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Pike’s underground Healthy Times Fun Club facing eviction

Neighbours and HG Lodge aren’t the only Pike/Pine clubs facing issues with the Department of Planning and Development. “Secret” all-ages music, dance and arts space Healthy Times Fun Club is apparently facing eviction from its 11th and Pike location as an inspection revealed the club’s basement home was never permitted for modifications made over the years — including the addition of a kitchen and a bath — and can’t continue as a “gathering space” without costly modifications to the building. The un-fun news from DPD:

At this address, there used to be bicycle shop on the first floor of the building (now is a skate boarding shop – 35th North).  The bicycle shop converted a small portion of the basement into a bicycle repair shop and used the rest of the basement as storage via a permit.  After being made aware of the issue by the Fire Department, we found that over time, the basement was converted to artist studio spaces.  A kitchen and bath were installed and the basement was partitioned into smaller rooms.  We have no permit records for the conversion from a storage space.


The manager stated that the tenants (the Healthy Times Fun Club) do not stay overnight and only use the basement for their business.  Given the size and layout of the space, the basement could not be used for sleeping or as a gathering space without obtaining a permit to upgrade the space with proper exiting and other life safety requirements.    The owner has given the tenants a notice to vacate by the end of the month and will use the basement as storage.  Our notice of violation was issued on 10/12/11 with a compliance date of 11/14/11.

CHS has learned that the 1100 E PIke building is owned by 1100 East Pike LLC, a corporation owned by Anne Michelson who also owns other Pike/Pine property including the Winston building that the Wildrose calls home. Anne Michelson Properties representative Michelle Cotton declined to comment about the situation but did say there is hope of working out a solution for the club. Earlier this week, CHS reported that Michelson’s Crescent Down Works was moving out of the neighborhood to Pioneer Square.

We’ve also reached out to the Healthy Fun Times Club but that’s a bigger challenge as part of the group’s ethos is to pretty much not be a group.

Original HFTCers Rebecca and Jake are long gone but the club has continued with a mix of secrecy and come-as-you-are enthusiasm that might not mesh well with DPD permits and the fire code. The tenants may not be permitted to “stay overnight” and “sleeping” at the location may be prohibited, but come November, the Healthy Fun Times gang will likely be without more than just a club.

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umvue
umvue
12 years ago

…to get trampled in an emergency.

Hey
Hey
12 years ago

look like a real big douche.

Forrest
12 years ago

I’ve been going to HTFC for *years*, since it was run out of Rebecca & Jake’s old house. Ask anyone who’s been, and they’ll tell you how magical this place is.

They managed to keep the at-home atmosphere, allowing anyone at all to feel at ease there. They provided free meal with shows, usually vegan, and kept it going this long (I’m convinced) by not allowing drinking, and having a super-supportive community. HTFC was the veritable home for SeattleDIY for a long time, and that’s exactly what they did, made a wonderful space for things to happen.

There are few real venues I would feel safe bringing my son, and I’ll miss HTFC greatly. Only house shows for me for awhile… Hopefully the community will work it out, or find a new location. Meanwhile, catch some of the upcoming shows. They’re sure to be extra-special.

sad
sad
12 years ago

by healthy times closing, the community is losing one of it’s most important spaces. truly disheartening.

ergh
12 years ago

we weren’t actually getting evicted till you wrote this article, thanks a lot ‘jseattle’. we became a liability to the landlord w/this press– they were totally going to try to work with us before

ergh this
12 years ago

Don’t be petulant. Bloggas gonna blog. For all you know jseattle may have saved you from a painful frightening death by trampling or smoke inhalation. He didn’t do anything wrong.

seandr
seandr
12 years ago

“Bloggas gonna blog?” How about we blog about which sexually transmitted diseases you have? Or a photo of you picking your nose. Don’t like it? Whatever, “bloggas gonna blog.”

Blogging secrets is definitely NOT cool, especially if it’s a neighborhood blog and a neighborhood secret. I’m going to give jseattle the benefit of the doubt and assume he didn’t intentionally throw HFTC under the bus for a few stupid page views. As someone who has attended some amazing secret parties in all manner of strange and improperly zoned Capitol Hill locations, I urge jseattle to use discretion, and don’t step in it like The Stranger did.

West
12 years ago

What’s done is done. Justin does a great job of covering the neighborhood, and I don’t think he’s in the wrong for posting this here. It’s neighborhood news. I’ve been to some great shows at HTFC, but whether it’s “cool” or not, fire codes are there for a reason. I’ve been in a structure fire before, and people freak the crap out. If that tiny winding staircase is the only means of escape, then that could lead to a nasty tragedy. Why not use the press to your advantage? Try and call in some favors with the local acts who support the venue, and put on some benefit shows? Maybe raise the money to get the space up to code? If that’s not possible, then at least go out with a fucking bang! I’ll sure as hell come.

calhoun
calhoun
12 years ago

Pointing out a serious safety concern is being a “douche”? Come on!

