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Does museum expansion plan make Volunteer Park a ‘threatened’ landscape?

An influential Washington D.C. foundation has added Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park to its list of “nationally significant at-risk and threatened” landscapes due to the $49 million planned expansion of the Seattle Asian Art Museum. But a longtime leader of the local group that protects the park says the designation goes too far.

What The Cultural Landscape Foundation is calling for “would be very punishing” Doug Bayley of the Volunteer Park Trust tells CHS.

“A full stop would set everybody back years,” Bayley said. “I think it’s totally salvageable. I see it as an ongoing conversation.”

The Cultural Landscape Foundation essay documenting its designation was written by Seattle architect Eliza Davidson, a former member of the Volunteer Park Trust who left the group as it decided to support the museum expansion:

The proposed addition is 80 feet in length and nearly 50 feet in height. If built, it would intrude approximately 40 feet deeper into the remaining Olmsted Brothers-designed meadow. This addition includes a cantilevered glass room that wraps around the top level of the addition and would further project into the landscape as much as fifteen feet. Perhaps most impactful, the addition’s placement insures that signature views dating to the Olmsted Brothers design will be permanently blocked, deep shadows will be cast, and specimen trees will be stressed or lost.

Bayley tells CHS he is preparing a letter of his own to counter the foundation’s position. One element at the core of his response, Bayley says, is history.

“That part of the property was already compromised,” Bayley said, when the museum was originally built in the park in 1933. Today, Bayley says, the museum is an integral part of the park.

And there is much, much more work beyond the museum in Volunteer Park to come. CHS reported here on the roster of major construction projects likely to reshape the much-loved park over the next decade.

(Image: The Cultural Landscape Foundation)

(Image: The Cultural Landscape Foundation)

The foundation’s criticism comes as the Seattle Art Museum project is awaiting land use approval from the city. Also ahead is a Seattle City Council decision that would change technicalities in the municipal code to allow the facility to expand as a museum.

The planned fall 2017 project has been designed to expand the Asian Art Museum by more than 13,000 square feet by extending the backside of the building 3,600 square feet into the park from the east of the 1933 historic building. The museum plans to add more display space to represent South Asia and India as well as fix infrastructure issues including a climate control system and seismic upgrades, while making the museum ADA accessible. The expected two-year project has faced a wave of opposition from neighbors but also strong support by others as well as SAAM board members and communities supportive of the museum’s mission to be a world-class showcase for Asian art. In December, we heard from all sides at a public hearing on the construction.

Bayley says, for his part, the Volunteer Park Trust is supportive of balanced uses of the park space and doesn’t think a “full stop” on the project is necessary. But he does understand the concern over the loss of open space.

“Traditionally, we’ve been against that,” Bayley said. “If it was anybody but the museum, I’d be against it.”

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Mary
Mary
7 years ago

I think if would help if someone would take a skein of bright yarn or a rope and outline the actual depth into the park of the proposed addition. Let’s see just how much it intrudes into the park.
As someone who has lived near the park for over 30 years and walks through daily, I can truthfully say it is one of the least attractive and more forbidding areas of the park in which to walk.

Tim
Tim
7 years ago
Reply to  Mary

I agree with Mary. The addition would displace very little in the way of vegetation, and the lit windows would make that “backyard” much more welcoming and safe.

Sheilan
Sheilan
7 years ago
Reply to  Mary

To get the full idea it would need to be something that goes up 50′ high. Personally I would rather see the building beautified in it’s own footprint on the east-side and SAAM expand underground without the proposed corporate looking glass box in the park.

Arbutus
Arbutus
7 years ago
Reply to  Mary

Volunteer Park Trust is NOT “protecting” the park by endorsing an extension covering the equivalent of a full Capitol Hill lot, 50 ft high. SAAM has already expanded 5-6 times since it was built, giftng us the chain link fences and ugly East facade people love to hate. All that can be fixed without destroying precious green space in Seattle’s premier park, when the neighborhood and city are bursting at the seams. I founded and left VP Trust because I know we can do better. Let’s develop a solution that serves both park and museum, not one at the expense of the other – alternatives like going underground and relocating non-exhibit functions off-site. It’s not rocket science – prestigious museums around the world have done so with great success. Visit thinkagainsaam.org. Please inject more balance in your reporting.

