Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Updates on our operations during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will be posted here.

Updated June 22, 2020

Approach To-Date

During this unprecedented time, Historic Seattle has followed a set of core principles that have allowed the organization to remain in a stable financial position, continue to advance our mission, and provide support to our staff.  Principles include compassion, community, creativity, and flexibility.

Demonstrable action supporting these core principles include:

Compassion:

  • Accommodating staff work / life balance with continued and consistent compensation

Community:

  • Providing assistance to and proactively communicating with our tenants
  • Engaging with local and national preservation partners

Creativity and Flexibility:

  • Externally communicating with our constituents in a compelling way and through a variety of channels
  • Sourcing and pursuing potential opportunities for financial relief
  • Development of predictive financial models

Policy Governance

Historic Seattle is following Governor Inslee’s Safe Start Washington plan dated May 4, 2020. In addition, we will follow the “Baseline Recommendations” and when appropriate the “Additional Considerations” outlined within the Washington State COVID-19 “New Normal” Planning document dated April 27, 2020. As new policies and health orders are issued by Federal, State, County and City sources, this document will be updated.

Additional information used to inform this operations plan can be found in the following links. Both provide protocols specific to Phase 2 of the Safe Start Washington plan. Both highlight the office-based, client-focused industries of real estate (brokers, general contractors, consultants, property managers, etc.) and professional services (accountants, architects, financial advisors, etc.)

Phase 2 Real Estate COVID-19 Requirements

Phase 2 Professional Services COVID-19 Requirements

Approach Moving Forward

As we look to the future and develop a COVID-19 operations plan, we are mindful that the pandemic could return. As a community-focused organization, we will take all necessary precautions to avoid playing a role in spreading COVID-19. We take this responsibility seriously. We must protect our staff, tenants, partners, supporters, and fellow community members. We must continue to plan for the worst and hope for the best. We should utilize and trust the same core principles that we have relied on to date, as we move forward and cautiously emerge from the constraints of the pandemic. Historic Seattle staff will be allowed to return to the office once Phase 2 of the Governor’s 4-step plan has been reached. Note that unless your job requires that you be physically present in the office, continued telecommuting is strongly recommended during Phases 2 and 3 of the Safe Start Washington plan. If you desire to return to the office prior to Phase 2, please notify your manager. During all phases, health protocols must be followed, and work schedules must be coordinated to limit contact with other staff members.

General Protocols

  • This Operations plan is subject to change based upon new guidelines and protocols issued by the Governor, King County, and/or City of Seattle. Protocols highlighted within both “Safe Start Washington” and “New Normal” plans applicable to Historic Seattle include, but are not limited, to the following:

Communication

Internal

  • Immediately communicate to your supervisor if you are showing any symptoms of any illness. If you do not feel well, do not come to work.
  • Staff members should self-certify on a weekly basis that they and household members are healthy. If family members become ill, staff must not come to work.
  • Communicate protocols and policies to all staff, Council and Board members and constituents via email, as necessary.
  • COVID-19 will be our team topic at monthly all staff meetings through the end of Phase 3. We will focus on safety, protocols, operations, training, and schedule. Additional COVID-19 all-staff meetings may be held as necessary. Senior staff and David will continue to hold weekly COVID-19 calls once a week.

External

  • Clearly post signage highlighting applicable protocols and routes of travel throughout building.
  • COVID-19 communication will be distributed to all tenants as needed. We will focus this communication on safety, protocols, and operations.

Health Orders

  • A staff member will be assigned to monitor and report on new and updated health orders and protocols issued by the State of Washington, King County, and City of Seattle and update this plan as needed.
  • Staff will follow this plan based upon current public health orders and protocols.

