2009 General Election Candidates' Survey
The 2009 General Election is November 3rd. Historic Seattle is conducting a candidates’ survey of those running for public office in the City of Seattle, King County, and Port of Seattle. Responses to each question were limited to 200 words or less. We are posting responses as we receive them and will continue to do so through October 28, 2009.
Mayor of Seattle | Seattle City Council | King County Executive | Port of Seattle Commission
Candidates for the Mayor of Seattle and Seattle City Council were asked the following questions. Responses follow each question.
- Seattle is often viewed as one of the most desirable cities in which to live. How does historic preservation contribute to making our city more livable? What is your favorite Seattle landmark (officially designated or not)? For a list of the City’s official landmarks, go to http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation/
landmarks_listing.htm.
Mayor
Joe Mallahan
Mike McGinn - Response - 10/16/09
City Council Position No. 2
Richard Conlin - Response - 9/21/09
David Ginsberg
City Council Position No. 4
Sally Bagshaw - Response - 9/24/09
David Bloom
City Council Position No. 6
Nick Licata
Jessie Israel
City Council Position No. 8
Mike O'Brien
Robert Rosencrantz - Response - 9/28/09
- Background: Preservation plays a key role in economic development, community revitalization, and sustainability. Donovan Rypkema, an industry leader in the economics of preservation, states, "Historic Preservation has often been portrayed as the alternative to economic development-either we have historic preservation OR we have economic growth. This is absolutely a false choice. Increasingly around the world historic preservation is becoming a uniquely effective vehicle for economic growth. Historic preservation has moved from being an end by itself (save old buildings in order to save old buildings) to being a vehicle of broader ends-center city revitalization, job creation, small business incubation, housing, tourism, and others." In Seattle, we have seen the success in revitalized neighborhoods that are also designated historic districts such as Pike Place Market, Ballard Avenue, Pioneer Square, the International District, and Columbia City.
Question: As an elected official, how would you ensure that preservation is valued and our historic properties are protected while achieving growth management, increased density, sustainability, and economic development goals?
Mayor
Joe Mallahan
Mike McGinn - Response - 10/16/09
City Council Position No. 2
Richard Conlin - Response - 9/21/09
David Ginsberg
City Council Position No. 4
Sally Bagshaw - Response - 9/24/09
David Bloom
City Council Position No. 6
Nick Licata
Jessie Israel
City Council Position No. 8
Mike O’Brien
Robert Rosencrantz - Response - 9/28/09
- Background: In 2006, City Council adopted new downtown zoning legislation that encourages residential housing in areas outside the main office core and greater office development in the office core through increased building heights and greater maximum floor area, among other incentives for developers. For more information, see http://www.seattle.gov/DPD/Planning/Downtown_Zoning
_Changes/Overview/.
As part of the City’s planning efforts for a more livable downtown, a survey and inventory of downtown buildings was conducted in 2006 in conjunction with the changes to the downtown zoning code. The survey, inventory, and preparation of landmark nominations for consideration by the Landmarks Preservation Board are valuable, pro-active planning tools on the part of the City to identify potential historic properties. These efforts are of great value to property owners and developers. As a planning tool, they are helpful in understanding the development possibilities early in the process. For more information, see http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation/survey
_and_inventory_07.htm.
Even in the current economic climate, workload related to historic preservation in the City has increased.
Question: Will you support sufficient funding for the City’s Historic Preservation Program to ensure 1) the continued administration of existing programs that value and protect Seattle’s historic places; 2) ongoing historic property surveys and inventories in our neighborhoods; and 3) ongoing preparation of landmark nominations for downtown properties identified by the City as potentially eligible for landmark listing?
Mayor
Joe Mallahan
Mike McGinn - Response - 10/16/09
City Council Position No. 2
Richard Conlin - Response - 9/21/09
David Ginsberg
City Council Position No. 4
Sally Bagshaw - Response - 9/24/09
David Bloom
City Council Position No. 6
Nick Licata
Jessie Israel
City Council Position No. 8
Mike O’Brien
Robert Rosencrantz - Response - 9/28/09
Candidates for King County Executive were asked the following questions. Responses follow each question.
