Preservation News and Events in the New Year – January 2014

• January 10, 2014
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• Events

2014 is starting off with lots of news in the preservation world already. Here are some highlights (or lowlights in some cases):

-Christmas Eve 2013 Building Fire in Chinatown/International District: The Louisa Building (southwest corner of 7th Ave S and S King St), one of the historic district’s key structures, was ablaze on December 24. The 1909 building houses some of the neighborhood’s longest operating businesses including Mon Hei Bakery and Sea Garden Restaurant. All businesses are closed. The building is unsafe for entry, as determined by the City. The cause of the fire (which started on the vacant top floor) is undetermined at this point. For more info on the fire and its effect on the owner and businesses, go to the Seattle Times and NW Asian Weekly. It is unknown at this point whether the building will be demolished or if it can be saved.

-2013 Heritage Turkeys List: Once again, Knute Berger comes out with his annual Heritage Turkeys list of heritage and preservation disasters and bad projects/policies/actions. Read his Crosscut article for the full list.

-EVENT: The Before Party, Campaign to Restore Washington Hall: Historic Seattle and Washington Hall anchor groups 206Zulu, Hidmo and Voices Rising are hosting a party at the historic landmark on Saturday, January 18, 2014. Join the fun and festivities. Enjoy food, drinks and music! Learn more about the Capital Campaign for the Hall. Free and open to the public! Location: Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave, Seattle (Central District); Time: 5:00 – 9:00 pm, all ages / 9:00 pm – Midnight, 21 and up. More details on the Washington Hall Facebook page.

-EVENT: Historic Seattle Annual Members Meeting, Frye Art Museum: Please join us as we welcome in our 40th year of education, advocacy, and preservation of historic structures in the lovely surroundings of First Hill’s leading cultural institution, the Frye Art Museum. Museum Deputy Director Jill Rullkoetter will discuss the museum’s history and its programs, and lead tours. WHEN: Thursday, January 23, 2014; 5:30 to 7:00 pm; WHERE: Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave, Seattle. More details here.

Historic Seattle Celebrates its 40th Year!

• January 07, 2014
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• 40th Anniversary

Historic Seattle celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2014! We have an exciting year of programs this year. See you at an upcoming event! Be sure to register soon because events do sell out, particularly architectural tours with limited space. Our first event of the year is our Annual Members Meeting (open to the public) on Thursday, January 23 (5:30 – 7:00 pm) at the Frye Art Museum. Download a pdf (2.0 MB) of the 2014 program or go to our website to view events and register online.

Crosscut’s Urban Hoedown – December 4, 2013

• December 04, 2013
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• Events

From our friends at Crosscut:

What do you get when you blend Crosscut writer Knute Berger’s beguiling beard with a full band of talented young musical ragamuffins?

Crosscut’s First Annual Urbanist Hoedown. 

Come for a conversation with Knute about the fascinating history of Northwest urbanism, explored in his recently completed series, “Roots of Tomorrow, Urbanism in our Blood.” Stay for the drinks, bad urbanism puns and the musical stylings of Tamara Power-Drutis’s modernized northwest Americana album. (Did we mention her full band includes 3 singers and a ukelele?)

Come learn about Seattle’s turn-of-the-century roving bike gangs, the arts commune that spawned modern Bellevue and the Italian godfather who invented P-Patches.

Bring your friends, your dogs, your urban knowhow and your love of bicycles. (Full disclosure: The dogs will actually have to stay outside.)

WHEN: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm

WHERE: Impact Hub Seattle, 220 2nd Ave South, Seattle, WA  98104

Sponsored by 4Culture and Fremont Brewing. Event details here.

Preserving Your Old House Event in South Park – Saturday, November 2, 2013

• October 30, 2013
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• Events

The South Park community in Seattle is a small neighborhood with a big voice. Nearly 4,000 people live, work, study, play, farm, and raise families in this river-hugging community wedged at the heart of the Duwamish Valley industrial corridor. Students, parents, business owners, artists, machinists, environmentalists, and civic leaders all call South Park home. Tree lined streets are filled with well maintained housing and houses that are in need of work.

Historic Seattle, Friends of Georgetown History, and the Duwamish Valley Neighborhood Preservation Coalition offer a Saturday morning program exploring ways to revitalize older housing with an eye to preserving integrity while upgrading systems and making exterior and interior improvements for longevity and energy efficiency. Rick Sever, a Historic Seattle Council member and a contractor with a commitment to restoration and renovation of older buildings, will present examples of good and not so good approaches to remodels and respond to questions. Friends of Georgetown History and Duwamish Valley Neighborhood Preservation Coalition will give a brief overview of the history and development of South Park. Refreshments provided.