Tracking and Tracing

  • During all phases of the Governor’s Safe Start Washington plan, list meetings held during the workday with non-Historic Seattle staff. Tracking information will include date and time of meeting, reason for meeting, and guest contact information. All meetings with non-Historic Seattle staff will be recorded on one document located on Historic Seattle’s company drive

Property Infrastructure and Workplace Safety

  • If possible, re-orient paths of travel within buildings.
  • Eliminate use of shared kitchens.
  • Organize and control use of on-site restrooms.
  • Do not share desks. If office is shared, re-arrange workstations to maximize distance and do not sit face-to-face.
  • Install touchless hand-sanitizing stations in high traffic areas.
  • Install, where possible, touchless sink faucets and toilet/urinal valves.
  • Wear cloth masks in public spaces.
  • Disinfecting wipes will be placed within each office and regularly used common areas such as restrooms and entrances.
  • If you must physically meet within the workplace with colleagues, engage in physical distancing with at least 6’ separation and do not sit face-to-face.
  • Encourage participation in virtual meetings or phone calls even if you are present at work.
  • Refrain from personal contact with staff, visitors, and guests.
  • Disposable masks and gloves will be provided for all staff members at each property. A small supply will be made available to visitors. Tenants should distribute disposable masks and gloves to their staff with the expectation that masks, and gloves are worn in both common areas and leased space. In addition, tenants should also have a small supply made available to their clients and guests.

Office Resources

  • Every time that shared office equipment is used, it must be cleaned with sanitizing wipes by the staff member who uses the equipment. Attention should be paid to not purchase and use sanitizing wipes that could damage the equipment.
  • One staff member will be assigned to receive and distribute packages and mail. A second staff member will also be assigned to this responsibility as back-up coverage.

Sanitation and Hygiene Procedures

  • Contract with cleaning service to regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces in common areas and offices.
  • Staff will regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces in their individual offices and will coordinate with cleaning contractor to additionally clean high- touch surfaces in common areas.
  • Clean surfaces before and after all face-to-face meetings.
  • Disinfect packages and mail with sanitized wipes.
  • Wash your hands with soap and warm water and use hand sanitizer frequently.
  • Cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough.

Visitor and Guest Safety

  • Properties owned by Historic Seattle are not just used by Historic Seattle staff and tenants. Our buildings are consistently and, in some cases, heavily used by the general public. As visitors and guests are invited back to our properties, health protocols will be clearly stated and readily available via our website and on signs posted throughout our properties.
  • The implementation of health protocols is a shared responsibility among Historic Seattle, tenants, partners, visitors, and guests. All information regarding the general public’s use of Historic Seattle properties, health practices and protocols will be consistent, clear, timely and widely available. Enforcement of and compliance with the protocols is expected.

Modified Working Models

  • Continue to work from home if possible.
  • Stagger employee shifts (both day and time) based upon location within property and work responsibilities.

Specific Property Protocols

Each Historic Seattle property is unique. Our properties are used in a variety of ways and serve a variety of people. Staff, residents, tenants, partners, guests, performers, and audience members interact with each property in a different way. While general protocols should be followed, because of the unique nature of each property, specific and targeted property protocols are needed and are outlined below.

Dearborn House

Communication

External

  • Protocols and rules specific to the Dearborn House will be posted on signs located in the main entrance.

Health Orders

  • Up-to-date health orders will be posted on the corkboard located in the second-floor hallway.

Tracking and Tracing

  • One staff member will be assigned to answer the front door. Upon entry, the guest will be asked to sign-in. Information such as staff member(s) the guest plans to meet, date, and time of the visit will be recorded.
  • A singular meeting-tracking document will be created on the company drive. Each staff member will be responsible for completing the document after a face-to-face meeting is held. Information to be gathered will include meeting participants, time, date, location and contact information.

