Madison Park
By Jason Verlinde
Ahh, the good life. For affluent families, Madison Park is arguably the nicest and most convenient neighborhood you can find in the 206 area code. Well-to-do families and couples abound here, along with younger business people willing to pay a bit more for one of the city's safest and cleanest neighborhoods and one of Seattle's easiest commutes. This is one neighborhood that Seattle's old money and dot-com millionaires can agree upon.
Most of the stately homes here were built in the early 20th century and they're on the large side, are well-maintained and boast gorgeous yards. The village of Madison Park (where Madison Avenue meets Lake Washington) is filled with great dining options, clothing and gift boutiques, and a Red Apple grocery store is brimming with good wines and cheese. Volvos and baby strollers abound. It's no surprise that this is a neighborhood where the cost of a three-bedroom home can verge on seven figures.
Lake & Company Real Estate's Glenn Roberts says that hasn't stopped many buyers. "Madison Park and other high-end neighborhoods continue to show strong sales in both condos and homes," he says. "The average sold price here being $485,000 for condos and $1,113,000 for homes." Condos and new developments aren't as plentiful in this neighborhood as in others, but expect to pay at least $500,000 for a two-bedroom condo here if you can find one. There are some older apartments scattered about as well, starting at around $750 for a one-bedroom, but the vast majority of properties are single-family homes.
To experience Madison Park, just take Madison Avenue from downtown and head east. You'll pass over Capitol Hill and then down into Madison Valley, where the mix of homes and families is far more diverse and housing is slightly more affordable. Seattle's lovely Washington Park Arboretum will begin on your left -- a 200-acre preserve of gardens, ponds, fields and walking trails that's one of Seattle's best places to visit. You'll pass Broadmoor, the exclusive gated community and country club. As Lake Washington comes into sight, you're officially in Madison Park.
Commuting from Madison Park is a breeze. Just follow Madison west over Capitol Hill and you'll be parking downtown in as little as 10 minutes. The route 11 bus can add a half hour or so to the downtown commute but it's a popular alternative with frequent service. And Microsoft employees have the added advantage of driving through the Arboretum to Montlake and hopping onto Highway 520 just before the floating bridge begins, avoiding much of that drive's Seattle-side congestion.
Though many residents prefer to send their children to one of the nearby private schools (Lakeside or Bush), McGilvra Elementary on 38th Avenue East is consistently rated one of the city's finest public schools. There is no public middle school or high school in Madison Park, so most students take the short commute to Garfield High School.
Though Madison Park isn't a nightlife destination, the neighborhood has a lot to offer. The Madison/Capitol Hill Farmers Market(or "Mad Cap Hill," as locals call it) is a rich shopping experience. On any hot summer day, throngs of swimmers and sun lovers can be found around Madison Beach, on Lake Washington. Madison Park's selection of charming wine bars, restaurants and cafes also can't be beat. Breakfasts at the Madison Park Café are popular, and the tapas and Mexican food of Cactus are some of the city's best. Just skirting the edge of the Arboretum is Nishino, consistently rated one of the city's best (and most expensive) sushi restaurants. The laid-back Attic Alehouse is the neighborhood's melting pot, where young University of Washington students and the city's elite can both appreciate a cold frosty beverage and a bite to eat.
