May 10, 2018

Knights of Columbus may sell its property

Photo by city of Seattle [enlarge]

The three-story building was constructed in 1912, with 33,708 square feet, and has not been landmarked.

Capitol Hill Blog has reported that the local Knights of Columbus chapter will vote next week whether to sell its century-old building at 722 E. Union St., and two contiguous parking lots.

The corner property, at Harvard Avenue, totals 27,747 square feet, and is zoned up to 65 feet.

The three-story building was constructed in 1912, with 33,708 square feet. It has not been landmarked. It is not publicly listed for sale. Within a range of $250 to $300 per square foot, it could be worth $6 to $8 million or more.

The property is steps away from the QFC at Harvard Market, close to the trendy Pike-Pine corridor and walkable to Capitol Hill Station. No parking would be required if it is redeveloped.

If the property is offered for sale, the Catholic fraternal order would be following in the steps of several other similar groups that have sold their meeting halls for renovation or redevelopment. Past examples include the OddFellows Building and Woman's Century Club on Capitol Hill, the Elks Lodge on Lower Queen Anne, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles downtown (now ACT Theatre).

And, on a related note, the OddFellows Building at 915 E. Pine St. is still listed for sale by Brian Bergman of Westlake Associates. It is now offered without an asking price, after first being offered in 2016 for $30 million.

The building last traded for $8.5 million in 2007.The buyers, an investor group led by Ted Schroth, spent $3 million on upgrades to create what is now one of the marquee retail-office-restaurant properties on the hill.