- Seattle and many King County communities are often viewed as some of the most desirable places in which to live. Do you believe historic preservation is important and how does it contribute to making our communities more livable? What is your favorite King County landmark (officially designated or not)? To view the King County Landmarks Register, go to
http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/bred/historic.aspx.
Dow Constantine
Susan Hutchison
- Background: Preservation plays a key role in economic development, community revitalization, and sustainability. Donovan Rypkema, an industry leader in the economics of preservation, states, “Historic Preservation has often been portrayed as the alternative to economic development—either we have historic preservation OR we have economic growth. This is absolutely a false choice. Increasingly around the world historic preservation is becoming a uniquely effective vehicle for economic growth. Historic preservation has moved from being an end by itself (save old buildings in order to save old buildings) to being a vehicle of broader ends—center city revitalization, job creation, small business incubation, housing, tourism, and others.”
Question: As an elected official, how would you ensure that preservation is valued and our historic properties are protected while achieving growth management, increased density, sustainability, and economic development goals?
Dow Constantine
Susan Hutchison
- King County’s diverse range of cultural resources is vital for maintaining our sense of history and place, particularly as the county experiences growth and change. Do you believe it is important to continue funding cultural resource and heritage programs? How would you ensure that these programs continue to receive sufficient funding? What sources of funding currently exist and how would you allocate funding to the many organizations throughout the county that have few funding opportunities?
Dow Constantine
Susan Hutchison
Candidates for Port of Seattle Commission were asked the following question. Responses follow each question.
Background: The State is currently leading an effort to have the United States Congress designate Washington’s coastline (including Puget Sound and the Lake Washington Ship Canal to Lake Union) as a National Maritime Heritage Area. Designation would formally honor Washington State’s maritime history and working waterfronts. This designation could also serve as an economic development tool, provide grant funding opportunities, and promote heritage tourism in the region. For more information, go to http://www.maritimeheritage.net/resources/mha.asp and http://www.akcho.org/advisor/?p=483.
Question: As a Port of Seattle Commissioner, would you publicly support designation of Washington’s coastline (including areas controlled by the Port of Seattle) as a National Maritime Heritage Area? If designated, how would you actively promote the program to help ensure success?
Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 3
David Doud
Rob Holland
Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 4
Tom Albro
Max Vekich - Response - 10/1//09
Mayor of Seattle | Seattle City Council | King County Executive | Port of Seattle Commission
Reponse to Question 1:
City Council Position No. 2
Richard Conlin
I have a degree in history, and I am very aware of how important it is to put contemporary life in perspective. Buildings embody that history, and are part of the ways we preserve memory and context. They make our neighborhoods more meaningful, varied, and livable. Historic buildings link us tangibly with our past, reminding us of the importance of our predecessors in shaping what our city is now. They also help us to recall times that were different from ours, sometimes more accommodating to human needs and scales, and sometimes not. Historic structures also offer us an important sense of continuity and, like the Pike Place Market, Smith Tower, and Volunteer Park Water Tower, often serve as popular landmarks that inform our identity as a community. Combined with oral and written history, they preserve continuity from our ancestors to our descendents. Historic buildings also are containers for the carbon and energy that went into constructing them and their preservation helps fight climate change. I have a lot of favorite landmarks, from the Pike Place Market to the Carnegie Libraries to the historic homes. I am also very proud of the new landmarks that the City has developed, and which are designed to be there for future generations, like the new libraries and City Hall.
