Latest Talaris Re-Development Status And Send Your Comments Now To Laurelhurst Community Club



 
The Laurelhurst Community Club recently published an in-depth update about the Talaris re-development update in their recent Laurelhurst newsletter.

In addition, LCC is also asking for comments regarding the issue and specifically about the fence the Talaris owner, Bruce McCaw, also referenced as Chairman Emeritus of Pistol Creek, put up in September along with a chain link fence, main driveway barricade, fence on northwest side and a surveillance camera. 
 
Comments can ben sent to jeannieh@serv.net.
 
Here are comments the Blog Staff has received
http://thelaurelhurstblog.blogspot.com/2014/02/dont-miss-citys-talaris-public-comment.html
http://thelaurelhurstblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/talaris-new-four-foot-fence-is-up.html
http://thelaurelhurstblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/tonight-king5-reporter-does-story-on.html
http://thelaurelhurstblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/update-from-recent-meeting-with-talaris.html
http://thelaurelhurstblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/neighbor-comments-and-lccs-legal-letter.html
 
And here are several of the many posts published by the Laurelhurst Blog:
 
Talaris Re-Development on KIRO-TV
Talaris Submits Retroactive Certificate of Approval After Violation Cutting Down Tree
Talaris Violates Landmark Ordinance
Batelle Site Granted Landmark Historic Status
No Trespassing Signs Could Result In Fine Or Jail Time
 
More Laurelhurst Blog posts can be found here.

Here is the Laurelhurst Community Club article:

What’s the Talaris Redevelopment Status?

Introduction

The 18-acre Talaris (formerly Battelle) site in the heart of Laurelhurst has been a focus of LCC concern for over three decades. Commencing in the 1980s, neighbors objected to Battelle’s increasing impacts on the neighborhood and its advertisement of the site for hotel and catering services open to the general public. In 1991, LCC and Battelle negotiated a Settlement Agreement binding Battelle and its successors to limitations on development, an agreed landscape plan, and legally enforceable “covenants running with the land,” keyed to the site’s single-family zoning and barring major institution (such as UW or Children’s Hospital) use of the site.

By 2004, the current owner had acquired the property, renamed Talaris. The owner now wants to redevelop the site. Despite the history of agreements with LCC, the Talaris owner has chosen to try to work around rather than with LCC. This can best be understood by reviewing the milestones in the current Talaris episode, which are listed below.

Tell LCC How the Talaris Fence Impacts You

The owner’s representatives have not responded positively to repeated LCC requests to negotiate. They have made it clear that the fence will not be removed and that they may even “padlock” the site. In considering what to do about this, LCC needs to hear from you. How you have used the site over the years?

Comments we have heard range from daily dog walking to baseball and soccer games, duck watching, and regular strolls to enjoy the vegetation and landscape design. Please send us an email telling us how and for how long you have used the site! Let us know how best to follow up and reach you. And if convenient, please email photos of your use.
Send email to jeannieh@serv.net.

Timeline of Talaris Events

July 29, 2013: Talaris makes unilateral proposal to eliminate the site’s single-family designation. Responding to LCC concerns, including about lack of consultation with neighbors, Seattle City Council rejects the proposal.

September 15-17, 2013: Without approval, Talaris commences installation of
a chain link fence surrounding the site. Long-standing public access is cut off, surveillance cameras are installed, and trespassing signs are posted threatening prosecution for those brave enough to  enter the site. These actions violate the 1991 Settlement Agreement with LCC as well as City Ordinance.

November 5, 2013: Talaris files an application with the City to redevelop the site with an 82-lot single family subdivision.

November 6, 2013: Despite Talaris opposition, the Landmarks Preservation Board votes unanimously to designate the Talaris site and structures as a landmark. Under the City’s landmarks law, the adoption of the nomination means there can be no alterations on the site without Board approval. The designation starts a period in which Talaris and the Board are supposed to negotiate “controls and incentives” for preservation of the site. 

