FOLLOWUP: Ventana Construction announces new location

(Photo courtesy Ventana Construction)

Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) has just officially announced its new location – just blocks south of the old one that’s being redeveloped by that site’s owner. Ventana has moved from a log house to a “hacienda”:

We are excited to announce the move of our headquarters to a new location at the corner of California Avenue SW and SW Raymond Streets. This is exactly two blocks south of our leased office location, which was our base of operations for 10 years. Only one digit in the address has changed – 5958 California Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98136.

Moves are bittersweet, especially given how much we invested in and adored our rented office, but change is part of life-particularly when you’re in the construction business. We feel very lucky to have been able to stay on California Avenue SW in the Morgan Junction neighborhood, which has been our home since the company’s inception in 2003.

We are also thrilled to be stewards of one of the dwindling number of original buildings on California Avenue SW. The Hacienda was built in 1930 and still has the original finishes-mahogany millwork, coved ceilings with heavy texture plaster, a small fireplace with an alcove and red oak floors. It is in remarkably good shape given that it was a rental for most of its years. In the 1937, the tax assessor’s office noted that rent was $30/month.

It’s also one of the few corners that still looks substantially the same as it did in the King County Archive photo [above], which we believe is from the late ’30s. The streetcar tracks are gone, as are the beautiful street lights in the left of the photo, but much is unchanged. Proposed multi-family development planned around our building may soon change the character of this corner of Morgan Junction permanently.

We continue to remodel homes, often with additions and whole-house renovations, in West Seattle and other neighborhoods in the city. We also build custom homes and backyard cottages (DADUs). We welcome inquiries via phone 206-932-3009 and our website www.ventanabuilds.com

We are also proud to have been a supporter of independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via advertising in the West Seattle Blog for 10 years as of this coming February.

SIDE NOTE: Before you ask, we’ll be checking on the timetable for the move of the house in which Ventana was previously headquartered.

15 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: Ventana Construction announces new location"

  • anonyme August 2, 2017 (2:36 pm)

    I love that building!  Hope they don’t change the color, it’s just perfect with the matching awnings.

    • chemist August 2, 2017 (6:12 pm)

      Within the past week they put a fresh coat of that “spicy mustard” color on the front, so that’s probably the color they like. 

  • Oakley34 August 2, 2017 (2:39 pm)

    I’ve been watching the steady progress on the two front staircases on that building during my AM runs, and noted to myself just yesterday how great it looks now.  Had no idea it was to be a construction company’s headquarters…

  • cjbofoli August 2, 2017 (3:27 pm)

    In case anyone is wondering, $30/month in 1937, adjusted for inflation, would be about $510/month today.

    • Swede. August 2, 2017 (5:59 pm)

      That sure changed, more than the buildings even! 

  • Diane August 2, 2017 (3:49 pm)

    congrats to Ventana; side note, very surprised (but perhaps I shouldn’t be); I toured these apts-for-rent couple years ago when a “friend” turned out to be the owner who was renovating interior for the new renters; and of course, they were flooded with applicants to rent the apts; so seems these are more renters displaced from their homes? on a positive note, now providing new home to small local biz that was displaced from their longtime biz home

  • miws August 2, 2017 (5:12 pm)

    Congrats to Ventana for moving from one beautiful historic West Seattle building to another! And huge thanks for buying this one to save it! Under the circumstances, this whole thing worked out perfectly, what with that other nice couple stepping up to save the old log home, even though it will be moved off of California Av. 

    I recently went past this place on the bus, likely when coming home from Summerfest and could see it looked like something was going on, maybe the windows covered up, and feared this classic was next on the chopping block. Glad to not have that fear realized. 

    Mike

  • dsa August 2, 2017 (6:59 pm)

    It’s a great building.  I hope Ventana bought it.

  • D Del Rio August 3, 2017 (7:36 am)

    During that last year or so, I always wondered if this was the next building to be demolished and replaced with a new apartment or townhouse building. So glad it’s staying put. I know everything changes, but I wish we could have saved a few of these older buildings for generations to come. 

  • Also John August 3, 2017 (7:55 am)

    I love that building…  It looks even better in the older photograph.  Architecture today is so ugly.

  • Scott August 3, 2017 (8:10 am)

    The bushs need to go and the old garage doors need to come back. 

  • Sarah August 3, 2017 (8:15 am)

    We used to live here just a couple of years ago until the new owner nearly tripled our rent! The interior is truly beautiful but painting the original pebbledash exterior that god awful taco bell orange was a tragedy. I’m so glad it won’t be torn down (yet)!

  • LyndaB August 3, 2017 (8:41 am)

    Speaking of hacienda-style homes in WS, I happened to notice  a series of what probably was originally six that were built on a row.  But now there is a new construction smack dab in the middle. They’re colorfully painted on stretch of 40th Ave SW (I think it’s 40th) and Oregon.  Anybody know the history of when these were built?  

  • Anne from Ventana August 3, 2017 (8:50 am)

    Thanks for all your comments! We bought the building last year and the previous owners did a lot of work on the building before selling it, including painting it.  We have done some additional work in the last year, including repairing dryrot and stucco at the entry, and rebuilding the stairs.  There is no doubt we will do more work in the future, as restoring old buildings is what we do. 

  • Barb Frey August 3, 2017 (5:36 pm)

    Congratulations for all your hard and conscientious work for your clients and your community…..this is truly awesome……you are helping families and businesses reconstruct their environment to a useful and purposeful place…..Wonderful, wonderful!

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