WHEN JENNA AND PETER SCHMIDT moved to Seattle from Brooklyn, New York, a decade ago, diversity was their priority as they canvassed the city for the ideal spot to put down roots and raise their daughters, Vivian, now 9, and Ella, now 13. Their search ended a few miles south of downtown Seattle, just east of Interstate 5 and 350 feet above sea level, on Beacon Hill.
It did not disappoint. "There are over 30 different languages spoken at my daughter's elementary school," says Jenna, 45, who helps Peter, 41, run his acupuncture practice. "Our kids have gotten to learn about so many different cultures in a really hands-on way."
Beacon Hill's eclectic roots date back to the 1920s, when Japanese families began moving up the hill from Seattle's International…