Property Infrastructure and Workplace Safety

  • Touchless hand-sanitizing stations will be placed in common areas on each floor.
  • Limited kitchen use will be allowed. No cooking, including use of the microwave, serving food, making coffee, or washing dishes will be allowed.
  • Food may be stored in the refrigerator. Disposable utensils should be used. Use of the water cooler will be allowed.
  • When using the kitchen and water cooler, staff will wipe down all handles and surfaces touched after each use.
  • Restroom access will be restricted to your office floor. Staff with offices on the third floor will use the third-floor restroom and staff with offices on the second floor will use the second-floor restroom. Guests will be allowed to use the first-floor restroom.
  • When staff are in their individual offices, doors must be closed.
  • When staff enter or leave the building and travel through the hallways and stairwells, masks must be worn.

Office Resources

  • Mail and packages received will be placed on the floor at the door to each office.
  • Every time that shared office equipment is used, it must be cleaned with sanitizing wipes by the staff member who uses the equipment. Attention should be paid to not purchase and use sanitizing wipes that could damage the equipment.

Modified Working Models

  • If staff elect to and/or must conduct work within the office, a master schedule will be created to limit staff contact. A schedule may include two alternating work shifts organized to allow teams (staff with complimentary roles) to be physically present yet separated within the office. First floor space could be activated and a work-station could be placed in the current storage area on the porch to encourage staff separation. A secondary workstation on the first floor could be created at the curved desk at the bottom of the stairs. This is a less desirable location because of its openness and exposure to all activities and traffic throughout the first floor.

Shifts would alternate every week.

  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday – In Office
  • Tuesday, Thursday – In Office

Good Shepherd Center

Communication

External

  • Protocols and rules specific to the Good Shepherd Center will be posted on signs located in common areas throughout the building.

Health Orders

  • Up-to-date health orders will be posted at the main, east entrance.

Tracking and Tracing

  • We suggest, but do not mandate, that Tenants record names and contact information of attendees to all meetings, performances, etc., in the event that health officials must conduct contact tracing.
  • Tenants must notify Historic Seattle immediately if any staff member, guest or visitor presents COVID-19 symptoms. If staff become ill, building access will not be granted to that individual, and Historic Seattle reserves the right to deny or grant limited access to other staff, guests and visitors.

Property Infrastructure and Workplace Safety

  • Touchless hand-sanitizing stations will be placed in common areas at the main, east entrance and in hallways on each floor of the north, central and south sections of the building.
  • Tenants, staff, and guests should utilize the front, east-facing door to enter and, when possible, utilize other exits to leave the building.
  • Staff, tenants, and guests will be encouraged to use the stairs and avoid use of the elevator when possible.
  • Tenants and guests will be encouraged to only use restrooms near their offices. Signs placed on the bathroom door will state that only one person will be allowed to use the restroom at a time. A line for the restrooms will form in the hallway and floor clings will be placed at 6’ increments to assist with social distancing where practicable.
  • The commercial kitchen in the Wallingford Community Senior Center (WCSC) will not be available for use other than by WCSC.
  • When tenants are in their individual offices, doors to common areas should be closed.
  • Tenants and visitors will not be allowed to congregate in halls or other public areas of the building unless waiting in line for the restroom.
  • When staff, tenants and guests travel through hallways and stairwells, masks should be worn.
  • When applicable, tenants should utilize dedicated entrances and exits to their space.
  • Rental room use will strictly adhere to health orders and associated protocols. Historic Seattle will encourage hourly rental room users to clean high touch surfaces at the conclusion of their use; however, it will be the primary responsibility of Historic Seattle to thoroughly disinfect each rental room after each use. Historic Seattle’s responsibility will be clearly articulated to each hourly rental room user.
  • Rental room use will be limited during Phases 2 and 3 of the Safe Start Washington plan. A restricted use schedule may include either one meeting allowed per day, or one meeting allowed in the morning and one allowed in the afternoon. All meetings will be followed with a thorough cleaning by Historic Seattle.
  • Chapel use will also strictly adhere to health orders and associated protocols. For users who contract through Historic Seattle for Chapel use, we will encourage the renter/user to clean high touch surfaces at the conclusion of Chapel use; however, it will be the primary responsibility of Historic Seattle to thoroughly disinfect the Chapel after each use. Historic Seattle’s responsibility will be clearly articulated to the tenant, and users of the Chapel.
  • If our tenant, Nonsequitur, elects to provide any programming within the Chapel during Phases 1-3, they will be responsible for following the necessary health protocols.

