The History of Mini Mart City Park
Years in the Making
Founded in 2008 by Seattle-based artist trio SuttonBeresCuller, Mini Mart City Park (MMCP) is guided by the ethos of “cleaning earth with art” and the belief that communities have agency in decisions that directly impact their wellbeing. After more than a decade of working with community members, environmental consultants, and local municipalities, MMCP officially opened to the public in 2022. We continue to be a site for active environmental remediation, all while hosting free arts-based programming, robust education opportunities, and myriad community events with local groups and partner organizations. Through this work, MMCP stands as a model for how residential brownfield sites can be reclaimed, repaired, and reimagined as a flexible, multi-use cultural space through deep community engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Our new building, designed by award-winning architecture studio GO’C, is a nod to the site’s former tenant: a mom-and-pop filling station that served the rapidly industrializing Georgetown neighborhood from the mid-20s to mid-70s. Head over to our Environmental Stewardship page to see the various ways thoughtful design and green infrastructure have been incorporated into all aspects of our work.
A Brief Timeline
Early History
The MMCP site once housed a mom-and-pop filling station, a dry-cleaners and other commercial uses before sitting vacant for more than 20 years.
2007–2010: Vision Begins
Artist collective SuttonBeresCuller (SBC) identifies the former gas station as a future cultural and environmental project. A 2008 Creative Capital Award allows SBC to officially lease the property, resulting in environmental testing, community partnerships, initial site improvements, and a soft public opening in 2010.
2011–2017: Building Momentum
MMCP becomes a nonprofit, strengthens community partnerships, advances environmental remediation efforts, and refines long-term designs for the site.
2018–2021: Growing Community & Green Infrastructure
DIRT Corps contributes to landscape design with area youth. New funding supports initial construction efforts and continued site improvements.
2022: Opening Celebration
MMCP celebrates its official opening with the exhibition After the Quiet, On Black Figures and Folds curated by Jasmine Jamillah Mahmoud.
2023: Expansion!
In December, MMCP acquires the north property and begins planning for an Artist-in-Residency program and expanded community and classroom space.
2023–2025: Becoming a Resilience Hub
The site becomes a designated Seattle Resilience Hub, expands its solar capacity, and deepens its focus on art activations, environmental learning, and community gathering.