4Culture, Advocate 4Culture and Seattle Theatre Group are throwing a HUGE party (FREE) on June 28, 2011 at the Paramount Theatre to celebrate the signing of ESSB 5834, the bill that secures permanent funding for 4Culture. Thanks to all the elected officials and citizens who worked to make this happen! Details here.
Screenshot from Blog 4Culture
From a news release issued by King County Dept of Natural Resources and Parks about the 11th annual John D. Spellman Awards:
King County Executive Dow Constantine will recognize recipients of the 2011 John D. Spellman Awards for Exemplary Achievement in Historic Preservation on June 17 at the historic Delta Masonic Hall, 13034 41st Ave. S. in Tukwila.
The doors open at 9:30 a.m. for coffee and refreshments; the ceremony begins at 10:15 a.m. The Awards are named in honor of Governor John Spellman (King County Executive 1969-1981) who established the County’s Historic Preservation Program more than 30 years ago.
The recipients of this year’s awards range from an incoming 9th grader at Blanchet High School, who will receive the Spellman Youth Award for his advocacy to draw attention to two of the region’s most threatened historic properties, to the City of Kent for its strong commitment to building a preservation program; and from a landmark property owner who has taken stewardship of a rare archaeological site to heart (and then some), to a remarkable team of partners whose work to preserve and restore the Duwamish Hill Preserve, part of an important cultural landscape in the Duwamish River Valley, has been extraordinary.
For more details, go to the Natural Resources and Parks website.
Yesterday, May 24, the State Senate passed SSB 5834 which permits counties to direct an existing portion of local lodging taxes to programs for arts, culture, heritage, tourism, and housing. This is a big step! Today, this bill is in the House and we need all of you to email all representatives and ask them to support this bill.
Go to Advocate4Culture’s website for details on the message to send and email addresses. Thank you! Your voices have been heard. Let them hear it again!
Yesterday in Olympia, SB 5958 failed by one vote in the Senate. As disheartening as this is, it’s not over until it’s over. There’s still SB 5834 which permits counties to direct an existing portion of local lodging taxes to programs for arts and heritage.
Your calls and emails have been heard. Your help is still needed.
Go to Advocate4Culture’s website for details on next steps.
May is National Historic Preservation Month and Historic Seattle is hosting a very special event to acknowledge and celebrate the 2011 3rd Annual Preservation Awards recipients and their outstanding achievements in preservation. This year, we acknowledge the stewardship that has preserved an elegant campus of Northwest Modern buildings–integrated pavilions by Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johanson (NBBJ) set into a harmonious landscaped park designed by Richard Haag Associates for the Battelle Memorial Institute during the years 1966 to 1970.
The awards ceremony takes place from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at Talaris Conference Center. For details, go to Historic Seattle’s website. Tickets may still be purchased at the door; online registration is closed.
KeyBank is Lead Sponsor of the Third Annual Preservation Awards, with additional support from 4Culture and Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.
Here are the 2011 Award Recipients. Congratulations!
Best Rehabilitation Projects
Fire Stations 2, 17 and 41
Lake Wilderness Lodge, Maple Valley
Best Preservation Practice
University Heights Community Center Window Restoration
Living Landmark
Ronald F. Murphy, AIA, SMR Architects
Community Advocacy
Friends of Naval Air Station Seattle Historic District
Preserving Neighborhood Character
Melrose Market
Community Partnership for Historic Preservation
Hat ‘n’ Boots
Screenshot from The Greenest Building website
Don’t miss this showing of a new film about conservation and the rehabilitation of old buildings and why it’s the “green” thing to do. Check out “The Greenest Building” website for more info.
Airs this Sunday, April 24, at 2:00 pm on KCTS 9.
