Royal Esquire Club 2011 ©, photo by 4Culture staff

Royal Room jazzes up Columbia City

We love it at 4Culture when our grant-making supports the community in more than one of our four program areas.  We found that sweet spot between preservation and the arts with the recent restoration of storefronts at the old City Sash & Door Company building on Rainier Avenue in Columbia City.  The building’s been the home of the Royal Esquire Club, a venerable African-American social club, since 1985.  Now it’s sharing space with an exciting new music venue known as the Royal Room.

Composer/pianist Wayne Horvitz collaborated with local entrepreneurs (Achilles Productions, LLC), on a vision to create a casual studio-like space for local musicians.  Their goal was to offer up a welcoming neighborhood hang-out – family-friendly, open to all music genres, with a restaurant, bar, and stage that encourages exploration and innovation.  After a whirlwind of preparation this fall, the Royal Room opened December 16th to a packed house eager to welcome a new kind of venue to this vibrant historic district.

The Royal Esquire Club stretches for a full block below Hudson Street along Rainier Avenue in the heart of Columbia City.  The building has been well-cared for over the years, but the street façade was obscured by plywood covering up all the interesting old storefronts.  Although lively on the inside, the outside was pretty opaque and lifeless.  It formed a visual barrier that felt like the southern “end” of Columbia City.

With the help of a $24,000 Landmark Challenge Grant from 4Culture, matched dollar for dollar by the Achilles folks, off came the plywood and back came the big retail display windows, transom lights, and recessed entryway that once invited customers in off the street.  What a transformation for this high-visibility corner of the historic neighborhood!  Now the streetscape pops with the new lighting, paint colors, classy signage, and the sounds of music floating out into the night.  Check it out!

Perhaps you saw 4Culture construction banners around the county this summer, and were wondering what they meant. From Woodinville to Kent, landmark properties got some much needed TLC with support from our Landmark Rehab Program. Every one of these projects pumped dollars into the economy for materials and jobs for local craftsmen.

Marjesira Inn, Vashon Island

The owner of this rare, rustic landmark worked with island carpenter Gary Peterson to complete much-needed repairs to the third floor porch deck and railing this summer. Marjesira Inn was built in 1906 at Magnolia Beach overlooking Quartermaster Harbor. In the era of the Mosquito Fleet, it functioned as a small hotel with a post office and general store.

Peter Kirk Building, Kirkland

Kirkland founder and steel magnate Peter Kirk erected this picturesque Victorian building as his headquarters back in 1891. The Kirkland Arts Center received funds to make necessary repairs to the original wood windows of the turret, a signature feature of this beloved eastside landmark. Legacy Renovation’s Troy Axe performed the restoration work.

August Lovegren House, Preston

Preston shingle mill owner August Lovegren built this handsome Colonial Revival house in 1904, finishing it with amazing hand-crafted vertical grained woodwork throughout the interior. The owners were awarded funds to repair and restore the historic wood windows back to operable status. They worked with craftsman Jim Felch of the Window Preservation Project.

DeYoung House, Woodinville

The DeYoung family made a significant contribution to Woodinville’s early development. Now their Dutch Colonial house is home to the Woodinville Historical Museum. Landmark Rehab allowed the Society to hire R.C. Painting & Sons to bring the house and garage back to their original yellow color.

McGrath Hotel, North Bend

Built in 1922, this former hotel and cafe once attracted travelers on the Cross-State Highway over Snoqualmie Pass through downtown North Bend. The current owners completed two simultaneous re-roofing projects this summer, with the help of funds from the Landmark Rehab program. This job went to A.M. Roofing & Construction of Ellensburg.

Saar Pioneer Cemetery, Kent

This historic grave yard dates back to at least 1873, and saw over seven decades of community use. The South King County Genealogical Society hired GeoRadar Imaging LLC to locate lost features (graves, roads, enclosures and headstones) using ground penetrating radar. The scanning work completed this summer will help the society create a more detailed site plan to guide future restoration.

Images: Marjesira images © 2011, courtesy of Marian Brischle; Peter Kirk building images © 2011, courtesy of Kirkland Arts Center; Lovegren house images © 2011, courtesy of Philip and Beverly Raymond; DeYoung house images © 2011, courtesy of Woodinville Heritage Society; McGrath Hotel images © 2011, courtesy of Rookwood Properties LLC; Saar Pioneer Cemetery images © 2011, courtesy of South King County Geneological Society.

