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December 9, 2016

Building on Second Ave. nominated as landmark

By LYNN PORTER
Journal staff reporter

Photo by NK Architects [enlarge]
Minglian Realty LLC of Vancouver, B.C., proposed an 8-story apartment building on the Mama’s site.

Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board voted unanimously Wednesday to nominate the Mama's Mexican Kitchen building at 2234 Second Ave. in Belltown as a city landmark.

The board will consider designation of the building as a landmark at its meeting at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 18 in Room L280 of City Hall at 600 Fourth Ave.

It voted to nominate the exterior and interior, said Sarah Sodt, landmarks board coordinator. Often the board tours a building after it nominates it to determine if the interior should be designated, she said. It cannot designate more than has been nominated.

A landmark cannot be significantly altered without a permit from the board. It may be demolished only if the owner can demonstrate there is no reasonable economic use.

In August, Lin Xu, a manager with Minglian Realty LLC of Vancouver, B.C., said Minglian planned to start construction next year on an eight-story, 63-unit apartment building on the Mama's site. Studio19 Architects is designing the building.

At that time, Xu said Minglian planned to raze the Mama's building for the project, and didn't have a “Plan B” if the building was designated a landmark “because it's such a small site.”

On Thursday Xu said, “We have no comment at this stage.”

Minglian purchased the building in March of 2015 for nearly $4.53 million, according to King County records. The site is 6,480 square feet.

The landmark nomination application, prepared by NK Architects, says Mama's Mexican Kitchen was one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in Seattle. It began operation there in 1974. The popular eatery recently closed, and Mama's Cantina opened there. Elliott Bay Crossfit is also in the building.

According to the application, Henry and Mabel Schuett hired their son-in-law George Wellington Stoddard to design the 1924 building.

The structure is representative of the low-scale, commercial and light industrial buildings that were developed in Seattle in the early part of the 20th century, according to NK. It has housed a number of uses including an auto repair shop, and the Communist Party and Young Communist League.

The application notes that Stoddard was active in Seattle from the 1920s to the 1960s. His work includes Park Court Apartments, the Metropolitan Printing Press and Seattle Memorial Stadium.

The application is at http://tiny.cc/81b0gy under “Current Nominations.”


 


Lynn Porter can be reached by email or by phone at (206) 622-8272.




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