1 00:00:01,267 --> 00:00:06,106 (piano music) 2 00:00:07,173 --> 00:00:08,908 I moved in for the architecture 3 00:00:08,908 --> 00:00:12,512 because I thought it was the amazing place to live with lots of nice outdoor space. 4 00:00:13,713 --> 00:00:15,915 What I didn't expect was the community. 5 00:00:16,449 --> 00:00:19,386 It's so easy to just come out into the courtyard in the summer 6 00:00:19,386 --> 00:00:23,523 and sit out here and have an impromptu barbecue to kind of share food. 7 00:00:23,790 --> 00:00:25,492 You find details everywhere. 8 00:00:25,492 --> 00:00:29,496 The the door handles, the crystal door handles, 9 00:00:29,729 --> 00:00:32,599 the wood floors, the arches. 10 00:00:32,699 --> 00:00:33,767 People would say this all the time. 11 00:00:33,767 --> 00:00:38,805 It felt like a secret garden, like a total little oasis, in like vibrant Capitol Hill. 12 00:00:40,206 --> 00:00:43,276 It's a challenging space too, right? Because, 13 00:00:43,276 --> 00:00:46,846 it’s a challenge to have a front door that's entirely glass. 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,649 But then it also creates a little frame. 15 00:00:49,783 --> 00:00:51,151 You see people coming and going. 16 00:00:51,151 --> 00:00:53,820 You see the life being lived. 17 00:00:53,820 --> 00:00:56,089 It's that kind of thing where the proof is in the pudding. 18 00:00:57,257 --> 00:00:59,559 The building is designed to build community 19 00:00:59,559 --> 00:01:01,694 and it just does that. 20 00:01:04,998 --> 00:01:07,834 The La Quinta Apartments that was built in 1927 21 00:01:08,168 --> 00:01:13,139 and it was built by a developer, Frederick Anhalt, who some may know. 22 00:01:13,139 --> 00:01:17,777 He was very much known for his 1920s apartment buildings. 23 00:01:18,511 --> 00:01:20,080 The La Quinta is more unique. 24 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,616 His style is what we call Spanish eclectic. 25 00:01:24,884 --> 00:01:28,888 It started because we learned that the building was going up for sale 26 00:01:28,922 --> 00:01:32,792 and because they owned the two houses next to this building, 27 00:01:33,059 --> 00:01:38,465 we had nightmares of a giant apartment complex or something like that. 28 00:01:38,465 --> 00:01:41,835 So none of us really knew how to do it. 29 00:01:42,268 --> 00:01:45,505 So Samantha had started 30 00:01:45,538 --> 00:01:48,541 on some links and connecting with people. 31 00:01:49,142 --> 00:01:52,045 They put us in contact with Eugenia, 32 00:01:52,278 --> 00:01:56,249 and so we could have a way to to know how to do this. 33 00:01:56,983 --> 00:02:00,120 Once we saw the property and how special 34 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,723 it was, Historic Seattle decided that it was 35 00:02:03,957 --> 00:02:07,560 something that was very much worth our efforts to help. 36 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:12,298 We were able to find the funding within our budget to have a nomination prepared. 37 00:02:12,966 --> 00:02:16,402 It was kind of neat to see how people have come 38 00:02:16,569 --> 00:02:19,405 out of the woodwork to to help save it. 39 00:02:19,806 --> 00:02:21,574 I grew up on 17th and Denny, 40 00:02:22,709 --> 00:02:23,977 my dad's building. 41 00:02:23,977 --> 00:02:26,746 I learned to bike down this street here. 42 00:02:26,846 --> 00:02:31,751 I remember crashing into a bush down down that way. 43 00:02:32,185 --> 00:02:34,921 It was a very sort of integrated environment. 44 00:02:35,221 --> 00:02:39,959 The fact that my dad owned it there was a couple, mixed couples. 45 00:02:40,293 --> 00:02:41,427 It feels similar. 46 00:02:41,427 --> 00:02:43,930 It still has like a Capitol Hill feel to it. 47 00:02:43,930 --> 00:02:49,002 I mean, I think the gentrification has kicked in. 48 00:02:49,035 --> 00:02:52,839 There definitely used to be, I think, more black folks around here. 49 00:02:53,706 --> 00:02:54,007 Yeah. 50 00:02:54,007 --> 00:02:57,377 So I grew up in nine and that was my bedroom. 51 00:02:57,944 --> 00:02:59,879 I left this building. 52 00:02:59,879 --> 00:03:02,448 You know, when I was seven, had no connection to it, 53 00:03:02,849 --> 00:03:06,419 but just from living in Capitol Hill, making friends 54 00:03:06,419 --> 00:03:10,290 and came to find people that have lived here again. 