FOLLOWUP: West Seattle’s Cettolin House recommended for designation as city landmark

(Photo from slideshow prepared for today’s meeting)

Pending final city approval, West Seattle will have another city landmark. This afternoon, the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board voted unanimously to recommend giving landmark status to the Cettolin House, 4022 32nd SW [map]. The house was built in the ’20s and ’30s by Italian immigrant Fausto Cettolin, inspired by the architecture of his homeland. He worked as a steelworker at the nearby mill and spent decades working on the home and grounds in his off-hours. He and wife Erma Cettolin raised six children there, the youngest of whom, Virginia, attended today’s hearing.

There wasn’t much discussion; it was largely a recap of what led to the board’s also-unanimous vote last month to consider the designation. Historic-resource consultant David Peterson recapped his extensive nomination document, which details the history not only of the house but also of the neighborhood. (See a shorter slideshow here.) Board members said mostly that they concurred with the staff recommendation that the house and its grounds merited designation, for the same reasons they previously supported advancing its nomination for consideration.

Though it was not a topic at the board meeting, it’s been noted – including by its current owners, who sought the designation – that the Cettolin House is potentially in the path of West Seattle light rail. City landmark status does not necessarily protect a building from demolition. We’re asked Sound Transit how they deal with historic landmarks; while promising a more specific answer, they pointed us to this section of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the West Seattle/Ballard Link Extensions project, which talks in general about “mitigation” if “historic resources” are affected, adding, “Designated Seattle landmarks and districts that would be directly modified would be subject to review and issuance of a certificate of approval from the Landmarks Board and/or District Review Boards.”

NEXT STEPS: Finalization of the Cettolin House’s landmark designation requires a City Council vote approving the “controls and incentives” that will be worked out for it.

SIDE NOTES: Before this, West Seattle’s most-recent landmark designations include two mixed-use buildings in the heart of the West Seattle Junction, the Campbell Building (northeast corner of California/Alaska) in 2017 and the Hamm Building (northwest corner of California/Alaska) in 2018. When the designation is finalized, the Cettolin House will be one of a handful of West Seattle private homes with landmark status, including the Beach Drive “Painted Lady,” the Hainsworth House, and the Bloss House. (Here’s the full city list of landmarks.)

Chrissy D April 19, 2023 (10:45 pm)

That was a slam dunk.

Raye April 20, 2023 (3:53 am)

Excellent news! I just might drive by this house, as well as the Hainsworth and Bloss houses.

Andros April 20, 2023 (8:11 am)

Good!

Noone April 20, 2023 (12:23 pm)

I feel like if you’re going to be granted a special public designation/protection like this you should also allow your property to be open to the public in some way? If it’s truly a significant landmark shouldn’t they offer weekly or monthly tours?

D-Ridge April 20, 2023 (1:04 pm)

Seriously, if the interiors are so historically significant don’t we as the public get to see them? I’ll never understand the point of designating someone’s personal private property as publicly significant.
K April 20, 2023 (1:07 pm)

The designation is a huge headache for homeowners. It means a lot of extra money, time, and paperwork to do many remodeling projects that would be a same-day permit for most homeowners. It doesn’t even guarantee the house won’t be taken over by Sound Transit. I understand the logic in thinking a public designation should include a public benefit, but it doesn’t cost the public money. Instead all the neighbors have something to gawk at while the homeowners are stuck with extra problems.
- Jackson April 20, 2023 (3:20 pm)
  
  It doesn’t cost the public money? Get back to me when the light rail extension goes way over budget due to this “landmark” designation. Maybe you’re a tax evader or something, but it will certainly cost everyone else money.
  - InfoEverywhere April 21, 2023 (10:03 am)
    
    Landmark designation does not necessarily exempt a property from imminent domain. Landmarked properties are demolished for development projects both public and private on a fairly regular basis all across the U.S. I mean, I get that it’s Seattle, so it may add a hundred years and a billion dollars to a project, but that’s on Seattle, it’s not the law.
- Gavin April 20, 2023 (5:39 pm)
  
  The current owners are the ones who sough the designation, so I can’t say I have a lot of sympathy for them.
- Morgan April 20, 2023 (7:12 pm)
  
  If the new designation was specifically sought in order to try and prevent the light rail from coming through, how doesn’t this cost the public money? Even a slight re-routing is likely to cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars if they’re a decent ways into the planning stage.
  - Bronwyn April 21, 2023 (11:08 am)
    
    Wait! What! Has the route officially been chosen?
Wsresident April 20, 2023 (2:02 pm)

Yeah, otherwise this just feels like a handout to wealthy homeowners from the city of Seattle.

Captobv April 20, 2023 (5:11 pm)

I’m so glad we’re considering stunting progress of a major public project for a “historic” site. I wish minority communities that were displaced and torn down for freeway expansion could’ve been given these same privileges. Maybe yet, the Japanese who lived in Bellevue before someone whose grandson currently owns the area around Bellevue Mall had them sent to internment camps in order to acquire their land for cheap could’ve also been granted historic privileges.

