West Seattle’s Cettolin House to be considered for landmark status

(Photo from landmark-nomination packet)

Back in October, you might have seen West Seattle journalist and historian Clay Eals“Now & Then” Seattle Times column about the Cettolin House in West Seattle. Now it’s going before the city Landmarks Preservation Board for consideration of proposed landmark status. The stucco-clad house – potentially in the path of the light-rail line – was built by Italian-immigrant steelworker Fausto Cettolin in the 1920s and ’30s. Here’s the official notice; below is the city announcement sent this morning:

Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board will consider the nomination of the Cettolin House, located at 4022 32nd Avenue SW, at its meeting on March 1, 2023 at 3:30 p.m. Members of the public can attend the meeting in person at the Boards & Commissions Room (L2-80) of Seattle City Hall, located at 600 4th Avenue. The meeting can also be accessed using the WebEx Event link or telephone call-in line provided in the agenda that will be posted to the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods website one week prior to the meeting.

The public is invited to participate in the meeting and make comments regarding the nomination. You may sign up to address the Landmarks Preservation Board for up to 2 minutes on matters on this agenda. Online sign-up will begin two hours before the 3:30 p.m. meeting start time and will end at the start of the Board meeting. Members of the public who wish to speak can either use the call-in number, the WebEx link, or they may speak in-person at the meeting’s physical location. The agenda for this meeting will be sent one week prior to the meeting and will be posted on the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods website.

Written comments are also accepted and should be received by the Landmarks Preservation Board by 3:30 p.m. on February 28, 2023. Written comments can be submitted:

Via email: erin.doherty@seattle.gov

Via US Mail: Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, PO Box 94649, Seattle WA 98124-4649

A copy of the Landmark Nomination is posted (online here).

A landmark nomination provides a physical description of the building, object, or site, and information on its history, current and historic photos, site plans, maps, drawings, and more. To learn about the nomination and designation process, (go here).

The nomination document also goes into area history, so regardless of your views on the nomination, it’s worth a look. Other landmarked homes in West Seattle include the Bloss House in northeast Admiral and the Satterlee House (“Painted Lady”) on Beach Drive – this map shows landmarks (homes and otherwise) around West Seattle and the rest of the city.

28 Replies to "West Seattle's Cettolin House to be considered for landmark status"

  • Derek January 31, 2023 (11:00 am)

    Isn’t this right in the middle of lightrail line though… it needs to be moved on wheels. 

    • StuckInWestSeattle January 31, 2023 (12:23 pm)

      Depends where its at. I sure dont want light rail running up genessee and destroying our beautiful neighborhood. Is should either follow the bridge or spokane street. I would be ok sacrificing the lower bridge for that use.

    • JRoberts January 31, 2023 (2:06 pm)

      Nice thought on moving the house but this is a three story masonry structure build into the hillside. With enough money anything is possible, but moving it to another suitable lot is unlikely.

  • Anne January 31, 2023 (11:18 am)

    Lovely house- wish  it can get landmark status-but have zero expectations that will happen given its location. Maybe it could be moved? 

  • WS Res January 31, 2023 (12:27 pm)

    Blatant attempt to frustrate light rail.

    • KJ January 31, 2023 (1:21 pm)

      Bingo. Or to get a bigger payout from the eminent domain process. (Get ready for more like this, probably.)

    • Derek January 31, 2023 (1:28 pm)

      Then it should be denied. Light rail much more important. This isn’t a super special house architecture wise. Or move it on wheels. 

      • WSB January 31, 2023 (1:55 pm)

        Please note before everybody riffs on this angle, we are checking into how, or even whether, a landmark designation would affect a project like light rail. It certainly does not prevent properties from being demolished, for example. Also, the landmark designation process generally play out over two meetings. March 1st is the first one. So if you have comments pro/con/otherwise, now is the time to send in your feedback – TR

        • Vlad January 31, 2023 (2:57 pm)

          That’s correct, landmark designation does not prevent demolition.  In many cases the only requirement made before a demolition permit is issued is for the building to be documented, photographed and archived by a historian. 

