Rondo Community Land Trust says it has bought the Sears site and will pursue mixed‑use development

Rondo Community Land Trust told the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board that it has purchased the former Sears site and intends to pursue a district‑scale, mixed‑use development it framed as both an economic opportunity and a community‑rooted restoration.

"We just purchased it," Nikia Griffin, president and CEO of Rondo Community Land Trust, said. Griffin described the site as holding "historical significance for the Rondo community" and said the Trust will prioritize legacy, affordable housing, commercial uses, hospitality, transit connections and sustainable green infrastructure. She said the organization is in pre‑planning and master‑planning and will return to the board with more detailed designs and community engagement plans.

Board members and staff thanked the Trust for the presentation and emphasized the project's potential to reconcile past harms to the Rondo neighborhood while returning land to local stewardship. Staff noted the CAP board has long considered the Sears site and the board looks forward to future design submissions and community engagement during the Trust's master‑planning process.

Speakers quoted in this article include Nikia Griffin, who identified herself on the record as Rondo Community Land Trust president and CEO. No board action or vote occurred on the Sears site at this meeting; staff indicated further submissions and design review will follow the board's established review process.

Next steps: Rondo and CAP staff will continue outreach and return with more detailed materials for the board's design review process and public review.