Preservation in Progress

Historic Seattle’s Blog

Archive for the ‘Preservation in the News’ Category

Recent Preservation News

Screenshot of new DAHP website homepage

Here’s some recent news about preservation:

  • The Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) has a newly re-designed website. Check out the cool new design and great features. It’s chock full of information about our state’s diverse resources and preservation information. The DAHP blog also has a new look that matches its website.
  • The Seattle International Film Festival will take over the vacant Uptown Theater in Seattle’s Lower Queen Anne neighborhood. The 1920s theater closed in November 2010. This is the best use for the property because it’ll remain a movie theater. Seattleites love their independent films so this is great news! The theater will re-open in October 2011.
  • Here’s an interesting Seattle Magazine article about urban architectural ruins in Seattle.
  • MAin2 is neutral on the subject of the deep-bore tunnel proposed for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project. We are also neutral on Referendum 1 which is technically not about the tunnel but has been turned into being about the tunnel. Here’s an opinion piece by Cheryl dos Remedios in Citytank which addresses historic preservation and cultural resource issues affected by the project. Update: If anyone knows of an article or opinion piece that discusses the benefits of the project related to historic preservation, let us know and we’ll post it. This Crosscut article by David Brewster from last week explores our civic history and offers a more comprehensive look at how and why this viaduct/tunnel issue has become so hotly debated and why it divides the city.
  • The Alki Homestead saga continues. On July 29, 2011, plans for the property were presented to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. This is the third project briefing this year. A log condition survey and window survey were presented to the ARC. Here are blow-by-blow reports from the West Seattle Blog and West Seattle Herald. Representatives from Historic Seattle, Southwest Seattle Historical Society and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation attended the meeting. The organizations continue to monitor the project’s progress.

Preservation Under Assault, Again

For the past month or so, preservationists have yet again been the whipping boy in certain circles. It started with an article (“An Architect’s Fear That Preservation Distorts”) in the New York Times by architecture critic Nicolai Ourousoff. His favorable review of the OMA / Rem Koolhaas exhibition at the New Museum in New York raised the hackles of preservationists across the country because he essentially blames preservationists (working in concert with big bad government and bigger and badder developers) for transforming historic places that matter into Disneyland—a clean-cut version of history where everything is bright and shiny and attracts mainly tourists. In the exhibition called “Cronocaos” (the run at the New Museum was only for a month), Koolhaas examined “what the future of our memory will look like, and how our obsession with heritage is creating an artificial re-engineered version of our memory. Lacking a set of coherent strategies or policies and generally not engaged by architects and designers, preservation is an under-examined topic, but increasingly relevant as we enter an age of ‘Cronocaos,’ in which the boundaries between preservation, construction, and demolition collapse, forever changing the course of linear evolution of time” (New Museum press release).

In his seven years at the New York Times (he’ll be resigning the end of June to pursue writing a book about architecture) Ourousoff has proven to not be a fan of preservation, often depicting preservationists as pitch-fork wielding zealots. He paints a broad canvas of what preservationists do and who they are. Yet he doesn’t understand that the preservation movement has actually changed and diversified over the years and has come a long way since its “George Washington Slept Here” days. Offering simplistic views of a movement that works hard to protect our heritage and built environment is inaccurate and lacks true critical thinking. We only need to look at our own historic neighborhoods for success stories of the preservation movement.  Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market and the International District are local and National Register historic districts that were designated in the early 1970s when they were threatened with redevelopment. Neighborhood activists worked with the City of Seattle to protect these neighborhoods. These citizens were smart, forward-thinking (while valuing our past) and determined to save Seattle’s soul. They weren’t the “well-meaning but clueless preservationists” that Ourousoff describes. (more…)

The Value of Seattle’s Industrial Buildings

2004. Collins Building in Everett (originally North Coast Casket Company) / Photo: Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

A must-read this week is Lawrence Kreisman’s Pacific Northwest Magazine article, “Seattle’s historic industrial buildings serve and support,” published in yesterday’s Seattle Times. Mr. Kreisman focuses on the value of utilitarian structures and why they are significant to the fabric of our communities. Our industrial past is an important one. Historic preservation is not always about pretty buildings. History is all-encompassing. Often times, industrial buildings are seen as white elephants if they are longer used. But the adaptive re-use of historic properties is a creative way to put life back into structures that were built for another purpose. Entire industrial neighborhoods have been revitalized through renovation. Rather than razing these monuments to our industrial past, let’s repurpose them and celebrate them.

The poster child for what not to do is the Collins Building in Everett, shown above in 2004 and below during demolition (or what the Port of Everett euphemistically calls “deconstruction”). Historic Everett and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation fought valiantly for years to save the old casket factory building, but lost to the Port of Everett. BTW, if you’ve got a big ol’ building and are looking for massive windows, columns and beams, the Port is salvaging the parts and offering them to qualifying entities.

 

2010. Collins Building Demolition by the Port of Everett / Photo: Historic Everett

Preservation in the News

Hotel New Washington in Seattle, Thanksgiving dinner menu, 1953 (check out those prices!) / Source: UW Special Collections

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM MAin2! Ok, so the image above has nothing to do with the content below, but it’s fun and we think you’ll enjoy it.