Reponse to Question 2:
City Council Position No. 2
Richard Conlin
As I noted above, historic preservation is a key part of a greenhouse gas strategy, and adaptive reuse is a great way to create economic development while ensuring historic preservation. In a larger sense, our work to ensure good development and healthy communities in the City is an important part of historic preservation. The Growth Management Act is aimed at preservation of our farms, forest, and wilderness – all vitally important from an historical perspective, among other reasons. However, by revitalizing our neighborhoods and central business district and building transportation systems and land use patterns that encourage people to invest in Seattle buildings and communities, we not only contribute to maintaining the growth management boundary, but to the health of our community as well. A stagnant community where people shop in suburban malls is not a good environment for historic preservation: deteriorating historic buildings are a recipe for disaster, likely to be swept away in whenever the next development wave or fad takes place (remember the losses associated with urban renewal!). The best way to preserve historic buildings is to fill them with thriving businesses that can keep up the buildings and ensure that they remain a vital part of the fabric of the community. While we must have the right protections to resist development pressure on the historic structures, the economic vitality that we are aiming at with our policies will support these historic buildings and provide the interest and investors that can maintain their quality into the future.
Reponse to Question 3:
City Council Position No. 2
Richard Conlin
I have supported surveys to inventory and identify potential landmarks, including the downtown inventory. I opposed cutting back on survey funding, as was proposed by the Mayor for several years, and I am pleased that we were able to continue funding until the downtown survey was completed. I support funding to continue to designate downtown landmarks that the survey has suggested for nomination. When the Mayor reduced the funding for staffing the historic districts, I was a leader on the Council in finding resources that could be used to retain those staff and in restoring funding. We cannot reduce the staffing and other resources that are essential to maintaining these seven historic districts, the continued administration of our historic resources, and the continuing surveying of neighborhoods for historic resources.
Reponse to Question 1:
City Council Position No. 4
Sally Bagshaw
Seattle is a beautiful and desirable city. Few would debate such an obvious point. But what makes it so beautiful? Is it the region as a whole? Being surrounded by water? Having the mountains dot the landscape? The amazing skyline?
It is all of these combined that make Seattle one of the most livable cities
But another important aspect that makes Seattle so special is our neighborhoods. They have a personality to themselves and each is unique in its own way. And one of the reasons each neighborhood has its own feel is because of the existing buildings.
These gems are all around us and choosing one would be impossible. I walk by the Jeweler’s Clocks almost on a daily basis. I can’t help but think of the history of our city when I see the Smith Tower. I imagine what our city was once like when I go down Airport Way South and the massive brick buildings of the Rainier Cold Storage loom over me. And I smile when I have the good fortune to take to the water and sail under the Montlake Bridge.
Our city is full of gems. We need to actively preserve them for future generations to enjoy, and as an elected official, I will do just that.
Reponse to Question 2:
City Council Position No. 4
Sally Bagshaw
A couple years back, when new development was booming, I heard someone say ‘progress doesn’t mean destruction’. I couldn’t agree more. While I do welcome new development and see its necessity, especially when our region is going to experience such growth in the coming years, I also know the value in existing structures.
So many of our existing structures illustrate our past, our history, and add a charm to our neighborhoods and city as a whole. You can’t duplicate or recreate that so we need to find a way to embrace that historical relevance rather than view it as an obstacle.
What Seattle needs to do is fine the balance between new and old. And I am of the belief that we don’t necessarily have to choose.
There are plenty of examples of adaptive reuse: developers find ways to give new life and new purpose to an older building. H istoric preservation should be a key part of our overall growth strategy. And as elected officials, we need to set that tone. We need to advocate for and support preservation.
Reponse to Question 3:
City Council Position No. 4
Sally Bagshaw
Sufficient funding is crucial for our city to support historic preservation program and its many projects. This is a valuable program that needs to be continued and perhaps built upon, especially in light of the anticipated growth our city faces.
We need to educate the importance of preservation and the public benefits associated with it. We also need to do a better job of leveraging the many possibilities between public/private partnerships.
We can view this lull in our economy as an opportunity to reprioritize our goals. Since new development has slowed, we can take advantage and prepare: we can set our agenda regarding preservation. The city government should be a strong advocate and leader of the effort and we need to start now. As mentioned above, regarding historical building and potential landmarks, you can’t duplicate or recreate them so we need to find a way to embrace their historical relevance rather than view it as an obstacle.
