Wallingford is a
neighborhood in north central
Seattle, lying on a hill above the north shore of
Lake Union about four miles from the
downtown core. The neighborhood developed quickly during the early 20th century after the establishment of the
University of Washington to the east. With trolley tracks laid through the neighborhood as early as 1907, Wallingford is a classic
streetcar suburb, typified by its many 1920s era box houses and
bungalows. Commercial development is primarily concentrated along 45th Street where a number of iconic structures stand including the neon "WALLINGFORD" sign, the Wallingford Center, the Guild 45th, and the original
Dick's Drive-In. With its central location, numerous public amenities, including the world-renowned
Gas Works Park, and views of both the
Olympic and
Cascade mountains, Wallingford has long been home to many middle and upper-class families. While Wallingford is mostly residential in nature, the neighborhood's southern edge, along Lake Union, has historically been an industrial and commercial business strip. In recent years, numerous office buildings have been developed as an extension of the burgeoning business center in neighboring Fremont. In 2014
Brooks Sports moved its headquarters from
Bothell to a new six-story office building at the southwestern edge of Wallingford. In 2015
Tableau Software announced it will occupy a new 4-story office building near Gas Works Park beginning in 2016.