November 25, 2013: The Talaris owner files Superior Court lawsuit against City to invalidate the November 6 historic landmark designation and to establish that the subdivision application vested. Talaris and City attorneys almost immediately cut a deal to stay the lawsuit for nine months, leaving it hanging over the City agencies as they consider what to do about Talaris’ subdivision application and the landmark designation.

December 13, 2013: LCC files a Motion to Intervene in the Talaris Superior Court lawsuit, noting that it has a legal stake and a long-time interest in the status and disposition of the site.

January 7, 2014: Despite absence of support from City Attorney and opposition by Talaris the Superior Court grants LCC intervener party status.

January 22 and February 11, 2014: LCC and historic preservation representatives meet with Talaris owner representatives to explore potential agreement on redevelopment. Talaris representatives suggest they have a concept  for an expanded hotel and conference center, but refuse to release specifics in response to LCC request. Talaris subsequently refuses to negotiate further with LCC.

February 27, 2014: In response to a request by LCC, the City holds a public comment meeting about the Talaris redevelopment at the Laurelhurst Community Center. At the meeting, LCC urges adoption of a moderate proposal for redevelopment of the site in place of the extreme concepts advocated by Talaris and others.

March – May 2014: LCC learns through documents obtained from City under Public Records Act that Talaris and City agencies have arranged a meeting about potential changes to the Land Use Code to accommodate possible Talaris hotel and conference center expansion plans.

July 2, 2014: Talaris requests a six-month extension from the Landmarks Board on negotiation to guide future development consistent with the landmark designation. There is no indication that negotiations have even commenced. LCC objects and notes neighbor comments that the owner is meanwhile degrading the site. The owner’s representative tells the Landmarks Board that the neighborhood is “obstructionist” and threatens that the site owner might “padlock it…with no further maintenance being done, and the natural state would take over.” The Board rejects the request for a six-month extension and reluctantly grants a three-month extension.

Two Options Under Consideration
LCC’s focus is on ensuring that any redevelopment of the site is based on compatible land uses, preventing adverse impacts, and preserving as much public access and open space as possible. LCC is concerned that the two development proposals most often mentioned for the site – the 82-lot subdivision and the possible expanded hotel/commercial/office development – represent extreme propositions.

While a subdivision could offer a permanent answer to the question of the site’s future, the particular subdivision laid out by Talaris maximizes density, inappropriately impinges upon important site features and amenities, and does not make use of clustering and other Land Use Code alternatives for development.

On the other hand, excessive expansion of hotel/office/conference center use would result in the kinds of neighborhood impacts that first prompted community objections thirty years ago. And, in the absence of a new binding settlement agreement with LCC, it would leave portions of the 18-acre site targeted for even more development down the road.

About Landmark Status
Although not widely acknowledged during the landmark process, a landmark designation unfortunately does not prevent and may even facilitate intensive redevelopment of the site. LCC nonetheless generally supported the landmark nomination, but cautioned that there was more to consider than whether the existing buildings would be preserved.

As neighbors have now seen, landmarking also does not maintain public access to the site. It has been fenced off and no trespassing signs posted, apparently enforced with surveillance cameras. Through its counsel, LCC has warned the Talaris owner that fencing off the site is inconsistent with the 1991 Settlement Agreement with LCC and potentially with the neighborhood’s legal prescriptive rights to access. To date, neither the City nor the groups listed by the Landmarks Board as sponsors of the landmark designation have taken formal positions demanding that the Talaris owner roll back cut-off of public access.

Bottom Line

LCC has invested a tremendous amount of money and its trustees have devoted many, many hours over the years to ensuring compatible, responsible development and use of the Talaris site. They are disappointed by the Owner’s current approach.

LCC is not the driver of any development option and did not put the property in play. LCC does, however, have a legally binding Settlement Agreement and a stake in the use of the parcel in the heart of its neighborhood.

LCC will continue, as it has over the past decades to work for a long-lasting, neighborhood-friendly solution that respects the quality of life in an established single-family zoned community. 

