WEST SEATTLE HISTORY: Hearing set for Hamm Building’s landmark nomination

easystreet

Nine months after the Southwest Seattle Historical Society launched its campaign to get city-landmark status for two buildings in the heart of The Junction, a hearing date is set for the first one to be considered, the Hamm Building on the northwest corner of California/Alaska, where Easy Street Records is the anchor tenant. Here’s the official announcement from the city today, explaining how you can comment:

Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board will consider nomination of the Crescent-Hamm Building at 4302 SW Alaska Street/4559 California Avenue SW on Wednesday, January 4 at 3:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in Seattle City Hall (600 4th Avenue, Floor L2) in the Boards and Commissions Room L2-80.

The public is invited to attend the meeting and make comments. Written comments should be received by the Landmarks Preservation Board at the following mailing address by 3:00 p.m. on January 3, 2017:

Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
PO Box 94649
Seattle, WA 98124-4649

A copy of the Landmark Nomination is available for public review at the West Seattle Branch Library, 2306 42nd Avenue SW (206-684-7444), and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ office in Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Avenue, 4th Floor (206-684-0228). It is also posted on the Department of Neighborhoods website, under the heading of “Current Nominations,” or you can view it here (PDF).

The landmark nominations for the Hamm and Campbell Buildings were officially submitted in September. No date is set yet for consideration of the Campbell Building. Despite its place in West Seattle history, The Junction currently has no city-designated landmarks – the nearest one is the old utility building at Dakota Place Park. You can find a list and map of all city landmarks here, along with more information about the designation process.

18 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE HISTORY: Hearing set for Hamm Building's landmark nomination"

  • steve December 8, 2016 (4:26 pm)

    What is it about that building that is special?  Did Elvis once stay there?  Tupak was shot in Vegas.  The flamingos return to Capistrano.  Boeing built the first plane on the Duwamish. I’m puzzled.

    • WSB December 8, 2016 (4:49 pm)

      Read the landmark nomination!

  • sc December 8, 2016 (5:14 pm)

    It’s swallows who return to Capistrano!

  • Jon December 8, 2016 (6:04 pm)

    Lots of interesting history in some of these buildings. Watching the construction of some of the new high-rise buildings in the Junction, I can’t say I’m impressed with the materials used. The newer real estate companies and owners also don’t seem particularly interested in preserving the character of or contributing much to the surrounding community; rather, the Junction is now becoming overflow buffer apartment territory for SLU and Belltown, it seems. I can’t imagine that will change with the Whole Foods complex going in next year.

    Some good additions to the neighborhood and some bad. But it’s important to maintain some of the character of our neighborhoods, otherwise we become another Bellevue.

  • Salal December 8, 2016 (6:10 pm)

     Keep what very LITTLE soul west seattle still has. Seattle has been robbed of a lot of its old charm. Perhaps it takes more to convince a new car kinda mentality. 

  • CR December 8, 2016 (6:13 pm)

    While I miss the “old” West Seattle and am very disappointed in what has been allowed to be developed, this building doesn’t seem to warrant that designation.  If everything else in the Junction is eligible for redevelopment this one should be too.  Perhaps a new developer could retain the “charm” and architecture on the two lower levels…not sure what the process is for requiring that.  The entire Junction will be redeveloped at some point and so far it’s been anything goes and this property shouldn’t be singled out.

  • KT December 8, 2016 (6:26 pm)

    Someone wrote that back in March when this first came up …

    Historical preservation is for real historically significant buildings. It is NOT a tool to stop development because you like the neighborhood as it is.  I do not think any of these buildings are particularly historically significant. “

    I have to agree. 

  • Free speech December 8, 2016 (6:36 pm)

    What is interesting back in the90s during tthe initial urban village process

    the city promised the community that nothing over 2 stories  would be allowed to be built and materials would be used to maintain the Main Street feel.  Hmm they lied to us during that process and what a surprise if they continue as they shove their up zoning now,

    • CR December 8, 2016 (7:38 pm)

      Agreed.  The opportunity for a Main Street feel is long gone.

