From the CHS Facebook group
Two classic Capitol Hill trees are being removed this week from in front of Cornish College’s Kerry Hall.
Photos of the sad removal showing the sliced trunk of one of the large American Elms were posted along with remembrances on the CHS Facebook page Wednesday afternoon. “I am mourning the loss of the HUGE beautiful old tree in front of Kerry Hall,” the person who shared the update writes. “I saw the notice a couple days ago and stunned it’s already gone 😭 That corner will never be the same.”
According to a letter filed with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections in October, the trees died of Dutch elm disease and would “present a high risk over time” to passersby below in the 700 block of E Roy.
The removal of the old trees, each with trunks more than 30 inches wide, could be part of more change coming to the 102-year-old Kerry Hall building. In 2021, CHS reported on the tenuous situation for the remaining Capitol Hill outpost of Cornish as the school shapes its long term goal of unifying its campus in South Lake Union.
When the closure does happen, it would mark the end of a more than 100-year relationship between Cornish and Capitol Hill. The school was founded in 1914 in the building at the corner of Broadway and Pine now lined up to become part of a new YouthCare Academy development.
Seattle, meanwhile, added new protections for trees on private property in city council legislation passed last year.
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Such a tragic loss. I, too, just saw the notice, and am shocked that it is gone already.
The notice didn’t say anything about being diseased, it said there was a danger to the building. Not sure why trimming the larger branches that are posing a danger couldn’t have solved the problem. Lord knows the city has gone to great lengths to trim lots of other trees in creative ways.
The article says the trees were dead. Creative trimming wouldn’t address that issue… and dead trees are not an asset in a windstorm. Why isn’t Cornish replacing the trees?
Aside from the tree eventually collapsing under it’s own desiccated weight, the disease spreads via the root system unless thoroughly removed and treated. It’s likely already elsewhere in the neighborhood. The other trimming you refer to was probably to solve obstruction or property problems.
Interesting that the notice checked the hazardous box, which I would think meant it was a danger to buried conduit, or building, or something structural that couldn’t be resolved with a good trim. The notice did not check poor health (or poor vigor!), which I would have expected if the tree was dead, diseased or desiccated. Sorry to have picked a little nit, Sorry to see the magnificcent tree go.
About 2 years ago, a similar-size tree was removed from the NE corner of Roy and Harvard, across the street from Cornish. This was done at the request of DAR administration. They have yet to replace the tree, which they are required to do. The City Arborist does not followup in situations like this, to be sure they do the right thing.
That tree was removed after it dropped a massive limb across Harvard which destroyed a vehicle, almost killed someone, and knocked out power to the neighborhood for a full day. Keeping it was far too dangerous.
Zach – You can follow up with the city! It’s tree team is a cool group of people and receptive to reports from neighbors. If an organization is supposed to replace a tree and they haven’t done so, report them! You can also adopt a new tree and make sure it’s watered and cared for, as new residents very rarely do, and get involved in planting trees in and around Capitol Hill. I’ve found that having my own “babies” to care for around the Hill alleviates my frustration at places/people who mistreat their trees.
I have tried to followup with staff from the City Arborist office (Stephanie) several times, and she has not responded. Do you know of someone else who would be more helpful?
Saw this happening. Sad as hell, they were beautiful trees. We’ve lost a lot of elms in the last few years, I wish there was something we could do!
There is! Seattle has an incredible team that looks after our urban canopy and gives away hundreds of trees every year for planting. They have all sorts of workshops, tree walks, — and did I mention the free trees? It’s fun and empowering and a great way to meet your neighbors or other people across the city, as a fairly diverse group usually attends (I’m 50 and everyone seems much younger to me). The city is fairly dependent on individuals taking care of and planting street trees. So there’s a LOT you can do!
Hello Capitol Hill Community,
My name is Pinky Estell I’m a Director of CSES at Cornish. I can confirm we are just as sad to see them go as you all are, but unfortunately with them both dead they posed a risk requiring us to remove them. We have done some research to see when they were planted and have photos of them throughout the decades. There is a good chance they were planted by Miss Aunt Nellie, our founder. We are having the tree’s age calculated and cross referencing the year with our records. But not all is lost, Cornish is working with Otter & Penguin Makerspaces, an alumni run non-profit to mill and store usable parts of the lumber. After those slabs dry (which takes several years) they will be put to use in art making.
As for replacing the trees we are looking into options so stay tuned.
Photo Courtesy of the Cornish College of the Arts Archives
Thanks for the update
I’m cynical enough to believe that the tree was removed to ensure that its removal in the future wouldn’t slow down the necessary permitting for demolition of Kerry Hall. The listing of the building as having historical significance won’t in any way slow down its demo. – just like other buildings on “the hill”. It’s all so sad that our city is becoming so generic.
Well, I believe that the building is part of the Harvard-Belmont Historic District, and as such cannot be demolished.