Preservation News & Events – October 2013

• October 03, 2013
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• Events

Fall is a busy time of year for historic preservation. Here are some news and events of note:

Battelle Memorial Institute Site Nominated: This 18-acre modernist masterpiece in Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood was built in the late 1960s-1970. The property was unanimously nominated by the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board at its September 18 meeting. MAin2 wrote about the Rich Haag and NBBJ-designed campus here. The designation hearing is scheduled for November 6, 2013. The Seattle Times wrote an article about the property and landmark efforts by the Friends of Battelle/Talaris.

Valerie Sivinski Washington Preserves Fund: The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is seeking applications for this grant fund which provides up to $2,000 to organizations involved in preservation throughout the state. Deadline to apply is October 16, 2013. For more information, go to the Trust’s website.

Women’s University Club Celebrates 100th Anniversary: Explore the organization’s first century through its new, 112-page, coffee-table book, The First 100 Years: Women’s University Club of Seattle, 1914-2014. Available to the general public for under $40 at several area bookstores. Call the club for details: 206-623-0402. For other information about the club, see womensuniversityclub.com.

Tour a Mid-century Modern Gem: Join Docomomo WEWA as it celebrates Tour Day 2013 along with other Docomomo US chapters and partners throughout the country. Tour the Whittaker Residence, Saturday, October 5, 2013. The mid-century modern residence in Seattle’s Lakewood neighborhood (near Seward Park) was designed by Seattle architect Arnold Gangnes and built in 1956. For event details, go to Docomomo WEWA’s website. (more…)

Seattle Design Festival September 13-22, 2013

• August 31, 2013
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• Events

The Seattle Design Festival is the region’s largest public design event that, every September, brings together experts, city leaders, and citizens to celebrate and explore the ways design improves the quality of our lives. The Seattle Design Festival is presented by Design in Public  and AIA Seattle , in collaboration with more than thirty partner organizations. Historic Seattle is a partner organization. Our Fall Arts and Crafts Lecture Series (September 14) is an event that is part of the festival.

Jean Sherrard & Paul Dorpat: The History of First Hill

• June 21, 2013
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• Events

Town Hall presents photographer Jean Sherrard and historian Paul Dorpat as part of its Civic series on Tuesday, June 25, 2013; 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Dorpat writes the “Now and Then” column for The Seattle Times and Sherrard photographs the “now” views. They will share images and stories of First Hill.

Tickets are $5 at www.townhallseattle.org or 888/377-4510 and at the door beginning at 6:30 pm. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Downstairs at Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Avenue; enter on Seneca Street.

LEARN MORE: http://bit.ly/THSherrardDorpat

“This Place Matters” Event at Mukai Farm and Garden – June 1

• May 29, 2013
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• Endangered

Join the Friends of Mukai, 4Culture, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association for a photo event to declare “This Place Matters.” The Mukai Farm and Garden, located on Vashon Island, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated King County Landmark.

The event takes place from 1 to 4 pm on Saturday, June 1, 2013. A mini street fair follows the photo event. Celebrate one of the most important Japanese American cultural resources in King County.

The Mukai Farm and Garden was recently included in the WA Trust’s Most Endangered Properties list.

For more details, download this flyer.

Third Annual Building Renovation Fair, Saturday, April 13, 2013

• April 04, 2013
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• Events

Join Historic Seattle for its Third Annual Building Renovation Fair!

Meet the region’s experts in old buildings—the salvage houses, restoration and renovation architects, contractors, interior designers, and tradespeople who appreciate working on the components of old houses in glass, wood, metal, tile and ceramics, plumbing, electrical, hardware, painting, plaster, and wood windows.

The fair is a wonderful opportunity to examine and compare services and products, ask questions, and get inspired by what you learn as our exhibitors share their expertise individually and in presentations throughout the day. Presentations this year include: Remodeling Strategies for Mid Century Homes by Julie Campbell AIA, CTA Design Builders; Wood, Stone, and Brick Restoration Basics by Brian Rich, Richaven PLLC; Preparing your Historic Home for Earthquakes by Bruce Schoonmaker, A-FFIX LLC; Remodeling your Vintage Home for your Modern Lifestyle by Diane Foreman, Neil Kelly Company; and Getting Cozy: Energy Efficiency in Historic Homes by the Neil Kelly staff.

The Building Renovation Fair co-sponsored by Neil Kelly.

Historic Seattle 2013 Programs

• January 17, 2013
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• Events

Historic Seattle’s 2013 Programs have just been announced! We are looking forward to an exciting year of tours, lectures and events. Download the Historic Seattle 2013 Program or go to our website for details. You may register online. Some events will sell out so we recommend you get your tickets early.

The first event of 2013 will be Historic Seattle’s Annual Meeting, open to members and the public. Join us on Wednesday, January 23 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Women’s University Club (1105 6th Ave) in downtown Seattle.