FOLLOWUP: Landmarks Board agrees to consider West Seattle’s Cettolin House

(Photo from landmark-nomination packet)

The city Landmarks Preservation Board has agreed to consider landmark status for the Cettolin House at 4022 32nd SW. That unanimous vote during the board’s meeting this afternoon is not the final word on that possible status – it just means board members agreed it’s worthy of consideration. Their vote followed a presentation by David Peterson, hired by the house’s current owners to prepare the document for its prospective nomination. The document is – and the presentation was – full of history, not just of the house and its builder and his family, but also of West Seattle itself.

As Peterson explained, the house was built by steelworker Fausto Cettolin on nights and weekends between 1926 and 1939, when he wasn’t at work at the nearby steel mill, to which he walked from home. Its architecture was inspired by Cettolin’s native Italy, from which both he and his wife Erma emigrated in 1913, though they didn’t meet until years later in West Seattle. The Cettolins raised six children in the house; Fausto retired in 1961 and died in 1969, three years after his wife. Their youngest child Virginia, a nun now in her 80s, was present for today’s meeting at (location corrected) City Hall. Peterson said she provided many of the photos in the document, as well as a diagram of how the house and its grounds were laid out before subsequent owners sold off two of the original three lots on its site.

Two people spoke in the public-comment period, both in support of landmark status. In board discussion, one member asked a question that’s come up previously: If the house gets landmark status, how might that affect the West Seattle Sound Transit light-rail project? City staffer Erin Doherty said that since the route isn’t finalized yet, they don’t know, and it’s not appropriate to consider “what about” anyway – just consider the nominated site on its own merits. So they agreed it’s worth nominating, and will decide on April 19th whether it’s worth designating as a landmark. (Read about the process here.) To comment before that meeting, you can use the same options offered in this notice for today’s meeting.

7 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: Landmarks Board agrees to consider West Seattle's Cettolin House"

  • Sue March 1, 2023 (10:17 pm)

    The document is pretty long, but I enjoyed seeing the old family photos toward the end. Fausto was a remarkable craftsman. And when his wife was bedridden because of cancer, he created a star-shaped flowerbed that she could view from her window.

  • tim March 2, 2023 (8:12 am)

    All of Jimi Hendrix’s houses were torn down. But here we have a house that someone built.  Sorry, I don’t get it.

  • revilo March 2, 2023 (8:59 am)

    super cool.  very impressive home and documentation. 

  • DC March 2, 2023 (9:40 am)

    ‘History’ should never stand in the way of progress. Honestly, a plaque under the new light rail commemorating the history of the family and building would not only better serve our community but also result in more people knowing the history to begin with.

  • anonyme March 2, 2023 (2:03 pm)

    DC, I would argue that real progress must by definition acknowledge and honor history. How can you even define “progress” with nothing to compare it to?  I would love it if this home were open for tours.  Craftsmanship is almost dead, and too many historic structures have already been lost to cheap and ugly development.

  • Jan March 2, 2023 (5:00 pm)

    West Seattle is fortunate to have this beautiful home’s presence in our community, and we are rich because of it. It is a monument to structures built by our ancestors, enriches our lives, and enlarges our understanding of history. In a changing world, the presence of familiar and beautiful landmarks imparts a sense of security of timelessness. In the same way that we cherish childhood toys or old photographs because of the memories they evoke, Cettolin House protects our memories by conserving a part of its past.

  • cheeseWS777 March 2, 2023 (6:33 pm)

    Dc- i would argue that it only halts progress if it was standing in the way of something important. No reason to tear down something cool otherwise. Obviously this does prove your other point though about the hendrix houses, and i also think should apply to the walking bridge by the community center. Pls leave our cool unique stuff be if it isnt hurting anybody

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