This year’s awardees include the owner of the Panama Hotel, a celebrated National Historic Landmark in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District.  The story of the 1910 hotel as a gathering place for the Japanese community prior to World War II was recently made famous by the book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.  An award of $21,000 will go toward stabilizing the original iron fire escapes.

An LCG award of $17,659 will fund heating system and accessibility improvements at Maloney’s Store in the Great Northern Railroad town of Skykomish.  The Town will complete the work, and then lease ground floor space in the old wood-framed general store to the Skykomish Historical Society for a history museum.

Achilles Productions will receive an award of $24,000 to restore three visible storefronts in the heart of the Columbia City Historic District, for new use as a restaurant and music venue with an all-ages community focus.  The applicants are partnering with the Royal Esquire Club, stewards of the well-known African-American nightclub that occupies the rest of the sprawling building along Rainier Avenue.

For more information on 4Culture’s Landmark Challenge Grant program, contact Flo Lentz, Preservation lead at 206 296.8682.

You couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day of Indian summer weather for historic farm touring in King County on this past Saturday, September 24.  Out in the Snoqualmie Valley, King County/WSU Extension held its annual Fall Harvest Farm Tour.  One of the best stops is always the Carnation Tree Farm, where visitors this year were able to view Jerry Mader’s new photo exhibit “Saving the Soil” in the loft of the massive 1910 hay barn.  And over on the gorgeous West Snoqualmie River Road is Jubilee Farm, a biodynamic CSA operation where visitors got guided wagon rides around the fields while the workers busily prepared for a big community pig roast.

The very same day was the annual Duvall Heritage Festival at the historic Dougherty Farmstead, a great one for kids to see demonstrations of butter churning, corn grinding, and mule plowing.  And over in Auburn, in a pastoral spot along the Green River, the amazing Mary Olson Farm opened its gates for the White River Valley Museum’s second annual “Hops & Crops” benefit.  This year the entire farmstead – historic house, hay barn, and all the original, carefully restored outbuildings were open for tours.  There was a fantastic turn-out, and a good time had by all.

Images: Mary Olson & Jubilee Farms © 2011, photos by 4Culture staff

Discovering hidden gems in the community

Do you have an old Odd Fellows Hall in your community?  Or maybe a Moose Lodge, or Knights of Pythias? If so, 4Culture wants to know. We’ve just launched a new survey of public assembly spaces in interesting older buildings, starting with historic fraternal halls.  Audra Brecher, intern extraordinaire, will be heading up this project over the summer.

Our goal is to identify space available for cultural uses in every corner of the county. We’ll be looking to document current ownership, use, square footage, amenities, accessibility, etc.

Fraternal halls were once quite common in every town center in King County. Put up in the late 19th and early 20th century, the halls were handsome, wood-frame or masonry buildings that provided a valuable gathering place for community leaders. Fraternal organizations’ members were the local do-ers and shakers. They banded together, got things done, and took care of one another’s families in hard times.

The halls aren’t always easy to recognize. They may have changed radically on the outside. They may no longer serve a fraternal lodge at all. There is most likely still a commercial use on the ground floor, which was a way for the organization to create a revenue stream.

What they have in common is at least one large assembly hall, often with a sweet little stage, and sometimes a kitchen or private club room. These spaces are often virtually unaltered, and very often underused.

Is there a little-known gem like this in your town? If so, please contact Preservation 4Culture lead staff Flo Lentz at 206-296-8682, or project manager Audra Brecher, at 727-505-6422.

Photo: Issaquah Odd Fellows Hall

Have you ever run across a collection of old photographs that draw you into the landscape of another era?  A hundred years from now, people will be stunned to stumble upon the architectural photography of John Stamets.  Since the late 1980s, he has meticulously recorded the structures of the twentieth century in our region, just before they’re razed or reworked in the name of progress.

For national Preservation Month this May, Gallery 4Culture is pleased to feature the work of John Stamets in HABS/HAER Standards Photography of the Pacific Northwest.

Join us at Gallery 4Culture this Wednesday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m. to hear Stamets speak about his unusual career.  He has quite a story to tell about the timeless images he’s creating for the Historic American Building Survey and Historic American Engineering Record collections, permanently archived at the U.S. Library of Congress.

He’ll talk about those high HABS/HAER photographic standards, how he gets the impossible shots he needs, and how he always manages to be in the right place at the right time.

