Preservation Seattle - Neighborhoods: September 2006: A New Maritime Facility on North Lake Union: The Seattle Heritage Shipyard Project

A New Maritime Facility on North Lake Union: The Seattle Heritage Shipyard Project
By Flo Lentz, Mike Vlahovich, and John Chaney

What will happen to the historic vessels significant to Seattle's heritage? For the past few years, the local press has given some attention to the City Parks Department's decision to remove the present heritage vessel shipyard from its property at South Lake Union. Through the efforts of the Seattle/King County Task Force on Maritime Heritage, a preservation solution has emerged.

The Seattle Heritage Shipyard Project will transform an underutilized waterfront site in Seattle's industrial zone into a much-needed maintenance and repair facility for Washington's historic fleet, and a location for public education and heritage interpretation. The $1,642,600 project will conduct necessary upgrades to perform the varied aspects of professional ship repair, to welcome the public, and to encourage academic research, vessel documentation, and instruction on site. The North Lake Union heritage vessel maintenance and repair facility will comprise approximately 5,000 square feet within the existing main building, as well as the entire site. Begun in February, 2005, the anticipated project completion date is June, 2009.

The Seattle Heritage Shipyard will contribute to the interpretation and preservation of state, local, and Native American history and culture by providing the stewards of significant historic vessels with a facility where professional staff will be on hand to support, enhance, and guide preservation efforts. Threats to Seattle's historic fleet have mounted in recent years with some falling into disrepair, some cited as threats to public safety, and some leaving the region. The Seattle/King County Task Force on Maritime Heritage staffed by 4Culture, identified the lack of a dedicated site for working moorage and vessel repair as a primary factor in this crisis situation.

The Metro Dock site and its existing warehouse structure at 1445 N. Northlake Way is owned by King County. The project will comply with all required state and federal cultural resource laws. The shipyard facility's mission will be an exclusive focus on the preservation of Washington's maritime treasures. Models for this project may be seen at major maritime museum preservation boat shops in other areas of the nation including the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Center in St. Michaels, Maryland, and Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. At these sites, historic vessels are documents, restored, and maintained for the purpose of returning them to public benefit as dock side interpretive exhibits, or as "at sea" programming vessels.

A working shipyard dedicated to the repair and restoration of Seattle's historic fleet and heritage vessels of Washington state is the pivotal recommendation that emerged from the efforts of the Seattle/King County Task Force on Maritime Heritage in 2005. The Seattle Heritage Shipyard is an absolutely critical next step for the survival of maritime heritage in this city. Without it, the large vessels that embody so much of the region's maritime legacy will be lost for all time. Never before have the many nonprofit organizations that steward these historic vessels had the advantage of a secure location where the necessary work of maintenance and preservation can proceed.

Although envisioned to be a facility open to the public for viewing and education, the Heritage Shipyard is primarily intended to provide critically needed behind-the-scenes technical support for heritage vessels and the organizations entrusted with their care. All preservation techniques employed at the facility will meet the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects. Activities at the site will include passing on traditional skills through a Master/Apprentice program involving youth through hands-on training, and inviting the public to participate in skill demonstrations, music, and storytelling events. Passing on the cultural continuity of Washington's maritime past and present will be the ultimate achievement of the shipyard and its programs.

Some Washington's vessels that would qualify for shipyard services are listed below with their historic designations and their steward organizations:

Virginia V (National Historic Landmark), Virginia V Foundation
Arthur Foss (National Historic Landmark), Northwest Seaport
Relief (National Register of Historic Places), Northwest Seaport
Zodiac (National Register of Historic Places), The Vessel Zodiac
Corporation/Northwest Schooner Society
Adventuress (National Historic Landmark), Sound Experience
Martha (National Register of Historic Places), Schooner Martha Foundation
Duwamish (National Historic Landmark), Puget Sound Fireboat Foundation
Pirate (National Register of Historic Places), Center for Wooden Boats

The restoration of many of these ships requires shipwright work on heavy timbers. Previously, the Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Center conducted these efforts at South Lake Union using their heavy ship's saw. This saw is designed specifically for accommodating large, heavy timbers and for cutting the angles and cambers needed for wooden ship restoration. Few organizations still do this type of work and these saws are very rare. The ship's saw will be relocated to the Seattle Heritage Shipyard on North Lake Union as a donation and show of support from the Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Center. The value of this critical piece of equipment is $12,500 as assessed by an accredited shipwright and marine surveyor.

With this project, Historic Seattle is preserving significant threatened historic resources by securing a dedicated facility for the maintenance and repair of heritage vessels through partnership with the Coastal Heritage Alliance and 4Culture, and in concert with the Center for Wooden Boats and with the Museum of History and Industry. To accomplish this, Historic Seattle will enter into a long-term lease or use agreement with King County Metro, and in turn sublet the site to Coastal Heritage Alliance.

The Coastal Heritage Alliance is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of commercial fishing family cultural heritage as it still exists n the persons, vessels, skills, and stories of a rapidly vanishing industry once prevalent among and vital to the socio-economic life of communities along the shores of North America. Coastal Heritage Alliance is a pivotal and guiding advocate for the maintenance and preservation of commercial fishing family heritage through the design, development and implementation of innovative and effective research projects, documentation techniques and public programming both at sea and within the coastal communities of North America.

The Coastal Heritage Alliance seeks the establishment of a PortalSite/Education Center on the West Coast where it can live out its mission and apply its professional experience for the benefit of the maritime heritage community at large. The Seattle Heritage Shipyard project offers the Coastal Heritage Alliance the potential to accomplish both goals and become even more effective through its collaboration with Historic Seattle and 4Culture, marine environmental organizations, preservationists, schools, and other maritime heritage groups. The Coastal Heritage Alliance will sublease the Metro Dock site from Historic Seattle, and operate the shipyard and its public programs.

Read the full report of the Seattle/King County Task Force on Maritime Heritage online at: 4Culture's website.