55 00:03:10,290 --> 00:03:15,094 And I think it's that kind of place where people kind of knit together 56 00:03:15,195 --> 00:03:16,296 pretty quickly. So 57 00:03:19,899 --> 00:03:20,767 I just want to kind of go 58 00:03:20,767 --> 00:03:24,504 over some of the process of the next steps and then what to expect. 59 00:03:24,704 --> 00:03:29,142 So February 3rd is the hearing with the Seattle Landmarks Board. 60 00:03:29,475 --> 00:03:30,577 Are you planning on 61 00:03:30,577 --> 00:03:34,314 all doing verbal comments or somebody might do written or both or? 62 00:03:34,681 --> 00:03:37,350 It's not always clear cut. 63 00:03:37,483 --> 00:03:40,453 You know, so I'm, I'm a little nervous. 64 00:03:40,753 --> 00:03:42,188 I would definitely work in, 65 00:03:42,188 --> 00:03:45,091 what a benefit it is during 66 00:03:45,091 --> 00:03:47,994 this pandemic too, right, to have this space. 67 00:03:48,428 --> 00:03:49,495 - So much to say. 68 00:03:49,495 --> 00:03:52,265 The residents were great because they, they were excited. 69 00:03:52,298 --> 00:03:54,767 They wanted to participate and help somehow. 70 00:03:54,767 --> 00:03:57,704 And so they all had different skill sets on their own. 71 00:03:57,837 --> 00:04:01,808 One of the residents quickly created a really nice website, 72 00:04:01,808 --> 00:04:05,211 which is awesome. Another resident is a graphic designer, 73 00:04:05,211 --> 00:04:08,715 so she created a viva La Quinta logo and the poster and 74 00:04:08,948 --> 00:04:11,217 and so it all kind of came together really well. 75 00:04:11,784 --> 00:04:14,621 Several times we've talked about trying to make this happen 76 00:04:14,621 --> 00:04:17,757 as a community, but not really knowing how to go about it. 77 00:04:17,757 --> 00:04:19,525 So I think this time 78 00:04:19,525 --> 00:04:23,396 it seems like with all of the support we're getting that it's possible. 79 00:04:24,731 --> 00:04:26,666 As an architect, it's really nice to hear 80 00:04:26,666 --> 00:04:30,103 when it feels like architecture actually has an effect on community. 81 00:04:30,103 --> 00:04:32,338 And I think in this place 82 00:04:32,372 --> 00:04:34,474 it obviously does with the community support. 83 00:04:34,741 --> 00:04:37,010 -I move that the board approved the nomination. 84 00:04:37,910 --> 00:04:39,779 - I second the motion. 85 00:04:39,779 --> 00:04:41,147 - Approved. - Approved. 86 00:04:41,147 --> 00:04:42,315 - I approve. - I approve. 87 00:04:42,649 --> 00:04:43,750 - I approve. 88 00:04:43,750 --> 00:04:46,352 - I approve. - And I also approve. 89 00:04:46,352 --> 00:04:47,453 We did it. 90 00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:50,790 (joyful music) 91 00:04:52,692 --> 00:04:55,595 Cheers, congratulations. Yay! 92 00:04:59,766 --> 00:05:01,601 I've been here 17 years. 93 00:05:01,601 --> 00:05:04,237 And it's not just 94 00:05:04,470 --> 00:05:06,039 a certain group of people. 95 00:05:06,039 --> 00:05:08,341 It's whoever lives here. 96 00:05:08,341 --> 00:05:11,944 So that's pretty amazing that it keeps kind of fostering 97 00:05:11,944 --> 00:05:16,582 the same sort of community and interaction. 98 00:05:17,383 --> 00:05:19,886 The space creates community. 99 00:05:20,019 --> 00:05:24,223 So, I mean, I don't know a single person in the city that has that in the way 100 00:05:24,223 --> 00:05:25,591 that La Quinta has that. 101 00:05:25,591 --> 00:05:30,129 - Moving here showed me how important architecture is. 102 00:05:30,129 --> 00:05:33,533 Now I really appreciate how buildings actually 103 00:05:35,468 --> 00:05:36,302 move people through 104 00:05:36,302 --> 00:05:39,238 space, how they bring people together or keep people apart, 105 00:05:40,239 --> 00:05:44,043 how negligent design can just for no fault of its own, 106 00:05:44,043 --> 00:05:47,880 you know, squash community and something really intentionally designed 107 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:49,415 like this can build it. 108 00:05:49,415 --> 00:05:56,689 (joyful music) 109 00:06:05,698 --> 00:06:10,636 Watch City Stream Tuesday nights at seven on the Seattle Channel or find us anytime 110 00:06:10,636 --> 00:06:14,907 online at SeattleChannel.org.