Here are additional comments the Laurelhurst Blog has received:

Is it just me, or is the developer pushing past regulations, agreements and conventions to produce a worst case in order to let all the neighbors accept something less bad with a sigh of relief? Say, like Childrens spreading further into the property, or a shopping mall?

I  just wanted to give my two cents so far on the proposed development at Talaris. I'm sure LCC is staying on top of the issue and will be great for guiding the community and neighborhood through this change. It appears as though Bruce McCaw and the developers are here to make the most money as they can.  I am suspicious of their push to rezone for the apartment units.  It feels like they are threatening the 90+ single family home development in order to get the neighborhood to allow for a rezone to a "seemingly" lower impact apartment building organization. But really, the apartments will bring in more people. 

I think the lowest impact to the neighborhood and environment is to have the least amount of development and people move into that area, and to protect the existing landscape, especially the trees and wildlife. And I think that means higher end homes or condos, and to be fair, some smaller units. It would be great to have some commercial spaces perhaps below the condos since Laurelhurst could use a "village" where neighbors can walk to meet for lunch/dinner or coffee, although I'm not sure if it is zoned for this. 

My concerns include traffic and the school enrollment numbers at Laurelhurst and the already over-extended middle schools, and just the general impact of that many people moving into this area. It seems as if the developer is purposely ignoring this very important issue. 

Getting in and out of our neighborhood is already challenging as it exists now. The new light near the new development at Children's is slow. NE 41st Street  is our main route for getting out of the neighborhood and both development plans will slow that street down as well. We all know how difficult it already is to get through the Montlake cut and the U district during rush hour. I can't imagine what additional delays will be created by the influx of cars and people to the area. 

I grew up next door to this beautiful green space. To believe that the city would allow such a neighborhood landmark to be simply bulldozed and graded would be such an unbelievably shocking loss for this space that has been so much a part of Laurelhurst. I hope the landmark status holds up.

Talaris Update Regarding Proposed School And Potential Sale To Another Buyer

Talaris Campus (courtesy of Talaris website)

The  Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) recently published this information in their newsletter:

Talaris Update

On January 4, the Talaris property owner’s representative requested another three-month extension from the Seattle Landmark’s Board. In addition to continued negotiations with the Academy for Precision Learning School, the owner is working on a potential sale of the property to a different buyer.

The Landmark’s Board expressed concern about the deteriorated building and property conditions due to neglect over the past four years. The Board granted permission to remove four trees on the property and asked for a Comprehensive Vegetation Management Plan to inform their decisions and keep the integrity of the landscape. The property manager stated that they did not have such a plan. 

At the June 2016 LCC Neighbor meeting, the Academy for Precision Learning School leadership team and architect presented their concept plan for potentially using the Talaris property, owned by Bruce Mc Caw under the name 4000 Property LLC and represented by Nathan Rimmer.

LCC said about the proposed school plan in a previous newsletter:

In conjunction with the approval from the Seattle Landmark’s Board preservation requirements, the Talaris site would retain most of the existing buildings (some possibly unused) and add at least two larger buildings to address the academy’s specific needs.  LCC will continue its efforts to collaborate with all parties to find a win-win solution for this very special property in the neighborhood.

And in October of last year LCC published this information: 

LCC Prevails on Talaris Ruling

On September 23, LCC attorney Peter Eglick, Richard Hill representing Talaris (4000 Properties), and the City Attorney’s office came before Judge Marianne Spearman to decide if Talaris would be granted another “stay” (delay) for their LUPA (Land Use Petition Act) and suit against the validity of the City of Seattle’s Landmark Board’s authority to govern buildings and sites.  These cases are intertwined, which has complicated the speedy resolution required by law for deciding land use issues.  

The Talaris owner has asked for and been granted several stays. If another three-months delay had been granted by the court, 1,000 days would have been spent to settle this case. The law spells out a maximum of 30 to 45 days.  The amount of time elapsed indicated that the Court would no longer have jurisdiction, because the time limit had been egregiously exceeded.  

