SEATTLE - It was a simple walk along Martin Luther King Junior Way that gave freelance photographer Joseph Songco the inspiration to document the changes along the new rail line in the central area of Seattle.
"I started seeing the signs around me, the fencing around the property, the boarding up of houses. I thought, this is going to change the landscape," said Songco.
That was in 2003, and for the last six years Songco has been capturing the growth and changes along the rail line on Martin Luther King Junior Way.
Most of the photos are centered around old buildings, restaurants, homes and businesses. The photos capture the scene before these structures were torn down and after.
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During a recent showing of his work he was especially touched by the comments of those who have lived in the central area most of their lives.
"(They'd say) Oh I used to eat here, oh I used to shop here, oh I used to get my coffee here," he said.
Songco says he's in support of mass transit, but through this project he has also seen the effects on those who often feel displaced or pushed out.
"As someone who's documented what's around me, I can't help but feeling sad as well," he added.
Like the Light Rail, Songco says his project is a work in progress. He plans to take photos of the entire Light Rail project over the next few years.
"I'm just trying to document how, for the common good, some people have to sacrifice," he said.
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