        • Jort January 31, 2023 (8:38 pm)

          It’s important to note that, in The Seattle Times article linked above, the couple describes their landmarking attempt as such: “While they would vouch for preserving the home in any event, the two hope landmark status would help persuade Sound Transit not to threaten their neighborhood by constructing its West Seattle light-rail extension through their street.” Clearly they are intending to influence light rail alignment choices through their landmarking efforts.

          • Patty February 1, 2023 (2:14 am)

            I recommend everyone submit a comment against it. I sure am. It’s ridiculous how selfish people are to try and stop light rail being built when it was voted for and will benefit so many people. 

    • Flo B January 31, 2023 (1:50 pm)

      WS Res. You tell ’em!!! NOBODY has the right to question or delay light rail for ANY reason!!

  • Bill January 31, 2023 (12:42 pm)

    My West Seattle home was built in 1926 in one of the oldest (if not oldest) neighborhoods in Seattle, can my house be landmarked? Pretty sure this is the case for many in my neighborhood so maybe I’m not casting the landmark net wide enough…

  • Sergio January 31, 2023 (12:43 pm)

    It is a beautiful and historic house. In this real state environment, it needs to be protected if West Seattle wants to preserve its history like better off neighborhoods in the north side.

    • pophouse February 10, 2023 (9:17 am)

      Nah, Many of us would rather have decent living and transportation opportunities for many than that one house 

  • Replyguy January 31, 2023 (12:56 pm)

    Very nice house. I’m not sure its nice enough to derail light rail construction or have the city pay to move it? If its enough of a landmark to merit protection then they should offer tours and decorate the interior in the style of the original owners.

  • Millie January 31, 2023 (1:37 pm)

    It truly is a beautiful and historic home.  Thank you Clay Eals for working on obtaining a Historic Preservation Landmark status.  We need to preserve more of our history and heritage in Seattle.  Landmark status would allow the houses to be moved to another location in West Seattle.An individual house, no matter how historic, would derail a major construction project.    The onus is on us to help preserve a part of our community’s history.    

  • NDELRIDGE January 31, 2023 (1:51 pm)

    Huh, my house is 118 years old here in North Delridge, Built in 1905. I have some great historical photos (one with a truck with wood spoke wheels in front!) I wonder if it would benefit to apply for for Landmark Status as its one of the last (if not the last) original homes in the area.

    • Vlad January 31, 2023 (2:52 pm)

      There is no financial benefit to a house having landmark status.  It makes it more difficult to make changes to a property, something many potential owners (and developers) find limiting.  

  • JR January 31, 2023 (2:18 pm)

    In addition to Cettolin House 4022 32nd Ave SW, there are two other houses 4044 32nd Ave SW and 4150 32nd Ave SW that are eligible for National Registry historical status. The sound transit map below shows Sound Transit’s West Seattle light rail Extension demolishing that entire block.  Do we need a multi-million-dollar, 5-mile dead-end link extension to West Seattle? The risk to the community, environment, and topography far out-ways the reward.

    • sigh January 31, 2023 (6:51 pm)

      4150 32nd Ave SW is a boring 1950s house, what are you talking about?

    • s February 1, 2023 (11:06 am)

      JR-If you live in West Seattle, which is at the end of that 5-mile dead-end link, then yes, it will be very useful.

    • Augustine A. February 2, 2023 (7:41 am)

      Yes, it is worth it… We have to break away from our car only mindset and catch up to the rest of the world. 

  • Les January 31, 2023 (3:46 pm)

    The Winters  house in Bellevue was built in 1929 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places they saved the house from light rail destruction by building a tunnel underneath the house.Winters  House2102  Bellevue Way SoutheastBellevue,WA 98004

  • JRoberts January 31, 2023 (5:19 pm)

    Does anyone know what the expected number of removed homes and businesses will be for this project?   

  • Katie Melton January 31, 2023 (9:01 pm)

    Here’s the map if the link didn’t work for anyone: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=01e07a678b2a4e7a9d07d577b7c18b05

  • Che' Gonzalez January 31, 2023 (9:51 pm)

    It would be nice to have an elevated light rail running up the middle of Delridge. The area has been neglected for decades.DECADES…..  

  • James February 2, 2023 (8:27 am)

    IT looks like we should go through the golf course zone anyways. Less homes demolished. It’s a no brainer!!!

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