Seattle landmarks program seems mostly to be failing. A labor temple is turning into a club for corporate tycoons and we're worried about brick color? If you destroy the function, the form seems of little consequence.
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I guess the dream of the landmarks program is that future Seattleites will be able to point to preserved facades in otherwise shattered buildings and vaguely make out the history. To me the in-between option feels pretty hollow, though.
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Either save a building in form and function or tear it down and start from scratch so a new architectural idea can get a real chance.
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This approach would spare us the indignity of unionbusting business execs schmoozing in remodeled luxury where once steel workers, janitors, fast food workers, etc gathered to exercise their basic workers rights in unassuming halls. They get no preservation points from me.
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Plus, our landmarks policy probably cost the unions selling the property millions by burdening the site with costly preservation costs. They may have preferred the cash to a sad reminder. Not a great system.
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That's a good point. I'm curious if the tenants are mostly glad the building facade will remain or will it just be a reminder that capitalists have occupied the former sanctuary like a big hermit crab?
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The only major landmark protections in Seattle that dictate use that I know of are at Pike Place Market.
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They’re just dancing on the grave of Labor. The building is their trophy.
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So if Seattle wants to save landmarks then Seattle should buy the landmark and then sell it with a requirement that the buyer has to preserve it.
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