Here’s some recent preservation news:

Seattle City Council formally adopted the 2011-2012 budget on November 22. In terms of preservation, City Council restored funds to maintain one of the Landmarks Preservation Board Coordinator positions in the Department of Neighborhoods. Many property and business owners, developers, neighborhood groups, and preservationists who cared enough about preservation in Seattle contacted City Councilmembers during the budget process to urge Council to restore these funds. Your voices were heard! (more…)

More News About MOHAI and the City

A compromise was reached on Monday, September 27, between Seattle City Council and MOHAI that would restructure the money that flows from the State to the City and MOHAI. $8.5 M would go to the City in 2011 and 2012 to help with the budget. MOHAI would begin its project (as planned) transforming the landmark Naval Reserve Armory Building to its new home. The $8.5 M is not a loan from MOHAI but it’s money the museum does not yet need for its project. The assumption is the State will come through with the rest of the mitigation money from the land sale proceeds (due to displacement of MOHAI from its current home) and the City would use that money to “pay back” the $8.5 M. This plan essentially moves the funds around.

City Council voted 8-0 to pass Council Bill 116955 relating to the redevelopment of the Armory building in Lake Union Park, amending the agreement with between the City and MOHAI. Everyone seemed pretty relieved and happy about this outcome and the audience gave a standing ovation to City Council. Many members of the public testified in support, as well as against the agreement. (more…)

In the News: MOHAI Agreement With the City

1947 photo of Naval Reserve Armory Building. MOHAI plans to rehabilitate and relocate to this City Landmark. / Source: Puget Sound Regional Archives

On September 16th at the Seattle City Council Parks and Seattle Center Committee meeting, six Councilmembers voted to recommend passing Council Bill 116995 (there was on abstention), related to the redevelopment of the old Naval Reserve Armory Building at the south end of Lake Union and amending the development agreement between the City of Seattle and the Museum of History and Industry, or MOHAI. The museum is slated to relocate to the armory building because its current building in Montlake will be demolished as a result of the SR 520 expansion.  MOHAI will receive substantial mitigation money from the State for the major cost of relocating its museum and rehabilitating the landmark Armory Building. (more…)

Back Online – Recent Preservation/Heritge News

MAin2 is back in action after a two-week summer hiatus. Here’s some recent interesting preservation/heritage news:

Screenshot of MOHAI website

Mayor McGinn to MOHAI: Give Up Some of Your Money to the City

The Stranger’s SLOG (“Mayor’s Office Angry Over $40 Million Given to History Museum”) reports on how Mayor McGinn’s office wants some of the Museum of History and Industry’s (MOHAI) SR 520 mitigation money for the City’s use. MOHAI’s home is in a City-owned building that will be demolished by the State for SR 520 expansion related work. MOHAI deftly negotiated considerable mitigation money to cover the major expense of having to pack up, move, and store museum materials and artifacts for transfer to its new location in to the designated landmark Naval Reserve Building in Lake Union Park. The new building on Lake Union will undergo a major rehabilitation to convert to museum use. The museum had originally built the current building with private funds but later donated it to the City. (more…)

Preservation in the News: Federal Reserve Bank, Seattle Branch

Federal Reserve Bank, Seattle Branch Building / Source: Google Maps streetview

Two more articles in Crosscut were published this week about the Federal Reserve Bank, Seattle Branch Building (1015 2nd Avenue) and the lawsuit brought by the Committee for the Preservation of the Seattle Federal Reserve Bank against the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Seattle Branch. Knute Berger attended the hearing and reported extensively on its proceedings in an article titled, “City’s Landmark Preservation Process on Trial.” Today, Berger reports the breaking news in a Crosscut blog post that U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik found the Federal Reserve Bank’s purchase and sale agreement of the bank building “unlawful.” For background on this issue, read Berger’s first article in Crosscut.

Preservation in the News: Endangered

1967 Sunset Magazine cover showing the Brauner House designed by Paul Thiry

This was a busy week for preservation in the news.

Paul Thiry-designed House in Normandy Park Endangered – Jeff McCord of Nickel Bros. (a house moving company) has been looking for a new owner for this unique Modern residence in Normandy Park designed by Paul Thiry who was known as the “Father of Northwest Modernism.” The house is for sale for $1 (yes, one buck) but it needs to be moved (barged) to a waterfront location. More info on the house is available on the Nickel Bros. website. Jeff has been leading this effort to save the house, with assistance from Seattle Modern, Docomomo WEWA, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, and Historic Seattle. The Seattle Times published an excellent article about the issue and the significance of the house.

Bainbridge Island’s Moran School Building Slated for Demolition – A little-known historic school building, built in 1918, is endangered. The Moran School was founded by Frank Moran, the same person who founded the Moran-Lakeside School (later the famous Lakeside School). Island preservationists are looking for alternatives to demolition. Knute Berger writes about the school and its fate in Crosscut.

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (Seattle Branch) Building: Victim of Downtown Seattle Development Pressure – Knute Berger’s article about the “Case of the Vanishing Bank” in Crosscut looks at the 1951 Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in downtown Seattle, a building denied City landmark status but eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Knute looks at some of the issues involved including the lawsuit filed by the Committee for the Preservation of the Federal Reserve Bank to nullify the sale of the property by the Federal Reserve.

Preservation in the News: Why Historic Community Centers Matter

Washington Hall - important community gathering place / Photo: Eugenia Woo

  • Larry Kreisman writes eloquently about the value of community gathering spaces in the January 10th issue of Pacific Northwest Magazine.
  • We’ve all heard of “Most Endangered Historic Places” but “Least Endangered Historic Places?” Read Feliks Banel’s piece on the benefits of preservation and good stewardship of historic buildings in seattlepi.com.
  • MAin2 and the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Blog both received nice shout outs in Crosscut this week.