Image: South Park Bridge, Seattle 2010 © John Stamets

This year’s recipients include the South King County Genealogical Society, which will receive an award of $6,700 for innovative research that will lead to continued restoration of the Saar Pioneer Cemetery in Kent.  This forgotten graveyard has been recently rescued, cleaned up, and re-introduced to the public by a dedicated group of local genealogists.

Another LRP award will fund much-needed painting and repairs to the newly designated Richmond Masonic Center in Shoreline, in the amount of $10,000.  The Masonic Center Association plans to restore and revitalize this highly visible 1920s community facility, located right in the heart of Shoreline’s new town center.  

The City of Snoqualmie will also get an assist with their revitalization efforts, with a $10,000 award for storefront design for multiple buildings in the downtown historic district.  The City will work with private property owners who are interested in doing simple, effective, and historically-appropriate façade improvements.

2011 Landmark Rehabilitation Program Recipients:

For more information on the Landmark Rehabilitation Grants, contact Flo Lentz, Preservation 4Culture, 206 296.8682.

Image: 2011 4Culture staff

4Culture is pleased to announce the launch of its new Destination Heritage interactive map – a guide to historic attractions all around King County.  This map (project-managed by Brandi Link) features 60 one-of-a-kind sites on a Google-based map, with location/contact info, driving directions, brief history, and things to do in the vicinity.  Whether you’re a visitor to our area, or a local with guests coming to town, check out Destination Heritage to get past the same old touristy draws in Seattle, and discover lesser known gems in outlying areas.

From world-class attractions like the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, to best-kept secrets like the evocative Iron Goat Trail near Skykomish, or the very cool Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum in Kent, Destination Heritage has something something for everybody. Our award winning Destination Heritage program includes handsome themed brochures worth keeping, audio clips with extra tidbits for select sites, “in the vicinity” tips for exploring further, and now a new map to show you how to get there. Plan an exploratory outing today, from the comfort of your computer chair!

While online, also check out the first of a 3-part 4CTV documentary series on the Destination Heritage travel guides, which showcases the maritime groups at South Lake Union. In interviews, executive director Betsy Davis and founding director Dick Wagner of the Center for Wooden Boats relate the history of maritime in our region and tell how several organizations are working hard today to keep that history alive and relevant. Click here to view the 23 minute show.

Spring is officially here, which means the days are longer and the weather is… a bit nicer. So chose your favorite destination theme – maritime, agriculture, or industry – and get out there to see what our county has to offer!

Image: Screen shot of the new Destination Heritage online map © 2010, 4Culture.

Advocates for the preservation of the venerable old Alki Homestead / Fir Lodge were encouraged by a fresh new direction for the project, made public on Friday.

Alloy Design Group, newest member of the building owner’s project team, gave a briefing to the Seattle Landmark Preservation Board’s Architectural Review Committee.  The presentation outlined broad concepts for restoring the original log structure, retaining the existing parking and landscaped open space, removing 1960s and ‘80s additions, and adding a new commercial kitchen to the rear (west side) of the building.

The future of the property has been precarious since the building was damaged by fire and the restaurant closed two years ago.  In November of 2009, the owner announced his intentions to essentially redevelop the site, infilling the open space with a multi-storied inn, and constructing a new restaurant and banquet facility using some of the Homestead’s logs to suggest the character of the 1904 landmark structure.

Preservationists from around the city voiced their concern, pointing out that creating a log replica was not the same as preserving the real Alki Homestead.  This past Fourth of July, nearly 200 supporters gathered in front of the building with buttons and banners proclaiming “This Place Matters.” Sponsored by a coalition that includes the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, Historic Seattle, 4Culture and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, the mass photo shoot brought wide attention to the issue and opened up a dialogue about the meaning that special places have in our lives.   That very day, the property was offered up for sale, and over the summer and fall Historic Seattle worked in partnership with some private investors to negotiate a purchase.

Although they were unable to strike a deal, something has inspired the owner to reconsider his approach to the property.  Fans of the Homestead will be encouraged to learn that the owner’s project team have dropped their intention to demolish and replicate, and have now expressed their commitment to preserving and restoring.  There will be more clarity on what “preservation” entails in the months to come, but for now, things look pretty hopeful for this beloved old Alki landmark.

Image: This Place Matters, Alki Homestead poster © 2010, photo by Jean Sherrard.

This action came through Council’s adoption of the 2011 Budget, and on this issue, the Council accepted the recommendation of King County Executive Dow Constantine in his proposed budget.

