Our 2013-2014 Proposed Budget allocates $1 million to stabilize Building 18, the former base fire station at Magnuson Park, until funding is identified for full renovation of the building.

Building 18 is located in the park’s Sand Point Naval Air Station Landmarks Preservation District, near the main entrance. While initially used for special events and workshop space by Seattle Parks, maintenance deferred by the navy eventually caused more serious building damage. As the roof has continued to deteriorate several parts of it have collapsed, allowing rainwater to flow into much of the building.

Though Building 18 is in rough shape, we have seen in the past with other buildings in Magnuson that if we can preserve these historic structures, private companies and non-profits are eager to step up and renovate them more completely for new uses. For example, the successful renovations carried out by The Mountaineers and Arena Sports show how reasonable investments by the City can leverage significant outside dollars.  Both of those buildings faced challenges that could have lead to their demolition, but are now restored – providing excellent recreational opportunities for Seattle residents. We anticipate that if we make this investment in Building 18, there will be opportunities to leverage that investment into a larger private investment in complete renovation.

This commitment to Building 18 builds on the funding we provided in last year’s budget to renovate Building 30. Our $8 million renovation of Building 30 is currently underway and is expected to be complete in June of 2013. The renovation will create space for returning tenants EarthCorps, Thistle Theatre, PlantAmnesty, Washington Native Plant Society, Bats Northwest, Music of Remembrance, and Club Northwest, and artists who were displaced during renovation will have first right of refusal in the Building 30 arts facility. The arts wing will also include a historically refurbished event space, and the hangar will be a large event space with an adjacent smaller event space in what used to be the “workshop.”

This is all part of our commitment to making the kind of smart investments in Magnuson Park that will pay dividends for the long term.

The Building 18 stabilization project provides protective measures that will preserve the building until it can be renovated in the future. Specifically, the proposed stabilization project elements include

• Installation of temporary shoring systems to ensure work safety
• Selective demolition of deteriorated parts of the structure
• Removal and disposal of all hazardous materials
• Roof replacement
• Sealing existing windows to prevent further water infiltration

The building will continue to remain unoccupied and the perimeter security fencing will stay in place after the stabilization work, as the building cannot be legally occupied  until much more renovation work takes place. The estimated cost of the project is $1 million that will be included in Seattle Parks and Recreation’s capital improvement program.

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Posted by: Nathaniel Merrill