Mr. Eglick cited another case and ruling to support his argument. He stressed before the court that LCC is not the entity driving up litigation, fees, and delays, but rather 4000 Properties.  The Judge noted the eight previous stays that she granted and asked why it would take another three months for the Academy for Precision Learning to figure out their finances. She ruled “enough,” and lifted the stay. No more delays will be permitted. 

The Judge ordered that LCC and Talaris work out a new LUPA appeal schedule, which they quickly did. It filed September 30.   This ruling is good news for LCC. Now if Talaris wants to continue its suit against the City of Seattle over its Landmark Board authority, LCC will not be part of it. It also reinforced LCC’s status as a party of record in the Talaris land use process. 

In November 2013, the City Landmarks Preservation Board granted landmark status to the Talaris/Batelle site.

Specific controls define those features of the landmark to be preserved and outline the Certificate of Approval process for changes to those features. Some incentives and controls included in the City's ruling are zoning variances, building code exceptions, and financial incentives. Once landmarks have been approved by parties involved, they are then subject to protection by city ordinance, as stated on the City's Landmark and Designation website.

After Talaris suddenly put up "No Trespassing" signs and installed a four feet chain link fencing in 2013, the grass where generations of kids practiced soccer was neglected and no longer mowed.

LCC said that they are continuing negotiations for a neighborhood-friendly Talaris redevelopment as well as lobbying for better property maintenance.

Talaris Driveway Barricaded And Curious Email Perhaps From A Talaris Representative



 

Driveway of Talaris with new chain and other barricades across the driveway

The owner of Talaris is still making changes at the campus, as nearby residents told us.

Yesterday a chain was put up across the driveway on NE 41st, and in front of the chain is are two orange cones at either end of the driveway and a wooden barricade in the middle, all serving as a barricade prohibiting people from entering the campus.

Hanging from the chain across the driveway is a "No Public Access" sign that says:

Use of this campus is reserved solely for tenants and invited guests of the Conference Center/Lodge. Violation of this condition is trespassing pursuant to SMC 12A, 08.040, 9A, 52.080

Here is information on the specific City codes cited on the Talaris signs, which if violated could result in jail time for 90 days or a $1000 fine.

Neighbors who use the services at Talaris, such as the acupuncture clinic, wonder how they will now drive into Talaris saying:

Am I supposed to get out of my car and remove the chain blocking the driveway and then the wooden barricade and then the two cones, especially at my older age?  

I wonder if my acupuncturist knows about this as I may no longer be able to go there with this latest activity. It would be too bad if the businesses starting losing customers as a result of this. Were they in on this decision? Probably not.

And will there be a security guard at the chained off driveway now? It is hard to understand the intent of Talaris with all their recent activity.

Other  "No Trespassing" signs, along with the four feet chain link fencing.  were installed September 10th around the property, most visibly on the large grass area along NE 41st where children have for decades played soccer. Other more home-made type fencing was also put up along the northwest side of the campus

Neighbors have found this latest barricades curious because  with the Battelle/Talaris campus approval for nomination as an Historic Landmark by the City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board last Wednesday, the Blog Staff was told that no changes could be made to the property without the Landmarks Board approval.

As we posted in a previous blog post:

Any additional fencing gating or modification to the site should be reported to Erin Doherty Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board Coordinator, at erin,doherty@seatte.gov

The Laurelhurst Blog Staff also received email from a "Steven Goff" yesterday afternoon, which coincidentally is the same name as referenced in a previous blog post as one of the representatives from Pistol Creek Management, the company that is involved with ownership of Talaris.  Bruce McCaw is referenced as Chairman Emeritus of Pistol Creek and Co-Chair of Talaris.

This website says about Pistol Creek: "Pistol Creek Financial is a real estate investment firm that specializes in advising and investment services for commercial clients."  The owner of Talaris listed on the City's Public Records is Greg Vik, with 4000 Property LLC, also associated with Pistol Creek.

Seattle Mansions Blog says in a February 2011 post that Bruce McCaw "is involved in large scale commercial real estate investments with his Pistol Creek Financial Company."

Alan, Manager of the Talaris Conference Center, gave the Laurelhurst Blog Staff the name "Steve Goff" as a contact for issues and other neighbors were also given the same name as a contact for the property. 

The email address corresponds to this Blog and Linked In shows someone by this name as Director of Real Estate at Pistol Creek Company for the last two years.

The email from "Steven Goff" to the Laurelhurst Blog Staff says:

Dear blog,

You might consider printing a randon sampling of comments from the Seattle Times story on Talaris. Sounds like you folks have few friends but a lot of fresh nicknames.

Yotie



Recent Late Night Shooting Of Coyote Pack At Talaris Leaves Many In Community In Shock And Grief



photo of coyote sent to Blog in May

On June 27th about 3:30am, neighbors living near Talaris woke up to three gun shots and learned that a coyote and possibly her pups were killed by the USDA APHIS wildlife services, supposedly initiated by a call from Talaris management.

The Blog received this information from a resident who contacted Talaris and said:

The Talaris team was informed that the Department of Agriculture received multiple inquiries from the surrounding community regarding the increasingly aggressive nature of the coyotes living in the area. Wildlife specialists visited the neighborhood on multiple occasions to assess the safety of residents, Talaris guests, and the coyotes. The highest priority for everyone is the safety and protection of our neighbors and we trust that the experts at the Dept. of Agriculture are taking the most appropriate measures to ensure protection for all involved.

… iew more                                

And a neighbor forwarded to the Laurelhurst Blog this letter from Jeanine Neskey, USDA:APHIS - Wildlife Services:

Wildlife services received a request to assist in the management of several coyotes near the Laurelhurst neighborhood in Seattle. The coyotes had become increasingly aggressive toward people and pets in the area. Operations were conducted for three nights and included the use of a call box, a device which mimics animal distress sounds and attracts coyotes. Three coyotes were lethally removed. One coyote ran into heavy brambles on an adjacent property making it difficult to retrieve the body, and was removed first thing the following morning. It is believed there are no remaining coyotes on the property at this time.

Neighbors said following the shooting:

It was terrible.  My neighbor heard the shots and the heart wrenching sounds of the coyote screaming.

Last night one of my neighbors sadly reported seeing a coyote (possibly with pups) shot and killed at 3 am in Talaris. As it turns out, the coyote was supposedly one of the nuisance animals in the area who was approaching humans and had possibly attacked a dog.  

I learned this afternoon that my neighbor was so shocked when she heard the 3 gunshots (yes, 3 gunshots. very gruesome.) she followed the person to the CUH where the body was supposedly dumped.  

I was wondering if anyone said anything about coyotes attacking something around 330am Tuesday morning? I live on 42nd Avenue NE and heard coyotes attacking something that almost sounded human. It was either in Talaris or the Center for Urban Horticulture or somewhere around there. Anyway I heard what sounded like screams and two gunshots. Then I heard one more coyote howl and someone/something scream and then nothing.

We live on 42nd Avenue NE on the east side of Talaris. We were awakened at 2:30 am to the sounds of dogs or coyotes barking and/or fighting. These sounds were followed by two loud reports. It sounded like a shotgun and not a rifle.  Then the barking stopped and a man’s voice was heard shouting something. Everything was quiet after that.

The Laurelhurst Blog contacted several property managers and representatives at Talaris asking for verification of the incident and where the coyote bodies are and if traps are on the property and there was no response.

Residents commented:

A neighbor reported seeing the same person who shot the coyote out looking for survivors last night around midnight.  Another neighbor told me she called Talaris who confirmed they hired the USDA to kill the coyotes. 

Neighbors are concerned about any remaining pups as well as traps that Talaris may have out saying:

I suspect the Talaris owners know where the den is as their workers may have been seen setting unlicensed live traps for these poor animals.