This revenue stream, created under House Bill 1386 in the State Legislature in 2005, attached a $1 surcharge on all documents filed with a County Recorder. The additional fees were earmarked specifically for use on local “historical preservation or historical programs…”

In King County, the filing fee surcharge generated almost $674,000 in 2007 when the economy was flourishing. In 2010, it has generated around $460,000.

The best and most equitable use of this revenue has been a subject of intense interest and lively debate within the heritage and preservation community in King County since 2007, when existence of the fund came to light.

Since then, the fundamental question has been whether this new revenue should be used to back the County’s established historic preservation office, or whether it should be distributed each year in competitive processes, through 4Culture, to heritage organizations, municipal preservation programs, and landmark stewards to support the work of the field.

On behalf of their constituents, the Association of King County Historical Organizations, Historic Seattle, the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board, and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation took positions in support of equitable distribution to the field. They argued that the County should continue its 30+ year commitment to historic preservation through General Fund support of the County preservation office.

In October of 2009, the Council convened a volunteer task force to explore the issue in detail. The “Historic Preservation and Historical Programs Advisory Task Force” issued its report to Council in March of 2010, recommending a 40-60% split compromise between the County’s preservation office and distribution to the field through 4Culture. The report also included a minority recommendation for the opposite percentage split. It is important to note that both the majority and minority reports embraced the notion that some of the HB1386 revenues should support the work of the field, not just the administrative functions of the county HP program.

In the 2011 Budget process, however, the County argued that its current fiscal crisis necessitates use of the new document filing fee revenue, rather than the General Fund, to sustain its historic preservation office.

The future of the document filing fee revenue beyond 2011 remains an unresolved issue. Heritage organizations, local preservation programs, landmark stewards, and preservation and heritage professionals continue to monitor the situation.

Peeking in the magic window that reveals the hens sitting on their nests! Mary Olson Farm, fall 2007
photo by Patricia Cosgrove

Her new responsibilities include oversight of preservation, history, and cultural programs in 392 national parks, and of community partnership programs among federal, Tribal, state and local governments and nonprofits. Familiar programs that reach far beyond the national parks, like the National Register of Historic Places and the Historic American Buildings Survey, will also fall under her purview.

Preservationists in this state know Stephanie in her former position as chief of cultural resources for the NPS Pacific West Region. She has been in the forefront of many big projects that we know and care about locally – the commemoration of the incarceration of Japanese-Americans on Bainbridge Island, the rehab of the Cadillac Hotel for the Klondike Gold Rush NHP in Pioneer Square, the preservation of beloved historic buildings and landscapes at Mt. Rainier National Park, and a host of other successful preservation efforts large and small.

Stephanie served as a board member of 4Culture from its creation in 2003 through 2008. She was very active on the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, and helped shape 4Culture’s new preservation program. She was a driving force behind the creation of the Seattle/King County Task Force on Maritime Heritage in 2005, an effort that triggered a grass-roots push to create a National Maritime Heritage Area for communities on Puget Sound and Washington’s Pacific coast. And she has been a passionate supporter of the effort to secure Lodging Tax revenue for heritage and the arts in King County.

Here at 4Culture we were privileged to work first-hand with Stephanie, and certainly appreciated the thoughtful, articulate and action-oriented thinking she brings to every issue she touches. Our nation’s cultural heritage has gained a passionate new champion. Congratulations, Stephanie, for this well-deserved promotion!

During Fourth of July festivities on Alki Beach, at 1:30 p.m. sharp, a crowd of diehard fans and friends of the old Alki Homestead Restaurant will mysteriously gather on 63rd Avenue SW in front of this venerable 1904 log landmark. What’s it all about? It’s a rally and group photo/video event to raise awareness of the current threat to the Homestead, and to make it clear to the world that This Place Matters!

People from all over Seattle share a collective memory of down-home fried chicken and mashed potato dinners at the Homestead’s elegant white-clothed tables. Yes, the ambience was always straight out of the 1950s, when the restaurant first opened. Before that it was “Fir Lodge,” home of the William and Gladys Bernard family, and after that it served as the Seattle Driving and Auto Club. But today, the restaurant is dark, and there’s a threat to the survival of the building. The current owner has announced plans to demolish it and redevelop the site, citing damage caused by a small interior fire.

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society, together with Historic Seattle, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and 4Culture say there just may be another way. Everyone is working with the owner to find alternatives to demolition. In the meantime, to raise awareness of the threat, these groups will sponsor a mass Independence Day photo shoot – complete with signs, buttons, cameras, and a little speechifying.

