Seattleites fear for future of Admiral's House
SEATTLE -- Residents in the city's Magnolia neighborhood fear a historic gem that has been treasured for decades may soon become history.
The sale of the well-known Admiral's House is pending, and it has many locals on edge.
The home is located on a hill above Smith Cove, and is touted to have the best view in the city. It has been a part of Magnolia since the 1940s, and sits on land the city donated to the U.S. Navy in 1942.
When word spread of the Navy's intentions of selling the home on the private market, neighbors spoke up. Locals who've admired the historic building for decades fear the new owners won't preserve its old-world charm. They also fear Smith Cove's natural beauty may be overrun by new development.
"We're afraid that if and when the property sells, that there would be no restriction on what vegetation would be allowed to grow," said Mullins.
"When developers come in, it's not always the best thing," said Tom Thommen. "You can't always let progress pass you by, but sometimes it's not the best thing to let everything be developed."
Navy officials said it reached a joint agreement with Forest City Military Communities for the sale. Forest City officials said they're working on a view easement on the property, and are even trying to get the house on a historic registry.
Officials released the following statement: "All of these measures speak to our commitment to preserve the historic property you see today and to ensure that a future owner of the property is required to maintain it as such."
"Well, we're trying to make our voices heard so that the city, the parks the Navy and they communicate that this is an important thing to all of us," said Mullins.
The Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Council is pushing for the city's acquisition of Admiral's House.
The property is valued at between $3.5 million and $4 million, but the council argues that 60 percent of the property consists of land the city donated to the Navy. Even if the Navy asked the city to pay for the remaining 40 percent of the property, it would add up to approximately $1.6 million, the council said.
"The City donated this Uplands property to the Navy in 1942, and the Navy has conceded multiple times over multiple years that those portions of the Uplands property that the Navy obtained through donation from the City, the Navy is obligated to returned to the city gratis," the council said in a letter to Seattle city leaders.
The city has not expressed any interest in obtaining the property.
Residents have until Friday to let the Navy know what they want done with the property.
The sale of the well-known Admiral's House is pending, and it has many locals on edge.
The home is located on a hill above Smith Cove, and is touted to have the best view in the city. It has been a part of Magnolia since the 1940s, and sits on land the city donated to the U.S. Navy in 1942.
When word spread of the Navy's intentions of selling the home on the private market, neighbors spoke up. Locals who've admired the historic building for decades fear the new owners won't preserve its old-world charm. They also fear Smith Cove's natural beauty may be overrun by new development.
"We're afraid that if and when the property sells, that there would be no restriction on what vegetation would be allowed to grow," said Mullins.
"When developers come in, it's not always the best thing," said Tom Thommen. "You can't always let progress pass you by, but sometimes it's not the best thing to let everything be developed."
Navy officials said it reached a joint agreement with Forest City Military Communities for the sale. Forest City officials said they're working on a view easement on the property, and are even trying to get the house on a historic registry.
Officials released the following statement: "All of these measures speak to our commitment to preserve the historic property you see today and to ensure that a future owner of the property is required to maintain it as such."
"Well, we're trying to make our voices heard so that the city, the parks the Navy and they communicate that this is an important thing to all of us," said Mullins.
The Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Council is pushing for the city's acquisition of Admiral's House.
The property is valued at between $3.5 million and $4 million, but the council argues that 60 percent of the property consists of land the city donated to the Navy. Even if the Navy asked the city to pay for the remaining 40 percent of the property, it would add up to approximately $1.6 million, the council said.
"The City donated this Uplands property to the Navy in 1942, and the Navy has conceded multiple times over multiple years that those portions of the Uplands property that the Navy obtained through donation from the City, the Navy is obligated to returned to the city gratis," the council said in a letter to Seattle city leaders.
The city has not expressed any interest in obtaining the property.
Residents have until Friday to let the Navy know what they want done with the property.