From the film’s website, “Over the next 20 years, one third of our nation’s existing building stock (over 82 billion square feet) will be demolished in order to replace seemingly inefficient buildings with energy efficient ‘green’ buildings. Is demolition on this scale really the best use of natural, social, and economic resources? Or, like urban renewal programs of the 1960’s, is it part of a well-intentioned planning strategy with devastating environmental and cultural consequences? ‘The Greenest Building’ provides a compelling argument for conservation, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of our existing building stock as the single most effective strategy for reducing, reusing and recycling one of our most important consumer products – our buildings.”
UW Press
The new book, Shadows of a Fleeting World: Pictorial Photography and the Seattle Camera Club, authored by David F. Martin and Nicolette Bromberg has been published by the University of Washington Press as the companion to an exhibition at the Henry Art Gallery (February 12 – May 8, 2011). Attend a free panel discussion and reception at the Henry on Friday, February 11 at 7 pm – 8:30 pm.
This beautifully illustrated book and the exhibit of rarely seen work documents the lives and artistic accomplishments of the Seattle Camera Club photographers. It provides a rare glimpse into the regional Pictorialist movement. Pictorialism emerged in the early twentieth century; artists engaged in this style were interested in the effects of transient light and Japanese composition.
Villa Costella in Queen Anne newly designated a Seattle Landmark / Photo: Google Maps Streetview
This has been a busy week for preservation and urban design in the news:
New Seattle Landmarks. On December 1, the Landmarks Preservation Board designated two buildings, the RKO Distributing Company Building in Belltown (2312 Second Avenue) and Villa Costella (348 W. Olympic Place) in Queen Anne. Designed by architect Earl W. Morrison, the RKO is a 1928 former film exchange building in a part of downtown once known as “Film Row.” Its high level of exterior integrity is notable for its use of Batchelder tiles, unusual for the outside of commercial buildings. The 1928-1929 Villa Costella is a Spanish Eclectic style apartment building designed and developed by architect Everett J. Beardsley. The building is currently a condominium complex. The Queen Anne Historical Society encouraged the owners of the condos to nominate the building voluntarily. Download both landmark nominations from the Seattle Historic Preservation Program’s website. Look for the RKO Building nomination listed under the address, 2312 Second Avenue, not the name. (more…)
Seattle City Council is asking citizens to share their ideas for a better Seattle by providing input on balancing the City’s 2011-2012 budget. You may submit your own idea or vote for or against ideas related to a whole host of categories that matter to our communities.
We encourage you to vote for a preservation-related idea to support the Seattle Historic Preservation Program. It’s easy to vote. You don’t need to sign in or register. Deadline for submission of ideas is October 27, 2010.
In his proposed 2011 City Budget, Mayor Mike McGinn proposes significant cuts to the Department of Neighborhoods’ Historic Preservation Program. Here’s an opportunity for all you preservation supporters out there to let Seattle City Council know that the program is important.
Proposed Cuts and Impacts
The Mayor’s budget proposes to eliminate one of two Landmarks Preservation Board (LPB) Coordinator positions, specifically, the position that is responsible for coordinating the Board’s design review process for approximately 175 Landmarks and reviewing Landmark nominations for properties located in downtown Seattle, South Lake Union, and First Hill neighborhoods. In addition, funding for citywide surveys and inventories are proposed for elimination.
We understand that the City is facing a severe budget shortfall in 2011. However, by eliminating one of the LPB Coordinator positions, there will be significant, adverse effects on the Historic Preservation Program as a whole. The program relies on the volunteer nature of Boards and Commissions as well as neighborhood support. More than ever, it is important for the City to leverage this broad-based support to create stable, sustainable, and economically viable neighborhoods. Maintaining staff levels is critical for the continued betterment of the places that matter to us. Given the ordinance-mandated design review process for the more than 400 individual landmarks and seven historic districts, reducing staff levels will negatively impact property owners, developers, business owners, and the general public. The review of landmark nominations by the LPB will be reduced to a quarterly basis from the current twice-a-month meeting schedule. In addition, the current twice-a-month board/commission meetings for the International Special Review District, Pioneer Square Historical District, and Pike Place Market Historical District will be reduced to one meeting a month. (more…)