Office Resources

  • Good Shepherd Center staff shall designate one person to use the truck. Staff designee will wipe down high touch surfaces before and after each use.
  • Caretakers should thoroughly clean security-related gear with disinfecting wipes.

Sanitation and Hygiene Procedures

  • Common area restrooms, common area mailboxes, stair handrails, newel posts, windowsills, elevator buttons, and exterior, interior and restroom door handles will be cleaned with disinfectant wipes at least once per day.

Visitor and Guest Safety

  • During all Phases of the Governor’s Safe Start Washington plan, the building will remain locked and inaccessible to the public. Only guests, visitors, clients, and people attending a meeting in an hourly rental room, or an event in the Chapel will be permitted to enter the building.
  • It will be the responsibility of the tenant/renter to open the door and permit access to the building to allowed visitors.
  • Number of attendees to public meetings, events, and gatherings shall comply with the Governor’s Safe Start Washington plan.

Modified Working Models

  • Good Shepherd Center staff should continue to limit close contact with each other and with other tenants and guests as much as possible.
  • If necessary, caretakers should adjust work schedules to limit contact with each other and potential exposure to tenants and visitors to the building.

Washington Hall

Communication

External

  • Protocols and rules specific to Washington Hall should also be posted on signs located in common areas throughout the building.

Health Orders

  • Most recent and up-to-date health orders will be posted at the main, east entrance.

Tracking and Tracing

  • We will suggest, but not mandate, that anchor partners and tenants record names and contact information of attendees to all meetings, performances, etc., in the event that health officials must conduct contact tracing.
  • Anchor partners and tenants will be asked to notify Historic Seattle immediately if any staff member, guest or visitor presents COVID-19 symptoms. If staff become ill, building access will not be granted to that individual, and Historic Seattle reserves the right to deny or grant limited access to other staff, guests and visitors.

Property Infrastructure and Workplace Safety

  • Touchless hand sanitizing stations should be placed in lobbies at the south, east and north entrances to the building. Stations will also be placed in the second-floor east lobby, and outside the elevator on the second and third floors.
  • Anchor partners, tenants, and guests should, when possible, utilize the front, east door to enter and utilize exits located on the north and south sides of the building. Note that the north entrance will remain a viable, accessible point of entrance and exit for all staff, tenants and guests.
  • Anchor partners, tenants, and guests should be encouraged to use the stairs and avoid use of the elevator when possible.
  • Anchor partners, tenants and guests should be encouraged to only use restrooms near their offices. Signs placed on the bathroom door will state that only two people will be allowed to use the public restrooms at a time. A line for restroom use will form in the hallway and floor clings will be placed at 6’ increments to assist with social distancing where practicable.
  • The commercial kitchen on the first floor will not be available for use other than by Black Power Unlimited.
  • Cypher Café must follow all applicable health orders and protocols.
  • When anchor partners and tenants are in their individual offices, doors to common areas should be closed.
  • When anchor partners, tenants and guests travel through hallways and stairwells, masks will be worn.
  • Public assembly rooms will strictly adhere to health orders and associated protocols. Users and Anchor Partners will be required to thoroughly disinfect and clean high touch surfaces within public assembly spaces before and after each use.

Sanitation and Hygiene Procedures

  • Common area restrooms, common area mailboxes, stair handrails, newel posts, windowsills, elevator buttons, and exterior, interior and restroom door handles will be cleaned with disinfectant wipes at least once per day.

Visitor and Guest Safety

  • Through the end of Phase 3 of the Governor’s Safe Start Washington plan, the building will remain locked and inaccessible to the public. Only guests, visitors, clients, etc. seeing an anchor partner and/or tenant, attending a meeting, or attending an event will be permitted to enter the building.
  • It will be the responsibility of the anchor partner and tenant to open the door and permit access to the building.
  • Number of attendees to public meetings, events, and gatherings shall comply with the Governor’s Safe Start Washington plan.