Rebecca
12 years ago

I am very grateful for the years that HTFC has been my family and community. This is were Jake and I put on countless shows, had workshops, and fed all who came at our own expense. This is where we had our wedding. We were able to do this thanks to really dedicated and talented people who were united by the desire to have a safe environment (no drugs, no violence, no hate, no alcohol) for art events. We provided for everyone, no matter how old or how much money they had or their race or their sexual preference, a place to be exposed to and participate in positive programming.

We did this, and our amazing friends carried this on after our departure from Seattle, not to be cool but to create a community for artists, musicians, and especially young people to not only consume culture but also create it. To be a part of something special. This extended not only to Seattle but to countless bands on tour who came to us from all over the world, bands that were little known and couldn’t have found a show as easily in a typical profit driven bar venue. We couldn’t have offered all of this for a voluntary donation if we were completely legit, and whatever cliquishness or secrecy outsiders may assume we had was just self-preservation. All were welcome and happily embraced into this scene.

We were lucky enough to operate under the radar for almost five years because of our relationship with certain bloggers and journalists who understood how fragile our space was. I am not sure where the supposed ethos of HTFC to not be a group came from, and there was a posted email, facebook and myspace in order to contact members. There is a certain ethic that exists when dealing with fringe spaces that most people got and lucky for us, up till now, everyone recognized how special this place was and tried to protect it.

For all of you who are flippantly remarking about the safety, there are sprinklers, fire extinguishers and two exits. There were never any safety issues in the countless events that were hosted and the lovely people at the events always looked out for each other. To you who think that the space is better off closed, you just don’t understand and there is nothing I can say to you. You will not get how much this touched everyone who was part of it. As for me, it completely changed my life and I am a better person for having been part of it. To everyone who is heartbroken over this, as I am, there is hope to renew the space in another form and I can’t wait to see what happens next. You are all so incredible; I expect to see amazing things soon.

Much love,
Rebecca

seandr
seandr
12 years ago

“fire codes are there for a reason”

Anyone who doesn’t feel safe attending a gathering that wasn’t approved by the fire department is free to stay home. Those of us who choose to attend such events don’t need jseattle or anyone else selling us out to his advertisers while claiming he’s really just concerned about our safety.

Hillebrity Sighting
12 years ago

It saddens me when “cool” people blame the media when things become “not cool.” Nobody was protecting you no matter what you think. Those bloggers and journalists just didn’t find out about this first.

Zack Bolotin
12 years ago

Journalists and countless other people knew of Healthy Times’ existence. Everyone that knew about it knew that it was a safe place that was really representative of an ALL-AGES space. The reason no one was reporting on it or posting an address was because they know how important, positive and rare spaces like this are in the city. Regardless of those uninformed folks that seem to think this place was a hipster clubhouse with countless fire hazards, it was welcoming of everyone that was respectful and interested in music. Not to mention that places like Healthy Times are the absolute most helpful resource for touring bands. Thanks to everyone that’s been involved at Healthy Times over the years and sorry it ended like this.

Munch
12 years ago

Yes but nobody knew your landlord was kicking you out. Not even you apparently.

Zack Bolotin
12 years ago

I wasn’t a tenant there. I own a business two blocks away. Speculating and criticizing via the internet must really be brightening your morning though.

elkulak
12 years ago

Huge bummer. This place was great (but it did get HOT in there). I’m glad I got to see old friends at a show a few weeks ago.

Munch
12 years ago

Sorry for the assumption. Why not start a place like this that is up to code?

Zack Bolotin
12 years ago

The cost of legitimately opening and operating a space like that (without government money) is practically impossible. The sale of alcohol is a huge source of income for any venue and financially carries a lot of them. That then leads to either dividing the venue into all-ages/bar areas or having 21+ shows with drinking allowed everywhere.

Then you have wonderful all ages spaces like The Vera Project which I believe is technically a non-profit and receives government money, Ground Zero in Bellevue (funded by the Boys and Girls Club I think) and probably one or two others that I’m forgetting.

In other words, unless someone can gather government funding or has a ton of money that they are willing to watch dwindle drastically, opening an all ages venue is pretty impossible.

Ben
Ben
12 years ago

All off the books spaces eventually get shut down, whether blogged about or not. Everyone knew it was there and the city eventually gets around to shutting those kind of things down. It just means it is time to find a new quiet place without the attention and keep going. People are more important than the space. Throwing blame doesn’t help anyone. Maybe jseattle with all his neighborhood knowledge knows an underused basement that wouldn’t mind a little off the books love.

ergh that
12 years ago

actually, it’s not neighborhood news. it wasn’t before, anyway– now that we are officially evicted (and it was directly caused by this article– literally received our eviction notice a few hours later), it’s news, but ‘jseattle’ had no right to dip in when nothing had been legitimately decided. i can be as “petulant” as i want, because i am in the midst of the demise of pure magic. i am incredibly invested in this space– not only because of my current position, but because HTFC held a special place in my heart years before i was involved. it was the first all-ages space i had ever been to of its kind. i had never been to a house show– i was freshly 19, had been to the vera project a couple times, bigger venues when they decided music should be heard by everyone (yeah, i know places like Neumo’s need to sell alcohol to keep operating), but as soon as i went down the stairs of HTFC i knew this place was different.