Sheilan
Sheilan
7 years ago
Reply to  Mary

Tim, I don’t know about safe as there would be even more of an over hang for people to hang out under all through the night and in bad weather like now. And because it will always shaded not much will grow.

Museums all over the world are choosing to expand underground to preserve open space. Visit: http://www.thinkagainsaam.org and http://www.protectvolunteerpark.org.

Brian
Brian
7 years ago
Reply to  Mary

@Shielan, , went to the thinkagainsaam site you linked to and as I was clicking thru, especially as I was looking at the design rendering posted on the “About SAAM Expansion” section, I couldn’t help but think “wow, what a tastefully done, minimally sized addition.” Not sure if this is what you intended but I actually left your website even more excited about the prospect of this expansion!

Michael
7 years ago

This might be one of the stupidest debates I’ve ever witnessed in my 12 years as a Seattle resident. It’s 15 feet people! It will liven up a big dead spot in the park and make the building engage with it’s environment much better.

Stop NIMBY bullshit.

Michael
7 years ago
Reply to  Michael

Sorry, 40′.

LetTheSunShineIn
LetTheSunShineIn
7 years ago

Agreed, the grassy area east of the museum is dark and
under-used. Build a beautiful glass-walled addition (and a cafe!) and let the sun shine in.

Denise
Denise
6 years ago

So, building an addition will somehow change the relationship of plant earth to its star? No, it won’t. The proposed addition will be on the shady side of the building, just as the parkland is now. And, it will cast even more shade into the park. More darkness, not less.

Jonathan Konkol
7 years ago

In its current iteration, the proposal is not very attractive, but this is nothing that can’t be fixed with a redesign. I think both the museum and the park could benefit from a ground floor use that blends indoors and outdoors such as a museum cafe with outdoor seating or a sculpture terrace. The cafe could be something you can walk up to and enjoy without paying admission for the whole museum.

Db coop
Db coop
7 years ago

The know nothings have thoughts on the aesthetics!

Jonathan Konkol
7 years ago

I’m an architect. What do you do for a living?

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
7 years ago

I think I smell sulfur. :-o

Dennis
Dennis
7 years ago

This museum expansion design is an egotistical expression and a usurpation of Park space solely for the benefit of Museum attendees at the cost of limited park space. This totally splits and breaks up the east side of the park in that it changes the character of this park area behind the building into a view space for the Museum, a passive space. It steals the privacy of park users of this quiet area. Who will now want to lay on the grass and meditate, read, relax, whisper words to a companion with museum attendees gawcking down on them from that imposing glass wall.
This expansion design is totally inappropriate for this space. – the height and the glass wall + the expansive windows are my objections.
There other options for expanding without ruining this park space.

The nature of this park has been as a retreat from the cityscape, its pavement, its structures.
That will lost to this space with this intrusive architectural ‘STATEMENT’.

Brian
Brian
7 years ago
Reply to  Dennis

Yes Dennis, I can see it now; museum goers will be so enthralled with the uses of this apparently holy land that they’ll be standing with their faces pressed up against the windows in wonderment gawking at the people below rather than, you know, looking at all the unique pieces of fine art spread throughout the museum…

so much whining
so much whining
7 years ago
Reply to  Dennis

BUILD THE MUSEUM

MAKE IT BIGGER

PISS OFF THE CRYBABIES

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
7 years ago
Reply to  Dennis

Make the Museum Great Again!

(sorry, couldn’t resist. You may now commence gagging).

JTContinental
JTContinental
7 years ago
Reply to  Dennis

Parks are public spaces, so its patrons do not have rights to privacy at Volunteer Park.

Also, people observe you through windows all the time, whether accidentally or on purpose, while you are walking around the city, and you’ve never noticed.

Dennis
Dennis
7 years ago

Correcting myself, “to lie on the grass -”
And, “That will be lost -”
I should write these and come back to them later before I post.
Ciao

Dennis
Dennis
7 years ago
Reply to  Dennis

Brian, Why the glass wall then?

