3902 Woodland Park Ave N

This former church, built in 1918, is now a Tibetan Buddhist study and meditation center, Nalanda West. It was purchased in 2003 from the Korean Presbyterian Church, which had outgrown the space and moved to Lynnwood.

The building was functional and in good condition when Nalanda West bought it, but was a little worn. They renovated the interior, including the shrine room/main assembly hall, with paint, new light fixtures, new windows, and patched walls. They also built a shrine. The dining room received a new ceiling, new carpeting, interior architectural enhancements, and new light fixtures. Changes to the office building included significant interior renovation, the addition of two bathrooms, and new floors. A library and office spaces were built. The front of the building has been landscaped and they are currently working on landscaping at the back of the building.

When asked what they like the most about the building, they answered that they like the convenient location, well connected by public transportation. They also like the great views of the Seattle skyline and appreciate that it’s in a residential neighborhood “close to the heart of Fremont — the Center of the Universe — and neighboring Wallingford.”

Sources: Lynne Conrad Marvet and Robert Fors,
Co-Directors, Nalanda West
1937 photo courtesy of Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch