Fort Lawton Historic Preservation

Fort Lawton was first established as a United States Army base in 1898, half a century after it was first captured from Duwamish and Suquamish peoples under the Treaty of Point Elliott, resulting in broad eviction of Indigenous people from their traditional territories in Seattle. In 1965, after more than 80 years of underuse by the military, Congressman Brock Adams introduced a bill to cede ownership of the land to the City of Seattle for the development of Discovery Park. In 1973, the park officially opened for public use.

In 1985, the City of Seattle approved Resolution 27329, which outlined a plan to preserve and restore some but not all of the historic army buildings. This plan would restore the building exteriors, but keep the interiors closed to the public to reduce expenses and minimize wear on the buildings. In 1987, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation filed a federal lawsuit challenging the demolition of the historic buildings not included in the preservation plan. In 1988, a federal court ordered the delay of demolition for the headquarters, Post Exchange, guardhouse, civilian employee quarters, and stables on the park grounds.

April 1988 Council Meeting

On April 27, 1988, the Seattle City Council heard testimonies from local advocates, representatives of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Seattle Parks Department evaluating the expenses and historical value of the Army buildings. This meeting was part of an extensive decision-making process that weighed the costs of demolition, refurbishing, and full rehabilitation of the buildings with their relative cultural, historical, and educational contributions to Discovery Park and the greater Seattle community. Several speakers advocated for a seven-building compromise, preserving seven of the 25 total structures, which would allow the City to reduce the cost of rehabilitation and maintenance while retaining the visibility of U.S. military history through interpretive landmarks. In June 1988, the City passed Ordinance 114013, amending the 1985 development plan.

Testimony

Jake Thomas, state historic preservation officer (listen to audio)
I think we tried to make the case that Fort Lawton represents an important chapter in Northwest military history, and that without this chapter, the story is not complete. The final thing I will cover is ways to minimize the cost and the impact on the tranquility of the park. And I think we may have been talking past each other in looking for a solution to the dilemma of Fort Lawton, and I believe that there is a win-win solution possible here that will address the Parks and Recreation values as open space, and the historic preservation values as something that we hand down to future generations.

The management of historic properties is part of the basic mission of most parks' organizations. Historic sites tourism is one of the, consistently turns out to be measured very high on all polls taken of tourists in the United States, the kinds of things they're interested in seeing and kinds of things they're interested in doing when traveling.

Historic sites are a source of pride and inspiration to the American people. And because of that, parks organizations have become systematically involved in preservation activities throughout the United States. They help to show people tangible evidence of our history, and they are useful in teaching good citizenship to our young people.

Traditionally, historic sites have been a low-intensity use. I was the curator at Rothschild House Museum in Port Townsend for a few years, and our visitors were very respectful and quiet, we had good attendance, we had an occasional busload of school kids. We had no crowds, and I had to do the grounds maintenance, and I picked up practically no litter. So that's the kinds of people who come to historic sites because they're specifically interested in visiting the historic property to learn something about our past - oftentimes are the best kinds of park visitors.

Seven out of seven national parks in Washington State include historic buildings. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is the largest single owner of historic property in Washington State. 

Leonard Garfield, state historic preservation programs manager, and councilmember Dolores Sibonga discuss the seven-building compromise (listen to audio)
Dolores Sibonga: Okay, and Mr. Garfield, you said that what was important was not so much the buildings themselves, but more the relationship. Is that correct?

Leonard Garfield: Well -

Dolores Sibonga: Of the buildings to the space?

Leonard Garfield: Well, the Fort Lawton district is significant because it comprises a collection of buildings which collectively tell us about the history of that fort. And it's in their collective sense that they are truly significant. Individually, one building saved in isolation would not convey the full history and the full significance of that property. But the buildings, the parade grounds, the circulation pattern collectively give us a sense of place. They let us know today what was happening there in the early part of the 20th century. That same lesson cannot be told by one or even two buildings alone.

Dolores Sibonga: So in your mind, then, we would have to retain all of the buildings?