  • JanS December 8, 2016 (8:05 pm)

    y’all need to go read some of the history of these old buildings. By what you say, The Admiral Theater should have been gone a long time ago, with another nondescript building with little to no parking in it’s place.

    If that’s what you want, maybe you’ve not been in West Seattle very long…leave your other neighborhoods where they were. What’s it to any of you that these architecturally sound and descript buildings are saved? Why does it matter to you naysayers?

  • steve December 8, 2016 (8:33 pm)

    Not flamingos? Awe :(  thanks for the correction “sc”.

    Seriously, I’m also tired of seeing our old w. seattle turned into high rise junk.

    But somehow, somewhere, this urban village stuff came into being and now we’re stuck with it. And, constantly on the lookout for what is going to be torn down next.  I like the Easy st. records building. But there’s also a lot of others that I liked more, and now they’re gone. Oh well. Sad.

    This is probably a good maneuver to protect this old building as well as a great record store.

  • Andy December 9, 2016 (6:34 am)

    Leave what’s left of “old” West Seattle alone! You interlopers from who knows where have no clue. Between the developers, the know nothing city politicians and the occupants of the 300 sq. ft. appodments, the West Seattle that I love is rapidly disappearing. If you have no knowledge or appreciation for the history of where you now  live, you should know there are many of us who do, and we are gearing up to oppose the further destruction of our West Seattle.

  • WS since '66 December 9, 2016 (7:46 am)

    I think the new buildings going up in West Seattle look
    great. The City and Citizens have made good compromises and are to be
    congratulated. The use of brick is timeless and classic. The 3200 block of
    California Ave is aesthetically pleasing with the use of brick. The corner of
    California and Alaska with the Starbucks is so designed that the eye focuses on
    the low level brick structure. The upper floors are modulated and painted to
    blend in with the gray skies thereby lessening the imposing structure that an all
    brick building would be. That is just to name a couple. Yeah, I’ve seen lots of
    changes in WS in the last 50 years. People are moving here for the same reasons
    we all did. Remember those who moved here since 1966, when my family did, have
    always changed the character of West Seattle. To many of us it is not about the
    buildings but about the people who live here. As far as those who want their “old”
    West Seattle back. I can assure you that is not going to happen. The Duwamish
    and other local tribes would love their old West Seattle back but that isn’t going
    to happen either.

  • Harriet Husbands December 9, 2016 (8:00 am)

    “What is interesting back in the90s during tthe initial urban village process

    the city promised the community that nothing over 2 stories  would be allowed to be built and materials would be used to maintain the Main Street feel.  Hmm they lied to us during that process and what a surprise if they continue as they shove their up zoning now”

    Seriously? They “lied” to you back in the 1990s?  Were you living in amber this entire time? A lot has changed since 1990. I tell you what, you want the 1990s, then your house should remain at 1990 values and I will offer you that much to buy your home. No? You want 2016 values? You can’t have it all!

    • plf December 9, 2016 (9:13 am)

      Yes Harriet they lied to us right out of the gate…I assume you were part of the community discussion of the urban villages,,,the community and many of us spent hours and hours engaged in the process

      and yes they sold out to the developers and changed zoning much like they are doing now

      Unless you were part of the process do your homework on what has happened verus what was agreed to 

  • Harriet Husbands December 9, 2016 (8:01 am)

    While I miss the “old” West Seattle and am very disappointed in what has been allowed to be developed”

    Say what you want, but I love the changes. You want to keep the pawn shop? Fine!

  • West Sea Neighbor December 9, 2016 (8:58 am)

    Just read the history of the building in the landmark application. Very interesting. I think worthy of preservation. Also, that corner with Easy Street is just such an iconic representation of the junction–keeping things funky.

  • KBear December 9, 2016 (11:52 am)

    Does landmark status apply to the basement?

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