Cascade View’s convenient location puts residents just minutes away from Interstate 5, making it an easy route for commuters. There are also plenty of public transit stops along the neighborhood’s main thoroughfares. You can quickly get to Tukwila’s bustling urban area, which is bursting with retail options, a long list of eateries and plenty of entertainment. Cascade View offers a slower pace for residents looking for a suburban slice of life.

A smaller neighborhood tucked away between significant highways and four miles from the Seattle International Airport. Foster Heights settles just outside Tukwila's developing commerce and retail spots and is only 12 miles from Seattle. The name Foster comes from the pioneer Joseph Foster, the first school superintendent and a local leader. Through the winding and hilly roads of Foster Heights, you’ll discover a substantial number of housing styles settled along the hills. “There are a lot of older homes from the 40s or even older,” says Ellie Winter, Keller Williams Greater Seattle Realtor and lifelong Seattle resident. “Some homes are from the 70s and 80s. You’ll find mid-century, older craftsman properties. This area also has larger lots.” Arts and Crafts style houses are decked out in coordinating colors and two-car garages. Ranch-style properties are complemented with sun-gabled or cross-gabled roofs. Then, you’ll also discover some cape-cod-style homes with intimate lawns and smaller gravel driveways. These homes are ideal for first-time homebuyers. Most homes average between two to three bedrooms. Prices around here range between $400,000 to $600,000. Students in Foster Heights can attend their studies within the Tukwila School District, which carries a B- grade on Niche. Luckily for residents, Foster Heights has two of these schools within their area. Thorndyke Elementary School starts children in grades K through five. The C Niche-rated school teaches subjects relating to STEAM and music. The Showalter Middle School is located along S. 144th ST. 12 sports across the school year are offered to grades six through eight students. Foster Senior High School is situated right next to Showalter Middle School. The B- Niche-rated school is praised for its diversity and welcoming nature. Students can also enroll in pre-college level courses and several AP options. Students can also spend after-school hours at the Tukwila Library, which carries several kids and teen programs. “There’s a lot of young families,” Winter says. “There’s a lot of parks that are dog friendly. Then, there’s some sports facilities where kids can play soccer and stuff.” The Joseph Foster Memorial Park is settled along 51st Ave. This 9-acre property has several fields and courts to appeal to most sports, such as basketball, tennis, softball, and baseball. Golfers can enjoy the picturesque sight of the Duwamish River while teeing up for the 18 holes at the Foster Golf Links course. Golfers may also spot some hikers and bikers traveling along the Green River Trail. This 19-mile trail links industrial lands and other parks, communities, and landscapes. Tukwila Pool is the city’s public pool. Residents can enjoy the lap pools, shallow pools, and recreation activities offered year-round. The dining scene within Foster Heights consists of mostly ethnic foods from African and Asian cultures. All these restaurants can be found along Tukwila International Boulevard. A laid-back location for all courses is Juba Restaurant and Café, which specializes in East African cuisine. On the menu at this spot include a shuwama wrap, suqaar, and ugali corn meal. For those looking for an exciting dining experience, several vendors rotate through the Spice Bridge Food Hall. From Wednesday through Sunday, this global food hall serves cultural foods created by BIPOC and immigrant business owners. Tukwila Village Farmers Market sells fresh produce grown by refugee and immigrant community members until late October. Seattle Tacoma Airport is located only four miles from Foster Heights residents. If you need a domestic or international flight, this airport carries 31 airlines to nearly 120 destinations. Then, two miles away, you’ll hit the Tukwila Urban District with dozens of national and local retail stores. Westfield Southcenter Mall is the largest in the state and carries big-name stores like Macy’s and JCPenney. Weekly groceries can also be picked up at Tukwila’s local Target and Costco Wholesale. Three miles away, you can find the iconic Museum of Flight. Take a day with the kids to explore the various ways of flying or stop at one of the events they host monthly. Explore the cultural melting pot and convenient amenities that reside within Foster Heights.

