Save the Reactor

You heard from us last month about Historic Seattle’s efforts to save the Nuclear Reactor Building (aka More Hall Annex) at the University of Washington (UW). Thanks to those of you who attended the October 26 public hearing at UW and offered comments in support of preserving the National Register-listed Nuclear Reactor Building.

nrb buttonThe Save the Reactor advocacy campaign is a collaboration among three preservation organizations—Historic Seattle, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and Docomomo WEWA. We recently launched a website for Save the Reactor to advocate for the preservation of this significant Modern resource in Seattle. Explore the website and learn more about the building’s history, significance and advocacy efforts. Most importantly, we want you to get involved!

The UW’s Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the proposed construction of the new Computer Science and Engineering Building II (CSE II) highlights a “preferred alternative” that would result in the demolition of this significant building for the construction of the new CSE II building. The Draft SEIS has not adequately considered the adverse effects to the Nuclear Reactor Building.

Please voice your support for a meaningful preservation alternative for the Nuclear Reactor Building. Tell the University of Washington it can do better, and must do better. For talking points, view the blog post on the Save the Reactor website.

We encourage you to submit written comments to the UW. Send comments to Jan Arntz, SEPA Responsible Official, jarntz@uw.edu. The deadline is Monday, November 23, 2015.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to advocate for the preservation of the Nuclear Reactor Building! There’s more advocacy ahead beyond November 23 so stay tuned…

If have questions about the Draft SEIS and/or you’d like to get involved with this advocacy effort, please contact Eugenia Woo, Director of Preservation Services, Historic Seattle, at eugeniaw@historicseattle.org or 206.622.6952, ext 245.

Photo credit: Abby Inpanbutr