Central Area
The Central District, Seattle’s oldest residential area, is a narrow strip cutting through the middle of Seattle, bounded by East Madison Street on the north, Jackson Street on the south, 12th Avenue on the west and Martin Luther King Jr. Way on the east.
The area was developed for housing in the mid-1800s because of its proximity to the Central Business District. Pioneers used to slide logs to Henry Yesler’s sawmill down "skid road," now Yesler Way. Some houses built near the century’s turn have been designated landmarks by the city of Seattle, but many of the houses are decrepit or have been abandoned, and consequently housing prices in this are generally the lowest in the region.
The neighborhood has a pervasive African-American legacy, reflected in the names of many thoroughfares and buildings. The Medgar Evers Swimming Pool at 23rd and Jefferson was named for the slain Mississippi civil rights leader; Powell Barnett Park on Martin Luther King Jr. Way is also named for an African-American activist. Also, The Douglass-Truth
public library houses the largest African-American collection in the Seattle Public Library system.
Commercial activities in the neighborhood are located at 12th Avenue East and 23rd Avenue East. Most businesses are family-owned restaurants, shops and groceries. But many new construction projects for commercial, residential and mixed-use properties have been completed with more in the works, as the area undergoes steady gentrification. Steady growth at Seattle University has also led to the construction of many new school facilities.
The Central Area is home to several major institutions including Seattle University, Seattle Vocational Institute, and Providence Medical Center. Wikipedia write up on Central Area