In the secluded corners of McMicken Heights, you'll find as much peace as you'll find convenience. Just minutes from the I-5 and the local Sounder train station, this neighborhood is a game-changer for those looking for an easy commute. "Buyers move here because of how easy it is to commute to Seattle and its proximity to Sea-Tac Airport," says Realtor Kevin Tiwana with Triplar Properties. Homes in this established neighborhood offer that classic residential feel. Most homes have spacious lots with plenty of space to install a pool or create a space to relax or entertain. You'll find a mix of midcentury bungalows, sprawling ramblers and larger contemporary traditional homes. While new construction is scarce, you'll often see homes with fully renovated interiors to keep your home up to date. Closer to the Sounder station, you'll find condos that provide attractive price points and an easy commute. Prices in this desirable area range from $300,000 to $400,000 for condos, $500,000 to $700,000 for established bungalows and ramblers, and $750,000 to $900,000 for two-story contemporary traditional homes. Families with school-aged children in the area will attend the Tukwila School District, all rated A-plus on Niche for diversity. At Thorndyke Elementary School, students have a wealth of resources available on the school's online portal, including art, history, reading and tutoring. Showalter Middle School is known for having a vast library with an extensive comics section, activities and tutoring resources. You'll find Foster High School on the same campus, rated B on Niche for college prep. The school provides a college and career center with career and college fairs, financial aid and SAT prep. While the neighborhood's convenience to local highways and commercial amenities draws most buyers, there are several spacious outdoor recreation areas for you to enjoy. Crystal Springs Park is a favorite wilderness park with acres of mossy evergreen forest and maintained trails to hike, forage, or let your pup explore. The park offers a multitude of recreation, including an extensive play area, a pickleball court and a basketball court. Crestview Park is another favorite for families and children. This small neighborhood park has a paved walking loop around a large field, athletic areas and a colorful playground. Golf enthusiasts will enjoy living less than three miles from Foster Golf Links, a public, 18-hole championship golf course on the banks of the Duwamish River. Open since 1925, this recently renovated course is a favorite for afternoons on the green and seasonal events. Just minutes from I-5 and the local Sounder train station, this neighborhood is perfect for buyers who need to commute to Seattle or Tacoma. You're also just two miles from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, so getting to the airport is easy, especially compared to the distances you'd have to travel from locations further north. The community is also beside Highway 405, which provides easy access to Westfield Southcenter Mall. This massive shopping center is a favorite for all of the Seattle-Tacoma area. You'll find a range of retail chains, department stores, big box stores, a movie theater and a range of restaurants. You'll find just about everything you need at this retail megaplex. Within the community, you can also find daily necessities along Military Road. There's a grocery store, pharmacy, locally owned businesses and restaurants. Get a platter of tacos at Tacos El Patron or get a pizza and local beer from Ulysses Pub and Pizzeria. With dining, retail, outdoor spaces and easy commuting all within reach, buying in McMicken Heights is one of Tukwila's best neighborhoods to call home.

On the banks of the Duwamish River, Riverton puts homebuyers right between two major Washington cities, Seattle and Tacoma, and next to Tukwila’s largest airport. Modern amenities, from shopping malls and highway access, are also not far from the area’s lush residential streets. Residents take pride in the gardens they maintain on their front lawns and in the neighborhood's community garden. Riverton consists mostly of one-story ramblers and two-story traditional-style homes, with a few Craftsman and contemporary-style listings popping up here and there. Homes typically cost between $450,000 and $650,000 for two to three bedrooms. According to Martin Hurly, broker with John L. Scott and local real estate expert, “Homes come with a good amount of square footage for the price you pay. The closer you get to the water, the higher prices get, but overall, listings sell well throughout the area.” Front lawns are lush with greenery; shrubs, fruit trees, brush vegetation and small personal gardens are common sights and add visual vibrancy, and privacy, throughout the neighborhood. While not every home will have a garage, parking is well accommodated by long multi-car driveways that slope downward toward the street. Sidewalks aren’t typical, but many residential roads have at least one bike lane. Riverton may have quite a few commercial businesses and warehouses, but nature is at the heart of the neighborhood. Riverton Park is where locals get together for a picnic, toss around a football and let the kids play. It is also home to Gully's Gardens, a community garden where residents can apply for plots to grow their own produce. If residents are just looking to go for a scenic walk, they can head down to the Green River Trail, a paved path that follows the Duwamish River. On the other side of the river is the new Tukwila Community Center and its many amenities. Classrooms, banquet