We’ve been chasing a story the Slog caught up with first but when we read their latest post about the Pine Street parking lot where Cha Cha used to live, we thought we might be able to do better. The Slog got pretty much nothing about what is happening next at the location where buildings that housed bars Cha Cha, Manray and the Kincora and retailer Winner’s Circle were razed to make way for planned development. Eastside-based Murry Franklin, the developer who bought the property in 2007, gave the alt weekly the runaround.
What did the crackerjack journalists at CHS get after three days of phone tag and being passed from person to person at the company?
“The partners have no comment.”
“Well, which partners have no comment?”
“I can’t say.”
“You can’t tell me which partners have no comment?”
“It would not be in my best interest.”
Via Life on the Hill blog, this cryptic passage from a recent piece in Seattle Weekly has us all searching for answers.
The economy had already started to turn by the time the businesses were evicted and the buildings knocked down. With the condo market in the crapper, the developer has no intention of doing anything with the property now, and would happily sell it off—if there were anyone to buy.
Meanwhile, the empty lot also has no comment.
BTW, there’s a kinda cool time machine street corner available in Google StreetView right now at Pine at Summit. Current view shows pre-demolition building replete with dramatic tagging. The old pic’s lighting is dark and ominous. Step around the corner in the map onto Pine and you’re delivered into a more sunshiney — and empty — present.
They must be planning something soon, as I live across the street from that lot, and just noticed last week that they have removed all the parking lot apparatus. I doubt they’d give up the opportunity to make some money unless they had plans for it soon.
Rain Goddess – Sadly, the removal of the parking lot stuff is not a sign of upcoming plans. That happened because of city zoning; the lot can’t be used for parking.
They might be motivated to sell the land since they can’t make any money off it.