John colwell
John colwell
7 years ago

Good to see a conversation about new ideas for the museum — exactly what SAM failed to encourage from the outset. I vote for vast gallery space under the current front lawn, with some awesome skylights and maybe a cafe on the main floor with new windows allowing natural light. But don’t take any more open park.

Prost Seattle
Prost Seattle
7 years ago

Seattle Process at its finest. If people were really concerned about the loss of open space I’d imagine they’d be more excited about removing the unused lower drive, or to finally do something about the unnecessary reservoir,

I’ve never thought I’d live to see a group upset about a small museum expansion. Surreal.

Oh, and before people think I don’t have any right to voice an opinion, I’ve lived in Capitol Hill since 1987.

Ellen
Ellen
7 years ago

It is so surprising to me that, in view of the VPTrust’s stated role of “Preserving & Enhancing Seattle’s GREEN Oasis”, they support a building expansion in this oasis! In such an urban and dense neighborhood, it should be the role of the trust to challenge anyone wanting to encroach on any part of this valuable green space. In fact, Bayley acknowledges such a role for them in his statement “Traditionally, we’ve been against that”, meaning that the trust traditionally opposes the loss of open space. He then justifies this project’s encroachment by the fact that the encroachment is being done by SAAM. However, the harm of any encroachment is hardly mitigated by the nature of the encroacher; it is the effect of the encroachment that is objectionable not the nature of the entity doing the encroachment. (Reminder: SAAM is only a tenant in the building in case they decide to leave one day…)
Instead of justifying the expansion, the trust needs to hold Seattle Parks Dept and SAM accountable for the loss of the very park space that they steward as well as the lack of transparency or public input in this process. By doing that they will truly give the word TRUST the meaning that it deserves!

Prost Seattle
Prost Seattle
7 years ago
Reply to  Ellen

We can get ACRES if people would put their energies to getting rid of the lower roadway.

Dub
Dub
7 years ago

So a former Volunteer Park insider is using a national platform to publicly shame a project that she personally dislikes? LOL. Sounds about right for this process.

We need to get these folks focused on policy issues a little bigger than a crummy meadow. Imagine what could be achieved if they focused this energy on solving the big problems in the world.

Jonathan Mark
Jonathan Mark
7 years ago
Reply to  Dub

Well I think if we don’t focus a lot of energy on building a big box in our free, public open space, we will have some extra energy to focus somewhere else. Also the open space will be a lot nicer and not need regular window washing, surely to be paid for by the city.

RWK
RWK
7 years ago
Reply to  Dub

@Dub….my thought exactly. It sounds very likely that this designation is the result of a temper tantrum by a former VPT member (Eliza Davidson), who didn’t like that the Trust supports the project, and so went to a national group to express her objection.

I also agree with Michael, who says that this whole “controversy” is one of the stupidest things he has seen during his time in Seattle. “Tempest in a teapot,” indeed.

I really hope this project goes forward, not only because it will improve a world-class museum (with minimal effect on the park), but also because it will totally piss off the tiny minority that is objecting to it.

Sheilan
Sheilan
7 years ago
Reply to  Dub

I find it interesting that in every conversation on this topic, the group that is so willing to let public land be taken, even thou voters voted against it with Initiative 42-Save Our Parks, are the one’s that do most of the name calling and personal attacks. Why do you think this is?

What the facts on your side aren’t strong enough?

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
7 years ago
Reply to  Dub

“…but also because it will totally piss off the tiny minority that is objecting to it.”

Bob. Aren’t we seeing enough of that kind of petulant behavior on a national scale? We like to believe Seattle is better than that. Aren’t we?

RWK
RWK
7 years ago
Reply to  Dub

@ Jim: I don’t think “petulant” is quite the right word, but I do plead guilty to schadenfreude!

Ladybug
Ladybug
7 years ago

Hire someone like Steven Holl (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art H&R Bloch expansion) to design a perfect expansion creation on top of that hideous cement pond with a connecting underground tunnel/art space connecting the two.

