Developer to make Denny’s financial case

Posted by Geeky Swedes on May 19th, 2008

This Wednesday, the Benaroya Company will make another appearance before Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board, this time to make the case that there’s no financially viable solution to rehabilitate the old Denny’s building. Three months ago, the board designated the building as a landmark, but it could reverse the designation if Benaroya is able to prove that there’s no financially-acceptable future for the old Manning’s Cafeteria. Meanwhile, preservationists say that building could be incorporated into a larger development (you may remember that Grace Architects proposed an alternative, but it would require a zoning change.) This Wednesday’s meeting is at 3:30 p.m. in Room 4060 of the Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Avenue.

By the way, if you’re interested in learning more about Googie architecture, California architecture critic Alan Hess will be speaking this Tuesday, 6:30 pm at the Swedish Cultural Center (1920 Dexter Ave. N). Tickets are $10.

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Tallman

I’ve been waiting for some one to bring up the fact that “the Benaroyas nominated the the building of their own accord” No one ever mentions that. haha

Duncan

If the City has nominated the building for landmark status, I might agree. (Notwithstanding the fact that the Seattle Monorail Project sold the property, and SMP was/is an independent entity, not part of the City of Seattle.)

BUT the Benaroyas nominated the the building of their own accord. The risk that the Landmarks Preservation Board might (gasp!) agree with the Benaroyas' petition was built in to the purchase price. At least it should have been -- if the company saw that the building could be nominated, it should have known that the building could be designated a landmark.

Suthii

" the Benaroyas are too loose with their money."

No, the city is too loose with its designations. You don't sell property to a company, then turn around and pass a designation like this that devalues what you just sold. If you think the city will win this in court, good luck. Otherwise, it will be us, the sucker tax payers who will need to compensate Benaroyas for Seattle's idiotic decision making process that lets any fly on the wall, so-called 'professional citizens' (i.e. people with too much time on their hands) have their way.

The time to protect the building was before the city sold the lot, not after. Tear it down, the city will learn a lesson in how decisions need to be made and the professional citizens can go back to finding new and creative ways to scr*w tax payers.

Duncan

Agree with Ayles. It's an awesome building -- or at least iconic, even if you think it's ugly -- and could serve any number of uses: retail, bar, arcade, etc. The Benaroyas' complaint, though, isn't that they can't turn the building into a moneymaker. It's that they can't use it to generate enough revenue to justify the outrageous price they paid for the property in the first place. In other words, the building may lose its status because the Benaroyas are too loose with their money.

Suthii

'My suspicion is that most of us agree about 90% on the underlying issues facing Ballard right now. '

90 percent agree with you? You'd make a fine dictator too I'm sure with your assumptions that all agree with you, and anyone who doesn't must be a 'troll'.

Welcome to the Peoples Republic of Ballard, those who don't agree will be 'reeducated' .

elswinger

Make it the crowning top of whatever building replaces it, or move down next to the Hat & Boots.

Ayles

Ballard Firehouse was much better in former incarnation. It was an excellent venue for live music. Now the place just sucks food and atmosphere include.

I say leave the denny's building. Slap some new hiptser magent bar in there with a retro theme and the place will be packed.

Bill

I think there's been good deal of unnecessary polarization going on in the comments lately. My suspicion is that most of us agree about 90% on the underlying issues facing Ballard right now. There's clearly no absolute delineation between who's "old Ballard" and who's "new Ballard." Or, for that matter, who's a "yuppie" versus a "non-yuppie."

We shouldn't let the emotional problems of a mean-spirited troll or two wreck the tone of the discussions here.

(If you disagree, you can go f*ck yourself.)

j/k! :D

Phins

Check it out...this just made my day! The sooner they demolish this POS building, the better.

h t t p : / / w w w . c r 0sscut.com/mossback/14394/Goodbye%2C+Googie/

CK

I think Google should buy it and set up a Ballard office. Wouldn't it look sweet with a big GOOGLE logo across the front?

angrignon

haha.

okay so, has anyone noticed that the service at The Hi-Life completely sucks? Like, 60-90 minutes to wait for a meal?

Suthii is my new hero. Keep on trolling the "Olde Ballardites".

Also, can someone please explain who these hipsters that are oh-so-hated are?

Are they the people with all the fucking dogs that scour the Ballard Market on Sunday? Cause you know, I can't stand all the dogs there. Are the hipsters all the folks with the tattoos? I'd like to know who these hipster dot-com people are. Where do they eat? Matador or Sunny Teriyaki?

I think its time for a MyBallard get together. Just think, we can discuss the same topics in person while we go on a walking tour of all the unoccupied condos!

fringe

arthur denny is rolling in his grave.

biff

ROFL @ "Benaroya has a little experience in land development and construction. I think we should concede that point."

They've been doing commercial (read office) development for 30+ years. Few development companies self perform construction btw.

fisk

Frankly, the well meaning folks @ Grace Architects are dreaming. The economics of redesign with this "Googie Thing" front and center is three standard deviations to the left.

The land cost simply doesn't support such a concept.

Benaroya has a little experience in land development and construction. I think we should concede that point.

biff

This getting the historic nomination is the same reason why Sunset got shut down years before construction begins. It prevents a crazy group like the Denny's group from saving the Sunset.

Tallman -> nobody is disputing your bit. Denny's isn't an old-world brick charmer on a historically registered street however.

Tallman

I just thought I would remind folks about another building in Ballard that used to be a real crap hole…it was run down, dirty, smelly place that was in need of a total restoration. It sat dormant for months, maybe even a year or more… then someone came along and put some money into it and now it’s a beautiful restaurant. And what restaurant is that you ask…Its The Hi-Life. I know the old Ballard fire house has more historical significance than the old Manning’s building, but I’m just saying old crappy buildings can be fixed up into something cool. Just something to think about...