Reponse to Question 1:
Seattle City Council Position 8
Robert Rosencrantz
Seattle City Council Position 8
Physical structures contain wisdom of ages, and as such they constitute some of the intellectual capitol of our society. Preserving these historic structures is just as important as keeping older books in libraries. We can learn from them and allow them to inform our judgment on a daily basis.
My favorite landmark is the Arboretum Aqueduct, which I run across all the time after running through the Arboretum. It is a perfect example of planning and architecture that adds beauty, while taking care of basic city functions.
Reponse to Question 2:
Seattle City Council Position 8
Robert Rosencrantz
New development and additional density must occur within a broader framework that builds upon the wisdom of the past as contained in historic structures. Integrating these structures into new development has been successfully done around the City and I would work hard to make sure it continues to be done. It is clearly more environmentally sustainable to adapt or integrate existing structures than it is to tear them down.
Reponse to Question 3:
Seattle City Council Position 8
Robert Rosencrantz
Yes, funding for administering for existing programs is particularly important during this lull in construction activity. Now is also the right time to focus on surveys and inventories of historic properties in our neighborhoods. How best to achieve the goal of Citywide historic preservation is something I would look forward to working on as a member of the City Council.
Reponse to Question for Port of Seattle Commission:
Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 4
Max Vekich
I am supportive of the effort to designate Washington's coastline as a National Maritime Heritage Area. This is yet another opportunity the Port has to become a better neighbor.
As a former four term Democratic legislator from the old 35th district, I have fought battles to preserve our rich maritime history. The flag ship, “Lady Washington” is the official ship of the State of Washington in large part because of the work I did in the State House . Also, as a legislator, I helped make sure that the U.S.S. Turner Joy, the famed Navy Destroyer from the Vietnam War, became a museum and wasn't sent out to be sunk at the bottom of the ocean. I have a record of defending our maritime heritage because I believe it is an integral part of the Northwest and I want my children’s children to be able to enjoy it as I have.
As a Port Commissioner I will support efforts to preserve, maintain, and improve our State's coastline so that future generations can enjoy our history.
Reponse to Question 1:
Mayor of Seattle
Mike McGinn
Preservation isn’t just about protecting our past, it’s also about insuring our future. A walk downtown or in most neighborhoods is like a walk through a library, with buildings, streets and open spaces telling the stories of our past and informing our future. The rich fabric of schools, houses, bridges, and buildings give us a sense of history while at the same time house resources for communities. As our city continues to grow, it is essential that these resources be preserved but also integrated into new neighborhood development—so that our future and past can co-exist in a way that’s meaningful. 2
This would not have been possible without the pioneering preservation efforts that have been undertaken in the City since 1973. When our landmark ordinance was established, our relatively young city did an extraordinary thing by establishing a 25-year threshold for designation. Now Seattle continues to lead with great examples like the Cadillac Hotel renovation and the Preservation Green Lab.
Some of my favorite landmarks include the series of clocks downtown, our collection of fire stations and schools, Gas Works Park, the Pac Med building, which is perhaps one of the most prominent landmarks, and many buildings in downtown, Pioneer Square, and the International District.
Reponse to Question 2:
Mayor of Seattle
Mike McGinn
I will:
- Ensure that historic preservation is integrated into neighborhood planning
- Encourage developers or organizations to use historic buildings for adaptive re-use through education and incentives
- Retain exceptions given to historic buildings and evaluate if these exceptions are truly an incentive
I am also gravely concerned about the impacts that the deep-bore tunnel will have on one of Seattle’s most cherished neighborhoods, Pioneer Square. The preliminary drawings show that the south portal of the proposed tunnel will have a deleterious impact on the collection of historic structures in this neighborhood, due to increased automobile traffic that would result from the tunnel plan and, I fear, the geologic instability of the soils beneath that neighborhood. Because there are no exits in downtown, Pioneer Square will be the recipient of more freeway on/off-ramps, an increase in automobile traffic, heightened pedestrian safety issues, and what sounds to me like an overall degradation of the neighborhood.
Reponse to Question 3:
Mayor of Seattle
Mike McGinn
Yes.