Appearing in this history-making photo will be State Senator Joe McDermott, our very own King County Executive Dow Constantine, City Council member Tom Rasmussen, and former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, along with Alki neighbors and Homestead fans from far and wide. Everyone is welcome because the bigger the crowd, the better. You just may see yourself flashed around the world on YouTube and Facebook.

The Alki neighborhood will be packed with beach-goers, especially if the sun shines. If you come, allow plenty of time to find parking.  Better yet, take the King County Water Taxi from downtown, and walk, bike, or take the METRO Dart shuttle bus Route 775 up over the hill and down to Alki Beach. For more information on the rally, contact the Southwest Seattle Historical Society at (206) 938-5293, Thursday-Sunday, noon to 4:00 p.m.

Image: © 2007, Homestead Restaurant, Courtesy of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society

4Culture is pleased to announce its latest funding opportunity for local historic preservation projects!  The guidelines and application for the 2010 Landmark Challenge Grants are now available online.

This program supports “bricks and mortar” projects on designated City landmarks in Seattle and Bothell.  You can also apply if your property is a King County landmark in an unincorporated area (or in a city that has an interlocal agreement with King County).  National Register sites – in areas without any landmarks program at all – are also eligible.

If you’re the steward of an historic property, you know there’s an added burden to maintaining it properly.  4Culture is dedicated to helping owners meet that commitment so we all can benefit from communities that are character-rich and exciting to live in.  If you’ve been planning a roofing project, want to rehab your original windows, need to repair your storefront, or just want to paint the exterior of your old building, we want to hear from you.

Unlike other funding programs at 4Culture, Landmark Challenge Grants leverage direct investment in the project by requiring a one-to-one cash match.  Minimum requests begin at $10,000 for a $20,000 project. Contact Flo Lentz, Preservation Lead, for questions about your project and its eligibility.  Contact Brandi Link for assistance with the online application process.

Image: © 2010, Morgan Construction crew for repair of Phinney Neighborhood Center’s slate roof, Courtesy of Phinney Neighborhood Association

In honor of Preservation Month, Preservation 4Culture is pleased to announce Landmark Rehabilitation Program (LRP) support for twelve preservation projects, providing $96,802 in financial assistance for local property owners. One of 4Culture’s core programs, the LRP supports the preservation of designated King County landmarks by providing funds for construction-related planning and design, architectural and engineering expenses, and materials and labor. These awards leverage thousands of dollars of additional private investment all around King County.

This year’s recipients include the North Bend Theatre, an excellent example of the 1940s Art Moderne style in a small town setting. The LRP award of $7,000 will fund a comprehensive preservation plan for the building, and temporary roof and wall repairs.

Another LRP award will fund critical foundation work on the well-loved Hardware Store Restaurant on Vashon Island.

Continue Reading >>

Image: 2010 © Courtesy of the Hardware Store Restaurant

The news officially came out last week in The Seattle Times.  The Boeing Company is set to demolish the centerpiece of its own World War II history – Plant 2 on East Marginal Way.

How could this happen here – in the city where Boeing was born, where the fabled B-17 Flying Fortresses were built, and where 30,000 Seattle workers labored day and night in support of America’s war effort?  Surely, this factory embodies one of the most amazing and significant national stories in World War II.

Take a look at what the Bay Area is doing to honor its wartime heritage – especially at the Rosie the Riveter – World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, CA. Not every base, shipyard, or factory’s being saved, but Bay Area folks are clearly keyed in on the incredibly important role played by their home front industries.

How is it that there hasn’t really been an open conversation in this community about the threat and the opportunity for preserving Plant 2 – this iconic Seattle site?  True, it’s a giant white elephant, and true, the site is horribly polluted.  But beauty and cleanliness aren’t exactly criteria for significance in history.  And once the site’s redeveloped, the tangible power of the place is gone.

How Plant 2 managed never to be designated as historic, even at the local level (the Hanford Nuclear Site’s B Reactor is now a protected National Historic Landmark) makes one wonder.  A Boeing spokesman notes in The Seattle Times article that he doesn’t anticipate the plant’s history will pose any obstacles to the company’s plans to demolish.  So presumably, Boeing did work its way through all the mandated cultural resource compliance reviews at the local, state, and national level.  Again – how could this happen here?

© The Boeing Company