But in recent months, the 1.9-acre site has become the focus of a high-stakes bidding competition.
Four groups are vying for the property on East Republican Street: an African-American church, a neighborhood group, a special-needs school, and the private Bush School next door. All have submitted proposals to the Seattle School Board.
Around the city, many former school buildings are being used as community centers or to house nonprofits. With the MLK site, the board is expected to vote in the next three months, but it faces a thorny decision."