this was an internal struggle that should have not been shared on a public level, given the incredibly fragile nature of these types of investigations. to anyone that knows about how spaces like this work, and it looks like ‘jseattle’ did– as he clearly indicates with “part of the group’s ethos is to pretty much not be a group”–the secrecy with which it must operate is commonly accepted and respected in the community. it’s a symbiotic relationship with the public that must be maintained. we give you a positive atmosphere for which to appreciate & share art and the company of others, you give us respect by not shouting across mountaintops. ‘jseattle’ dug as far as he could, and carelessly. if he had actually spoken with anyone involved with the organization, they would have at least been somewhat aware of the dangers, and he might not have helped kill one of the city’s most established & unique harbors for all-ages music & cultural creativity.

rebecca’s comment captures the spirit & mission of HTFC. maybe i’m being too bitter, but it’s a serious challenge to stand back and watch something like this happen. and yes, i’d like to reiterate to all the “serious safety hazards” comments that HTFC wasn’t complete chaos– we had two exits, a fire extinguisher, and sprinklers. we were on the path to negotiating becoming more legitimate before ‘jseattle’ decided it was public news. i’m not really trying to play the blame-game, but this is a great loss to the entire all-ages music community, and it could have been avoided– which makes it all the more painful for everyone. also, as much as i’d love to say its possible, even with throwing a benefit show every night for the next 18 days, we’d need to raise far more money than we could even imagine.

finally, i just want to say: healthy times fun club was about music. it was about expression. art. it was about sharing things creatively with the community, and doing so in a way that was supportive of everyone. babies, the elderly, no one was turned away on the basis of anything but disrespect. everyone could be in one place together–straight-edge kids, recovering alcoholics, & those just trying to have a low-key night, not made to feel uncomfortable by belligerent drunk people (not saying you can’t drink elsewhere & do it without being an asshole– i do). no one doing coke in the corner. someone reading a zine on how to fix a bike or how to live with less corporate involvement in that corner, instead. what made healthy times a special place was its genuine support of all walks of life & living that life with an attitude of positivity and respect for all other life. and with it gone, seattle has lost a very special place indeed.

Chris
12 years ago

Prior to this article, I had no idea that it existed and I am on that block all the time. I doubt its absence will impact my life, and consequently do not feel any loss.

I say that not to be a jerk, but if it was one of the area’s “most important spaces”, but they kept it a secret, well, how can it retain that title? If it’s a successful secret, then the lives of most of the neighborhood are unaffected by its disappearance making this entity trivial in its existence or non-existence. I am sure it was important to the people who went, of course. It is quite unfortunate for them.

Sounds like it really should have been housed in private residential property, not a commercial space. Hopefully they have luck finding a new home.

jseattle
jseattle
12 years ago

I would never pretend it was pitch perfect coverage but it’s not fair to blame me for the decision to evict. I do want to put out a question that I’ve also asked an organizer who contacted us last night to ask me to be more discrete about DIY/all ages coverage in the future.

At what point would it be reasonable to bring attention to this situation?

According to the city, Michelson had already told DPD the club was going to be evicted.

Zack
12 years ago

It was one of the most important spaces to musicians, young kids who can’t go to bar shows and anyone that was involved in DIY music. The majority of people in Seattle won’t notice any difference, but there is a large chunk of people here in Seattle and spread out across the country that will be very bummed. This isn’t meant to sound pretentious in any way either. But a lot of people, myself included, hold this place and others like it very dear to our hearts.

locomotif
12 years ago

“Journalists and countless other people knew of Healthy Times’ existence.”

it should be noted that the cops, the fire department and the mayors office were also WELL aware of the existence of this space since the get go (i mean, it is “kitty block” to the main cop shop in the neighborhood). it is only when things get public to a certain degree that their responsibility and accountability kick in and they can not afford to ignore such operations. (they see it as: any parent of a charred kid would easily be able to find out how public the space was prior to any accident and thus come after the fire department and police for allowing such a space to exist).

and it was loosely agreed, like it has been at other all-ages venues, that the press were free to write about shows/bands coming through but not about the space itself. that works well enough for the cops/fire depo/mayors office to consent as well and glide along in knowing and safe “ignorance.”

what's up
12 years ago

Concider the possiblities before posting something like this. Perhaps the eviction is part of a bigger plan? Perhaps after a passing inspection and a name change, this place can continue on and stay secret? I happen to know for a fact that due to the attention of this article, plans to keep the space going have been deminished.

A reasonable time to bring attention to this kind of situation is… wait until after everything has been finalized. Believe it or not, this eviction was not going to be the end, but a new begining. Next time use caution and get some information from the source… HTFC’s occupants. If you can’t get information from the source, then don’t post. Simple as that.

It’s over now and nothing can be done. Concider this as food for thought.

capicola
capicola
12 years ago

+1