Leonard Garfield: Well, I think I would refer back to what Mr. Thomas said, that there are of course compromises. It's not always practical to save every building, and it is possible to preserve a strong sense of place by perhaps saving those buildings that are prominently sited on the parade grounds and a few of the ancillary buildings to the rear of the parade grounds, as suggested by the seven-building compromise. And I think it's that is why Mr. Thomas supported that compromise, because, at a minimum, a sense of place is at least preserved with that arrangement. However, you threaten that sense of place when you begin to save only one or two structures that in no way tell the story or even relate to each other. Some of the buildings have already been removed, as you well know.

Dolores Sibonga: How many do we have to retain in order to preserve the memory of Fort Lawton military fort?

Leonard Garfield: I think the loss of the double barracks to fire was a loss to the district. But I think, still there today is a strong sense of the of the district and how it works. But again, I think I would refer to the seven-building compromise as being, you know, a possible way of preserving a sense of place there.

Kevin Stapleton, Seattle Parks Department project manager, and councilmember Sam Smith discuss preservation use costs (listen to audio)
Sam Smith: Would you point out again for me, one-two-three, the seven-building compromise? They're talking about them.

Kevin Stapleton: Okay. The seven-building compromise would be these two buildings that are shown in red, buildings number 417 and 759, which the council previously authorized retention, plus five additional buildings, these two on the western side of the parade ground, which are the band barracks and PX gymnasium, and this cluster of buildings which could be used for the Police Department function.

Sam Smith: Now, under that seven-vote, seven-building compromise, the total cost of renovation that’s necessary for the exterior, not particularly, will you give me to figures on, for the total cost of renovation exterior, and the total cost of renovations used.

Kevin Stapleton: The estimate doing an exterior-only renovation, cost on those seven buildings is approximately $1.6 million; that’s with no use provided. The mayor's recommendation of 1985 took things one step further and proposed means for this building for restrooms, picnic area, some limited historic displays, and reuse for these buildings for the police purpose. And that cost was approximately $2.1 million.

Sam Smith: And that was all-inclusive?

Councilmember Jeanette Williams: Yeah.

Kevin Stapleton: Yeah.

Unknown: But for reusing all, all of the seven. What cost is that?

Kevin Stapleton: The full reuse of all of all seven buildings was going to be approximately $3.3 million.

Jeanette Williams: Mr. Thomas, did you have something?

Jake Thomas: Yes. Kevin, I think I heard you say that because the cost of extra restoration, the -

[muffled interruption]

Jake Thomas: How much of that would be offset by the costs now programmed for demolition?

Kevin Stapleton: Those seven buildings? A little over, just glancing through these, it would be just over $300,000 to remove all these seven buildings.

Jake Thomas: Then removal is the actual demolition, hauling of rubble, regrading the site?

Kevin Stapleton: The actual cost of seven building compromise with exterior restoration would be just over $200,000.

Jake Thomas: Less than the demolition.

Jeanette Williams: But then you have to figure in, you’d have to figure in the maintenance of the buildings.

Kevin Stapleton: The City is now legally responsible for maintenance of the building and has been for the past ten years. So, with exception of upgrading that maintenance a little bit, there's no way, your cost would not increase in that area.

Sam Smith: Yeah, you're touching on my next question and that is, if we were to retain that building, the cost of maintenance of the seven, annually. Give it to me to me for exterior only and give it to me for use.

Kevin Stapleton: For the exterior renovation only, the cost would be -

Sam Smith: Maintenance annually?

Kevin Stapleton: Maintenance annually and utility costs on an annual basis would be $116,000. That includes painting the buildings on a seven-year cycle. We would maybe do one or two in one year, skip a few years, then do a couple. On an annualized basis, it would be $116,000.

Sam Smith: And for use?

Kevin Stapleton: For reuse the building's estimated at $396,000.

The entire meeting can be heard in Digital Collections. (Event 342, Seattle City Council Audio Recordings, Record Series 4601-03)

Resources

Images

Related Legislation

  • Resolution 27751: relating to the Fort Lawton Historic District in Discovery Park; providing for reconsideration of Resolution 27329 and 27399; requesting consultation with the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer; setting a public hearing; and inviting comment
  • Resolution 27329: approving a plan for the Fort Lawton Historic District in Discovery Park
  • Resolution 27399: adopting a Development Plan for Discovery Park
  • Ordinance 114013: approving a plan for preservation of certain structures in the Fort Lawton Historic District in Discovery Park
  • Comptroller File 287451: proposal of the City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board for the establishment of a Fort Lawton Landmark District

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