Board sticks to bank site for Beacon Hill library

MomSeattle · DadSeattle · SPI · MySeattlePix · My account

Local

US/World

Sports

Business

A&E

Life

Comics

Photos

Opinion

Blogs

Buy Ads

Jobs

Autos

Homes

Rentals

NWsource

Local

Board sticks to bank site for Beacon Hill library

Tuesday, May 2, 2000

By PHUONG LE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

The Seattle Public Library is moving forward with a plan to locate its controversial Beacon Hill branch at a nearby Wells Fargo bank property, and will condemn it if necessary.

In recent weeks, trustees had feared that acquiring property would create too many delays.

But after reviewing other options at a special meeting yesterday, the library board stuck to its original plan.

Library and bank officials this month will negotiate a price for the bank property.

If that fails, library trustees plan to seek a City Council resolution May 23 to condemn the property. If the council agrees, it must file a petition in Superior Court, and the petition could go to a hearing and jury trial.

It was unclear how long such a process would take.

"In an ideal situation, avoiding condemnation is preferable," library President Gordon McHenry Jr. said.

Wells Fargo President Bob Byrne said the bank was willing to work with the library.

"We want to be on Beacon Hill," said Byrne, whose bank is also losing its First Hill property to Sound Transit construction. "We want to work with the community."

The bank may consider relocating to Beacon Market, a 19,000-square-foot property that had also been on the library's short list, Byrne said. He did not know how much the relocation would cost.

Two months ago, trustees voted 3-2 on the bank property at 2821 Beacon Ave. S. to build a new $4.7 million branch library.

The one-year search process has been fraught with controversy, as citizens turned out for often emotional, teary meetings to lobby for their choice.

Trustees favored the bank property for its easy access, visibility and traffic safety. They weighed two other locations yesterday: building at the existing site, 2519 15th Ave. S, or buying the Beacon Market property at 2500 Beacon Ave. S.

"It worked out, but it's not done yet," said a relieved Michael Richmond, president of the North Beacon Hill Council, who favored the bank property.

The mayor's spokesman, Dick Lilly, said Paul Schell supports the library's decision but worried that condemning a property would further delay construction.

The Beacon Hill library is one of 26 planned under a citywide construction project that includes a 355,000-square foot downtown library.

The Beacon Hill branch will house special collections in Spanish, Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese to serve the ethnically diverse neighborhood, now more than half Asian or Pacific Islander.

Many citizens yesterday spoke in favor of the bank property, saying the choice avoided the kinds of traffic and access problems at other locations.

Still, others pleaded with the board to keep the financial institution in Beacon Hill, a federally designated, economically depressed area.

"Why should we give up the bank for the library?" said Lucille Schweitzer, 76, a 34-year Beacon Hill resident.

"Leave the bank alone. They've taken away so many things from us seniors, it's not fair."

Debbie Amsden, who owns a child care center on Beacon Hill, criticized the board for not earlier considering properties that did not displace businesses or homes.

"I don't think it's the right decision," she said, "but given all the choices they are willing to look at, I guess it is."