halls, meeting rooms and fitness centers are some of the indoor amenities it offers, while its outdoor amenities include a picnic shelter, a playground, a skate park, a splash pad and various sports fields. The center also hosts recreation and fitness programs and offers shuttle services to and from the site. While there aren't any schools in Riverton, Tukwila School District serves students in the area, Students can attend Cascade View Elementary School, which offers various after-school programs that meet multiple times a week, followed by Showalter Middle School. Both schools have C ratings on Niche. Foster Senior High School, less than 1/2 a mile from Showalter Middle, earns a B-minus from Niche and the title of ninth most diverse public high school in Washington. The neighborhood has a mix of local businesses and fast-casual chains. Drip & Sip Café is a local favorite for Vietnamese coffee and breakfast sandwiches. The colorful, family-owned El Pollo Real is frequented by residents who crave homestyle Mexican dishes, and Lido Kitchen serves up flavorful Somali and East African dishes that are entirely halal. Residents can swing by Topline Market for everyday essentials, but Safeway, 2 1/2 miles away, is where locals usually do their weekly grocery shopping. For serious retail shopping, locals go 3 miles south to Westfield Southcenter, a two-level indoor shopping mall with 200 stores and eateries, as well as an IMAX cinema. Riverton is 4 miles away from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. “The neighborhood is basically the airport,” says Hurley. “You step out of the terminal, and you’re in Riverton.” Being beside the area’s largest airport certainly comes with its fair share of noise, but Hurley says Riverton’s location does have an advantage over surrounding neighborhoods. “Being 1/2 a mile or 1 mile off that flight path is so different from being right under it. It’s noticeable.” Riverton is also bisected by Washington State Route 599 and bordered by Interstate 5, offering easy highway access to locals who commute to work in Seattle or Tacoma. King County Metro serves the area and provides residents with bus services, such as RapidRide, Dial-A-Ride Transit (DART) and Metro’s Night Owl service.

The community of Thorndyke is a residential neighborhood located within the city of Tukwila. Situated south of Seattle and in direct proximity to two airports, four major highways and multiple seaports, this region of Washington is known for being the heart of commerce. Providing a robust economy for small-business owners, plenty of opportunities for employment and an ever-buzzing air of innovation, the community of Thorndyke offers a quiet home-base right next door to this bustling city. Housing here includes single-family homes and town house options in a variety of styles. Prospective buyers can choose from minimalist designs like duplexes, cottages and ramblers, as well as larger custom-build new construction options. The average sales price in Thorndyke is $765,000, but price points can range from $426,000 to $1.6 million depending on the age, size and condition of the property. For those looking for smaller alternatives, this area also offers a range of apartment options too. Youth in Thorndyke attend public schools within the Tukwila School District, like Thorndyke Elementary, Showalter Middle and Foster Senior High. Serving over 2500 students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grades, the Tukwila School District boasts a student-teacher ratio of 16-to-1 and was ranked as the fifth most diverse district in the state by Niche.com. For overall performance, Thorndyke Elementary and Showalter Middle School both received rankings of ‘C-minus’ from Niche, while Foster Senior High School received a ‘B-minus.’ Although Thorndyke is primarily a residential area, that doesn’t mean you’ll be isolated. With direct proximity to U.S. Route 518, Intestate-5 and Interstate-405, you can get where you need to be fast. For all your everyday essentials, a drive along Pacific Highway South offers casual and fast-food eateries, gas stations and convenience stores. A quick jaunt down I-5 will land you at the Southcenter Plaza which features big-box retailers like Target, Best Buy, The Home Depot, Costco and more. Or for additional shopping options, folks can pop over to the Westfield Southcenter Mall, where they can shop ‘til they drop at over 180 unique stores. Known as the largest mall in the Pacific Northwest, Westfield Southcenter also features 13 restaurants and an AMC movie theater too. If shopping isn’t your forte, no sweat. Plan for an outing to Tukwila’s Museum of Flight. Less than five miles away, this museum boasts over 175 aircraft and spacecrafts to explore, plus thousands of artifacts, photos, and special exhibits. More of a sports enthusiast? Then it’s the Starfire Sports Complex for you! Featuring over 12 outdoor fields and two indoor pitches, this soccer center is bound to please. For some time in the outdoors, a visit to Tukwila Park features 6.5 acres of dense forest and plenty of beautiful mature trees. Established in 1934, this park is the oldest in the area and also includes a playground, tennis courts and several picnic shelters. And of course, when you’re in need of a change of pace, you can catch the bus, drive or hop on the train to get where you need to be. Thinking of a longer trip? Remember, there's always the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just minutes from your backdoor. Reserve a seat and plan your next vacation with ease. Welcome is Thorndyke, a quiet community within bustling Tukwila.