Data Driven
Data Driven
7 years ago

This is such a win. Better for the park as well as the museum to create a small jewel box of the addition that will enhance the use of the east side of the park.

For those snowflakes in opposition and others, spend an hour and count how many people presently walk the area let alone stay in place. Dog walkers don’t count.

Currently the vast use is to the north and west of the museum. The east is relatively dark, mainly from the many grown trees, and I rarely see people anywhere near the proposed addition. This will invite more use, not less.

Fully agree with others that all can get on the same page and free acres of space by addressing the chain linked surrounded reservoir. Walk that and refocus your ire.

Enough of the nonsense. The vast majority of those expressing an opinion are in favor.

https://www.change.org/p/prc-seattle-gov-support-the-volunteer-park-museum-renovation-and-expansion

Db coop
Db coop
7 years ago

Opposition to expanding the Asian and Indian art collection is racism veiled in some psuedo environmentalism.

So gross.

Sheilan
Sheilan
7 years ago
Reply to  Db coop

You are joking right? You are really funny. This comment is so bizarre I can’t even take it seriously. We might be racist against elitist trying to get around the law and take parkland, so they have more space for their party events, which will have a great view of the park…. All at the public’s expense.

Brian
Brian
7 years ago
Reply to  Db coop

@Sheilan, Db Coop was just straight up trolling.

What I find so bizarre is that you, Dennis, and some of the others on here try to frame this minor expansion as some sort of “the common man” vs. “the elitists” battle for the soul of Volunteer Park.

Sheilan
Sheilan
7 years ago
Reply to  Db coop

Yes Brian I got caught by a Troll. A Troll who read the Seattle Times article by someone who also intimated we were racist… so go figure! I don’t think it is a battle for the soul of VP. It does bother me however that the public were not invited to weigh in on early design decisions of this project and Initiative 42 is being ignored and the zoning is being changed. And it is bad design, which is out of harmony with it’s surroundings. Let the museum expand, but do it underground like other museums.

CD neighbor
CD neighbor
7 years ago

I’m looking for more information on I-42- but I don’t get the feeling from what I’ve read so far that it covers this situation at all – I-42 appears to be all about preserving park land as park land, from being sold to private developers, not about preserving park land as wilderness… A park often is, but doesn’t necessarily have to even be green space. Putting some sort of man made object, be it a building or a play field or even a parking lot, on a piece of park land does not convert it from being park land, so long as that structure remains part of the park. Under your interpretation it would seem impossible to put up a bathroom, a playfield, a stage or anything else either.

As far as that dark, squishy corner of the park goes, I agree with those who the museum addition would improve it… No one sits back there right now. It’s dark and dank and usually to wet to actually sit on the ground. You get a lovely view of the building’s physical plant and I think some other concrete vault..

Tom
Tom
7 years ago

Seattle isn’t great at developing new parks and that’s a problem. But we do even worse in the museum department. Volunteer Park is a crown and the museum is a jewel. Does enlarging a jewel enhance or diminish the crown?

Chuck Routh
Chuck Routh
7 years ago

There has been much discussion about the architecture of the proposed revision of the rear of the Seattle Asian Art Museum. The glass portion has been criticized. Perhaps some comparison with another park and with a museum would be helpful. The first and largest park designed by Frederick Law Olmstead is the Central Park in New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located in Central Park. Recently there have been two major additions to the Metropolitan Museum. One was the Sackler Wing on the East Wing of the Met. This has the Temple of Dendur and has one entire glass wall looking out on Central Park. The other major addition is on the west side of the Met and is the Gallery of the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas. It also has the entire wall of glass looking out on Central Park. Both have been greatly praised as an enhancement of the park.
See http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection#
Obviously there are differences between Central Park and Volunteer Park but many similarities in the proposed additions. Other Olmstead parks, such as Golden Gate park in San Francisco with a major museum also with a much larger addition and glass walls than proposed for Volunteer Park is instructive. I think that the proposed addition will be a great enhancement to the Park.
Other suggestions have been to make the area underground. That is not feasible both for geological and engineering reasons. In addition a significant part of this area must be used for new heating, air conditioning, and humidity control which is required to replace the 84 year old boiler.