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Here’s what (good things) happened when residents of Capitol Hill’s La Quinta apartments couldn’t buy their (landmarked) building

 

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(Image: Viva La Quinta/Jesse L. Young)

Declared a historic landmark last year after a lengthy campaign coordinated by a group of residents, La Quinta apartments has been under new ownership since late August. Though its residents were unable to purchase the Spanish-inspired building for themselves as they had originally intended, one tells CHS the new owners have been respectful of their tenants and the historic property.

“At the start of the pandemic we heard word that the building was going to be sold,” said La Quinta resident Chelsea Bolan.

In response, Bolan and fellow residents of the apartments sprang into action with the Viva La Quinta effort, which sought to gain landmark protections for the building and to raise funds for its tenants to purchase the property themselves. CHS reported here on how Seattle’s Notice of Intent to Sell ordinance could help residents like those living in La Quinta buy time to bid on their home property.

But at La Quinta, that never happened. The building sold to a real estate developer. It turns out, so far, everything is fine.

Though the group was ultimately unable to purchase the property before it was sold to its new owners, they were successful in pushing for La Quinta to gain historic landmark status in collaboration with local development authority Historic Seattle.

(Image: Viva La Quinta/Jesse L. Young)

According to Bolan, the new owners originally planned to tear down additional houses they purchased behind the apartments and incorporate the backyard of La Quinta into a new development that would replace those homes. Though this initially worried some tenants, Bolan said the new owners have not made any major changes to La Quinta or the houses next door, soothing the fears of residents who anticipated unwelcome redevelopment.

The newly-gained landmark status means that exterior renovations to La Quinta are regulated by the Seattle Historic Preservation Program. These protections to do not apply to the interior, according to Bolan, allowing the new owners to renovate kitchens and bathrooms inside the building.

Bolan approved of the renovations so far, and said they have been done in accordance with the style of the building while also being somewhat modern. Aside from these renovations, she said larger repairs to the exterior such as to the roof and the paint do not seem to have started yet.

“I really think it has a lot to do with the architecture of the building,” Bolan said of the close bonds within the La Quinta community.

“We all know each other, we all share space, we all like to hang out together and talk and share garden space,” said Bolan.

After the passing of longtime owner Ken Van Dyke, who held the 17th at Denny property for almost four decades from 1982 until his death in 2020, residents feared whoever purchased the property next would enact massive changes. The property was sold to its new owners — DEP Homes, a small real estate investment firm that lists an address near Judkins Park in the Central District —  last August for $4.2 million.

Bolan said without the help of Historic Seattle, it would have been very difficult to go through the landmarking process, especially with the goal of completing it before the sale of the property.

Though she is unsure what long-term plans the new owners have for La Quinta, Bolan is relieved La Quinta has not gone the way of other properties which gained landmark status only to be met with neglect and a lack of maintenance by their owners — or worse.

 

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Phil Mocek
1 year ago

I was there for 10 years, 2005-2015. I’m glad to hear things are working out for 6 old neighbors even though the sale they hoped for didn’t happen.

charpinguina
charpinguina
1 year ago

I have always loved and admired this building. For 13 units to share a beautiful garden courtyard is something that is not built today and lets everyone feel like they live in a “home” rather than a city apartment. A great use of space in a city. I’m so glad this won’t be changed. We have very few Spanish style buildings in this city so its a gem.