About Us

History of the Intramuros Community Development Partners

Plaza Intramuros originally started with the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest aspiring to build a business plaza housing several types of Filipino businesses. In spite of the Greater Seattle area’s sizeable Filipino American population of nearly 80,000 there was a noticeable absence of Filipino businesses. The few (mainly restaurants and some professional services) were stretched out over the entire central Puget Sound area. 

A 2009 City of Seattle Neighborhoods grant to the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest funded a census study of Filipino residents' locations, income, and business needs in Southeast Seattle. It identified a variety of preferred businesses with a desired location in the Seattle-Renton-Tukwila area where many Filipinos lived.  Securing funding to make it happen, however, was lacking.

Several years later, a small group of Filipinos north of Seattle began articulating the growing Filipino population in the North King County area with a discussion for a need for affordable housing and a gathering place for Filipinos and other ethnic groups in the Lynnwood area.  Several legislators and local community leaders welcomed the discussion.

A group called the Intramuros Community Development Partners (Intramuros Partners for short) was formed in 2020  and began looking for a site and for funding.  After several years of searching and finding a site, and with the help of the Communities of Concern Commission, the Intramuros Partners secured state funds to acquire the site and initiate planning and design of the Plaza Intramuros project.

Intramuros Partners’ Mission

Our mission is to contribute to the improvement of the Filipino community and its members by ensuring affordable housing for Filipinos and others, contributing to the Filipino community’s  economic improvement, and providing health and wellness education for interested persons.