James April 21, 2023 (8:58 am)

Sounds more like NIMBYs trying to abuse the landmark designation to stall the much needed ST link rail expansion. It looks unique-ish I guess, and it has a cute story. But every old house has a story and this one doesn’t really seem all that extraordinary. I get that beauty’s in the eyes of the beholder, but I think the facade and columns look a bit gaudy, like something out of a Disney land set. I hope the final city decision takes into account the merit of well connected city wide link system over the supposed merit of this private home as a landmark.

Marie April 21, 2023 (1:20 pm)

Before you attack your neighbors, take a look at where Sound Transit is with this project. In 2016, Sound Transit promised West Seattle a connection to the Link light rail spine. There were going to be three stations: the Junction, Avalon, and Delridge. The cost was going to be $1.7 billion. The project was going to be complete in 2030. Now, 7 years later, they still do not have a completed plan, so they can’t put the project out for bid and get a realistic number for what it will cost. They “guesstimate” it at between $3 – 4 billion. That guess was floated before their latest “preferred alternative” put the Junction station in a tunnel, which will be more costly than the elevated concept they proposed earlier. The time for completion has been moved to 2032, but will probably be delayed because of the tunnel. The number of stations is now in question – Sound Transit is talking about eliminating the Avalon station to save money. And the West Seattle extension will not connect to the spine. It will only go to SODO, where you will have to get off and transfer to a bus or another train if you want to go anywhere else. In other words, while no one was paying attention, Sound Transit scaled back the service and doubled the cost. Whatever you thought you were voting for in 2016, this is not it. This begs the question, do we need this version of light rail at all? We already have transit from the Junction to SODO – it’s the #50 bus. And we can take it today, not 10 years from now. Light rail cost overruns have nothing to do with whether or not a neighbor’s home gets landmark status. They are the result of poor planning and management on the part of Sound Transit. We need to start holding them accountable for how they manage this megaproject and our tax dollars.

Martin April 21, 2023 (2:34 pm)

Good point, we have the RapidRide-C and H, 23 and 50 bus. When the line was approved by voters (see soundtransit3.org), ST promised 37,000 riders. The DEIS corrected this to 27,000 riders, but that estimate was done before the pandemic and “work from home” became prevalent. The DEIS estimates that light rail will encourage 700 riders to leave their cars behind and ride Link and not until the line gets extended through downtown, when? 2037? 2040? In the meantime the DEIS also estimates that construction will generate 614,000 tons of carbon. Do we need another concrete viaduct through our neighborhood? I would rather have Sound Transit focus on projects which will DECREASE carbon rather than INCREASE. Ballard Link makes more sense and increase bus frequency and build sidewalks and bike lanes…
Jan April 21, 2023 (4:21 pm)

Excellent response. The straight facts. Thank you, Marie!
Avalonian April 21, 2023 (4:26 pm)

Totally agree Marie.We want rail, but rail done right. This project does not add the value you’d think it could/should. The hot mess is not just in West Seattle, but also in the ID. Everyone should review the decisions carefully and comment when opportunities come up.

JohnR April 21, 2023 (2:31 pm)

Thanks Marie, you’re spot on. Metro provides quick bus service to SODO and downtown via a number of routes. Sound Transit spending $3 or $4 billion is a crazy amount of money that could be put to much better use elsewhere in our community. As for Sound Transit destroying hundreds of West Seattle homes and businesses to build the Link, I highly recommend watching the Ramps to Nowhere video (available on the Crosscut website) about the construction of freeways in Seattle in general and, in particular, the RH Thomson Expressway in the 1950-60’s. As the saying goes, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Marie April 21, 2023 (8:10 pm)

Yes, the Ramps movie is like a preview of coming attractions. So many parallels!

GS April 21, 2023 (3:02 pm)

All of you negative people should read Marie’s well thought out comment. I’m happy this beautiful house will receive landmark status. Negativity is so not appreciated by anyone!,,

LC April 25, 2023 (1:45 am)

Oh West Seattle…. Gotta hand it to the Blog for inspiring such adversity about the neighborhood. One of the many reasons I enjoy reading here is to tune in to the current attitude. I am old west Seattle, I am one of few of my generation to be able to “afford” a home here. But that’s only because we bought it 20 years ago. I appreciate our rich history here and we have so many beautiful homes in the neighborhood. The house I grew up in is on the historic register, mostly because my mom spent many hours restoring it because it was a passion of hers. But that’s not where I live now, although we do live on a piece of property that could very well house more than just us. And eventually it will be bulldozed! We are lucky to live in an area where people care for their homes, even if they are single family residences. It’s a “rich” (pun intended) history, and valid. I have friends and family that can never dream of being able to move back to the neighborhood that they grew up in, because it’s grotesquely out of reach. I have old friends who own homes in the direct path of the light rail, and you know what? It does suck that eventually their houses will be bulldozed, and it’s not by choice. But still- there is also history there too, even if it’s not “historic”. I also have friends and family that are looking for that affordable housing that a lot of “new” West Seattle is referring to, and I want that for them. When I am working out in my garden and look up at my 18+ neighbors that have moved in next-door because it was developed, I just have to shrug my shoulders, because it is what it is. Can’t we all just appreciate that we live in a beautiful area, that is abundant in history, and not argue so much about whether or not it should be forsaken or preserved. Good grief! Do we really want all of West Seattle to look likes a bunch of big boxes, with a bow on top, because I would venture to say that’s not what drew a lot of people here in the first place.

Sorry, comment time is over.