1650choice.org Capitol Hill Organization Insuring Cultural Equity home ** news/updates ** history of the B & O building ** comments/concerns ** online petition ** contact We are attempting to redirect the typical course of development in our neighborhood. Our intent is to gather support and preserve the existing 1650 East Olive Way building that houses the B & O Espresso. A project is proposed which would result in a 65' tall, 75-unit apartment complex with retail below. This would eliminate the existing businesses, including the B&O Espresso, as well as the two-fourplex apartments to the north of the B&O. To what degree is redevelopment appropriate and best for the community if it eliminates historical, architectural or cultural connections to our past? How much is enough when it directly jeopardizes and impacts the very core a neighborhood identifies with? Worthy of note is the B & O Espresso and Café, which was one of the first establishments offering espresso in Seattle, and recently celebrated its 30th anniversary at this location. This in itself establishes deep cultural ties to the neighborhood. Eliminating this building would destroy the unique character and cultural identity of this retail core. We do not want this to happen ! Please ! If you share similar feelings or would like to voice other concerns regarding this proposed development, contact us and/or sign the online petition. Please do even more by writing Bruce Rips, DPD Land Use Planner for this proposed project and ask him to contact the proper agency regarding potential historic landmark designation for the B & O Espresso building. The Land Use Planner can, at his discretion, investigate historic status but is only required to do so if he receives public inquiry. We understand many are concerned that the B&O Espresso café remain in business at its present location. However, getting landmark status for the building in which the B&O is located is the only viable public process available to the community to preserve this neighborhood retail core. And the historic landmark nomination process only takes into consideration the physical building, not its use or the type of business in the building. Therefore, it is important and necessary to direct your comments to the Land Use Planner requesting him to investigate possible historic landmark designation for the existing building. The wording of the online petition, below, also specifically addresses the criteria that the Landmarks Board would use to evaluate this building, if nominated. We are in contact with Majid and Jane, owners of the B&O, and they approve of our actions. Bruce Rips' contact information is: Telephone: 206-615-1392 Fax: 206-386-4039 Email: Mailing Address: Bruce Rips Dept. of Planning & Development P.O. Box 34019 Seattle, WA 98124-4019 When you send your comments to him, reference: "The proposed Mixed Use project at 1650 East Olive Way, DPD Project #3002133". You can go to the DPD website (http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/dclu/) enter the Project Number under "Check Status" and see information about the proposal. It REALLY REALLY helps if you send comments to the Land Use Planner (Bruce Rips) as Seattle is, in some ways, all about public process and if significant numbers of people submit comments, which are part of the public record, it really could change the course of things!! If the project does go forward, and demolition of all buildings proceeds (including the two fourplex apartment buildings north of B & O building) there's also a concern about the possibility of highly toxic airborne lead dust spreading throughout the nearby neighborhood since most buildings of this era used lead paint. Please be sure to express your concerns on this issue to Bruce Rips to request lead paint testing. If lead paint is present, request a containment structure completely enshrouding the demolition site, spraying water on debris during demolition, avoiding demolition during high winds, controlling erosion, removing lead chips from soil and monitoring air and dust during demolition to prevent dust from contaminating the area. This may seem overly protective but it is becoming the norm of the industry to take these precautions into account and proceed cautiously to protect the environment. Often these procedures are overlooked if requests are not directed to the Dept. of Planning & Development. If you'd be willing to devote minimal time gathering signatures or researching records / facts that might support historical / cultural significance to preserve this building, please indicate this next to your name when signing the petition. If anyone has access to old photographs or information that might support this endeavor, let us know! And please, help us network this information to all concerned. Sign the online petition that states the following: We, the undersigned, feel the proposed mixed use development at 1650 East Olive Way will severely impact the existing retail core by eliminating a building that projects original charm, distinction and the unique qualities our neighborhood embraces. Built in 1924, we believe the existing building is architecturally and culturally unique and significant. The building is a prominent, easily identifiable feature of the neighborhood, representing important ties to the neighborhood's identity. We desire to have this building remain a permanent fixture of the neighborhood. Please help us spread the word ! SAVE THE B&O ESPRESSO BUILDING !! Share this with all who may be concerned about this proposed development. Excerpts from articles by Lawrence Kreisman from Pacific Northwest Magazine in The Seattle Times: “From elaborately embellished terra cotta and cast stone commercial buildings downtown to one- and two-story brick and frame shops that anchored city neighborhoods from West Seattle to Greenwood, the pulse of early city life took place on a small scale. The core of traditional neighborhoods is disappearing, replaced by medium-size apartments, condos and chains.” “All of this is somewhat ironic at a time when the architectural profession focuses its attention on sustainability, which would seem to encourage reusing existing buildings and materials to reduce waste and conserve the energy and materials needed to make a replacement.” “Regardless of progressive ordinances and legislation, seemingly rock-solid buildings are, in reality, as fragile as sand castles. Without a concerned and vocal citizenry, they must depend for their survival on how they fit in the modern marketplace. Even landmarks are not out of danger….As an architectural historian preservation advocate and educator, I worry about this. I worry that as we strive for “world class” status we are settling for the lowest common denominator of taste and losing the quirky, idiosyncratic characteristics that make our neighborhoods and the downtowns of our cities different from one another.” “….people must…..consider what makes these places important and weigh whether another new high-rise is as crucial as preserving our character defining streetscapes.” Lawrence Kreisman, Honorary AIA Seattle, is Program Director of Historic Seattle and has written seven books on regional architecture, landscape and preservation. He has written about homes and preservation for Pacific Northwest Magazine since 1988. home ** news/updates ** history of the B & O building ** comments/concerns ** online petition ** contact