If you are trying to save a historic Seattle building, structure, object, landscape, or neighborhood from inappropriate alteration or demolition, this is the article for you. It is intended for use as a guide for preservation advocacy by outlining possible courses of action you can take on your own. If you are not directly involved in preserving a threatened historic resource, we encourage you to save this guide or pass it on to someone who is working on a preservation advocacy issue. The following steps are designed to engage you and draw you in to the passion of historic preservation where you will find many equally passionate colleagues.

1. Discover whatever you can about the building or site that you are trying to preserve.

What makes the building or place significant?
Is the architecture unusual or special?
Did a famous architect design the place?
Did a famous person live there?
Did an important event take place there?

Is it on the National Register of Historic Places? You can discover the property's National Register status by visiting the National Register Information System National Register Information System A National Register listing usually doesn’t protect a building but it shows how significant the structure is.

Is it part of a City of Seattle historic district? This can be verified by visiting Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Preservation Website Buildings, structures, objects, and landscapes in Seattle's seven historic districts are protected by City regulations. If the site is not part
of an existing local historic district, consider working to incorporate it into one as a long-range plan, or establishing a new local historic district.

Is it listed in a local historic resource survey? Information
    is available from the City of Seattle Department of
    Neighborhoods website at city survey section showing
    what parts of the City have been surveyed. Each of the
    thousands of site records displayed on this website
    indicates whether the property is historically significant.

Does it have any other type of important designation or
    status in the community? Remember, not every building
    can be saved and you cannot afford to save every
    building.

2. Determine what is the exact nature of the threat to the building/landscape.

Is it owner neglect? If so, then Seattle's health and zoning
    laws require that buildings should be maintained. Check
    to see if the local codes can reverse the situation.

Is it threatened with demolition or with alteration beyond
    recognition? Is the threat a neighborhood rumor or have
    development permit signs been posted on the property?
    If it is a rumor, visit the city of Seattle permits website
    to determine exactly what has been proposed, or not,
    for the site. Do not perpetuate rumors.

If permit signs have been posted, copy the information
    from the sign and use that information to contact the
    owner or developer to find out more about the proposal.

3. Can you offer the owner any prudent and feasible alternatives to destruction?

If possible, speak to the owner personally. If that is not
    possible, write a letter to the owner expressing your
    concerns and send a copy of your letter to Historic
    Seattle. You can find out who owns property anywhere
    in King County by visiting The King County Assessor
    Website.

Ask the owner if any efforts have been made to examine
    adaptive reuse of this property? Old buildings can
    usually be successfully converted to office, residential,
    or commercial use.

4. Determine what your goal (or that of your organization) is.

Do you want to save and stabilize a building or are you
    considering long-term plans for the building/landscape?

Long-term plans require a great deal more funding,
    planning and energy than just short-term stabilization.
    Make sure that you have a solid plan (which includes
    funding sources) before you embark on any large
    projects.

5. Determine who else is trying to save the building (local historical societies, preservation organizations, government agencies) and join forces with them.

Make friends throughout your neighborhood.
    Environmentalists, business leaders, and local officials
     (not just preservationists) will join you if theybelieve in
    your cause. A group is more effective than a lone
    protestor. Historic Seattle conducts the oldest and
    most successful preservation advocacy program in this
    community. View our accomplishments at Historic
    Seattle's projects website.

6. Educate your neighborhood about the threatened site.

Show your neighbors why it is important to save the site.
    One way to illustrate this is to show an image of the
    site with and without the historic building/landscape.

When you present reasonable/feasible alternatives to
    demolition to the owner and your neighbors, you are
    also providing your neighborhood with more reasons to
    oppose demolition of the building or site. Sometimes
    there are good reasons for demolition, so you should be
    able to provide reasonable/feasible alternatives.

Contact representatives from local media outlets, including
    producers of websites and blogs. Express your
    concerns about the property succinctly and keep the
    issue in the public eye.

Contact your elected officials and inform them about the
    threat to the building/landscape. State your concerns
    about the destruction of the building/site succinctly and
    why it is important to save it. Briefly present your plan
    for alternatives to demolition.

Check Historic Seattle's website for ideas to preserve the
    historic building/landscape. Historic Seattle can help
    you with information on preservation advocacy, funding,
    restoration contractors, engineers,architects and
    researchers.

7. Always maintain a professional and business-like demeanor.

Listen to the opposition (as you would have them listen to you), and learn from them.

When you are called to make presentations, you should
    be clear and succinct. Practice your presentation out
    loud and check the time for its length. If you are
    uncomfortable speaking in public, bring along an
    articulate friend who shares your views.

Emotional outbursts are counterproductive and will alienate potential allies.

8. Determine the best ways to protect the site.

Work with the owner to place a preservation easement on
    the property. A preservation easement is a legal
    agreement that grants a limited right to a qualified
    nonprofit organization, such as Historic Seattle, to
    protect the property from changes that are not in
    keeping with its historic, architectural, or natural
    character. It provides reassurance that the property will
    be protected for generations to come.

Consider a City of Seattle historic landmark designation
    which will protect the property from demolition or
    inappropriate alteration. Owner consent is not required
    to create a City of Seattle landmark designation. To find
    out more about the designation process, visit City of
    Seattle Preservation Process Website,or enroll in
    Historic Seattle's next Landmark Nomination Workshop
    at Historic Seattle's events website.

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