Post navigation

Prev: (02/07/14) | Next: (02/07/14)

CHS Pics | 16th Ave E’s ‘haunted house’ comes down

There comes a day when even the old and fascinating need to be replaced by the new and, likely, less fascinating. This week, the 1900-era neighborhood “haunted house” on 16th Ave E between John and Harrison was salvaged, torn to pieces and carted away. Thanks to everybody who sent notes and pictures of the demolition. We’ve shared a few here to say goodbye.

CHS wrote previously about the small wave of townhouse projects underway around the Hill that includes a development to replace the old house that originally stood a few blocks south. The long-empty, entirely neglected single-family-style house will be replaced by Project 339, a three-story, eight unit row house complex that features a community courtyard surrounded on three sides by the development. Developers paid $1.3 million for the property last fall so don’t expect the resulting three-story row houses to be cheap. Still, it’s the kind of trade that happens in a neighborhood under growing demand for places to live in a city in the middle of expansion.

Here’s what neighbor Kate Clark wrote about the old house along with these pictures she posted to the CHS Flickr Pool:

I learned the house used to be on what is now Group Health Hospital property two or three blocks south. Some 30+ years ago was it moved to the location where yesterday it met its end. After it was moved it was never completed indoors to make it habitable. It was never lived in again. The only plumbing was some rudimentary piping into the 2nd floor bathroom. The woman who owned it lived in the trailer parked next to it. For a time her daughter lived in another trailer parked on the lot. Preceding the demolition a salvage company came in and took all that it could for reuse.

In the meantime, Capitol Hill has been busy with demolition and the start of new projects so far in 2014.

For more progress on affordable rents and homes in Seattle, consider being part of next week’s forum on “workforce housing” at City Hall:

Seattle Workforce Housing Forum

Thursday, February 13
Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Avenue, 1st Floor, Bertha Knight Landes Room

Noon – 4:30 p.m. – Expert Panel and Stakeholder Engagement Discussion
4:30 – 6:00pm – Informal Gathering with Panelists
6 p.m – 8 p.m. – Public Feedback Session

Join us as we tackle the best ways to meet Seattle’s affordable housing needs!  We’ll hear from national experts about workforce housing production in cities like Seattle, and how we can make the smartest decisions possible going forward.

The forum will include discussions on:

  • Ideas on How to Increase the Affordable Housing Supply
  • Seattle’s Current Housing Programs
  • Innovative New Strategies for Workforce Housing
  • National Best Practices in Incentive and Inclusionary Zoning

Visit the City Council’s website (www.seattle.gov/council/issues/affordablehousing/forum.html) for the full agenda and to RSVP.

The 100 year old haunted mansion on 16th ave & Harrison is no longer with us. Caught them this morning gobbling up the RV parked on the lot. — at The Bagel Deli. (Image: Adam Loving)

The 100 year old haunted mansion on 16th ave & Harrison is no longer with us. Caught them this morning gobbling up the RV parked on the lot. — at The Bagel Deli. (Image: Adam Loving)

UPDATE: Photographer and neighbor Scooter Lowrimore has shared this time-lapse “memorial” for the old house:

Subscribe and support CHS Contributors -- $1/$5/$10 per month

7 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Rob
Rob
10 years ago

So long old friend! It badly needed to come down but I’ll miss it.

Timmy73
Timmy73
10 years ago

Forever seared in my memory banks. Whenever I walk past the structure that will eventually rise, I’ll stop and see the weathered old home that once stood…

WryMuffin
WryMuffin
10 years ago

I’ve learned since from an acquaintance who lived in it in the early 80s that it was located at 16th and Spring before it was moved.

Thank you CHS and jseattle…

WryMuffin
WryMuffin
10 years ago
Reply to  WryMuffin

I may be mistaken about the former location as 16th and Spring.

Janet
Janet
10 years ago

Thank you for the great pictures, and there’s the mysterious RV! Cool old house, interesting history.

trackback

[…] Seattle — and, especially, Capitol Hill — has seen increasing debate about affordability and rising rents. Thursday night, the City of Seattle is hosting a “Workforce Housing Forum” at City Hall. […]

trackback

[…] 16th Ave E’s ‘haunted house’ comes down […]