Modified Working Models

  • Washington Hall Caretaker should continue to limit close contact with other anchor partners, tenants and guests as much as possible.

Cadillac Hotel

General Note

The Cadillac Hotel is wholly leased by the General Services Administration (GSA). We expect that GSA already has, or will soon have, established and specific protocols in place to accommodate their staff and visitors to the building. It is in Historic Seattle’s best interest to learn from and, when appropriate and applicable, utilize GSA established best practices at our properties. Conversely, if GSA has not established protocols for the Cadillac Hotel, Historic Seattle will provide assistance.

Communication

External

  • Historic Seattle staff will continue to communicate with National Park Service (NPS) and General Service Administration (GSA) staff regarding health orders and protocols.

Property Infrastructure and Workplace Safety

  • If necessary, Historic Seattle may install touchless hand-sanitizing stations in both first-floor entrance lobbies. Stations may also be placed in the basement next to the interior staircase and in the hallway between the interior stairwell and elevator on the second and third floors.
  • Historic Seattle may also elect to increase the frequency and thoroughness of janitorial service to include wiping high touch surfaces in common areas and/or offices.

Bel Boy / Heg Phillips / Victorian Row

General Note

These three properties are managed by United Marketing. United is well equipped and has the necessary systems in place to continue to adhere to health protocols and orders issued by the Governor. Like with the Cadillac Hotel, it is in Historic Seattle’s best interest to learn from and, when appropriate and applicable, utilize United established best practices at our properties. Conversely, if United demonstrates difficulty with implementing the necessary protocols, Historic Seattle will provide assistance.

Communication

External

  • Historic Seattle staff will continue to communicate with United Marketing and will consistently review established protocols.

Egan House

General Note

The Egan House is a private residence. Safe Start Washington orders issued by the Governor are not applicable in this situation.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS                            

  • Additional protocols will be developed for events and programs and will be made available online and in program emails. In general:
    • Gatherings are limited to the maximum attendees allowed in each Safe Start phase.
    • During all Safe Start phases, masks are required and will be provided. Hand sanitizer will also be available.
    • Do not attend if you are all.
  • Additional protocols will be developed for maintenance and capital projects conducted by outside vendors/contractors. These protocols will be included within bid documents and contracts.

Updated June 3, 2020

PROGRAMS CANCELED/RESCHEDULED

Historic Seattle has canceled or rescheduled all planned March, April, and May programs and events. We are monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely and will post an update about June programs shortly.

GOOD SHEPHERD CENTER
Room Rentals Canceled & Building Remains Closed To The Public

The Good Shepherd Center building closure was announced Monday, March 23. All reservations for the short term rental rooms and Chapel are canceled until further notice. Refunds are available upon request or payments can be converted to donations to the Historic Seattle Preservation Foundation. Rental users who have not yet been billed for meeting room rentals for this time period will not be charged.

Building tenants continue to have access to their leased spaces and may escort guests in and out as needed. Please note that many of our tenants are not currently utilizing their offices – if you are unsure about the status of their operations, please contact them directly. All tenants that continue to utilize their leased spaces must follow all public health orders issued by state and local officials and must maintain a safe environment for themselves and anyone using or visiting their space.

We will update this policy as needed based on recommendations and orders issued by state and local officials.

To contact us about a rental room cancellation, please email Good Shepherd Center Rental Coordinator Cindy Hughes (cindyh@historicseattle.org).

To contact us about a Chapel space cancellation, please email Good Shepherd Center Building Operations Manager Matt Murray (mattm@historicseattle.org).

Washington State’s Coronavirus Response has been updated, effective June 1. Read the Safe Start policy for more information.

WASHINGTON HALL

Washington Hall is closed to the public & rentals until further notice.