Neighbors who live on NE 41st Street have seen a litter of pups emerge near the curve in the west entry road to Talaris. They suspect the den, maybe several, may be there in brush on the left side of the curb.

A neighbor who lives across the street from Talaris said the dens are at left side of the curve in the west entrance road He said the grass  seems disturbed there and that location could also be where Talaris maintenance workers were setting the traps. 

What a shame the pups couldn't be relocated. It could be very tough to catch the pups but who knows if they are still alive if they can survive now. It's very sad.    

         

Neighbors have written to the Blog saying:

It's a sad situation all around.        

It's incredibly sad especially the suffering the coyote and now it's children are going through. 

It does sound more and more like the late night shooting was illegal. 

My neighbor confirmed that … View more it was a USDA approved activity. It is concerning why the USDA would come into a neighborhood at the request of a private property owner without notice to anyone else and hunt down a mother coyote.   

It is really important that Talaris be held accountable for their actions.  

It is disturbing how the coyotes were killed. They were obviously tortured , one being shot three times alone, and they suffered.  Where one coyote was shot, it was clear that it tried to drag it's injured body to a safe place, then was shot again and again. Another coyote was shot then left to die slowly in nearby brush. This is cruel and inhumane.

Here is a story that King5 aired last night titled "Neighbors divided over 3 coyotes killed in Laurelhurst."

For quite some time, residents mostly living  and taking the trails near the Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st Street) have regularly report coyote sightings.  Especially, during the last few months many sightings have been reported.

Here are some reports during May and June the Laurelhurst Blog received:

My husband and I were walking when something ran out into the street in front of Talaris. It then stopped and ran back to Talaris. When we walked closer we realized it was a coyote and it was staring at us.

I saw a coyote several nights ago in Talaris as well in the field behind the fence. 

I crossed paths with a coyote when I walked the Talaris grounds a few weeks ago. It stopped, stared at me (was interested but not scared) then slowly made its way into the dense wooded area directly east … View more of the road that runs along the southwest corner of the property. That portion of the property seems perfect for a coyote. It's quiet and well protected, yet easily accessible to the swamp and arboretum. It wouldn't surprise me if a few coyotes call the Talaris grounds "home".            

I saw a good sized coyote riding my bicycle in the early morning near the UW driving range parking lot. It walked right by me. It is a beautiful animal.  

We saw a handsome coyote behind the greenhouses at the Urban Horticulture Center.

When I was taking a walk at the Center for Urban Horticulture a coyote came out of the bushes. It saw me, but turned and went back in the bushes. l saw a coyote in the grass meadow area in front of Talaris. He was just sitting there in plain site I live on NE Surber and I watched as a gorgeous healthy male coyote walked down the sidewalk.  He was being mobbed by crows and ducking his head to fend off their dives. He ducked into a treed side yard and then resumed his walk crossing the street in front of our car so we got a good look at him.  He kept walking toward the green belt and disappeared there still mobbed by crows.  We saw a coyote one evening on 45th Avenue NE going into the bushes surrounding Children's Hospital. We have seen a coyote at CUH in the morning. Both times there were multiple people nearby, but the coyote was unafraid. I saw a coyote walking down 51st Avenue NE in the late afternoon and it was very scared of me.   Several morning ago, my dog and I were cornered and chased by two coyotes near Talaris.  I was on my bike and rode away, dragging my dog, as fast as I could. They followed me for a long time despite my yelling. It was quite unnerving. We have  seen multiple coyotes around the Montlake fill, the wetlands between Center for Urban Horticulture and Husky Stadium.  They have been in the wetlands for years and I have not heard of their causing any grief. We saw a coyote running across the median on the Boulevard today. It was pretty small a nd going towards the Laurelhurst Park. Several neighbors sent in these links for living with coyotes: http://www.urbancoyoteproject.com/blog/2015/3/10/its-coyote-pupping-season-what-you-need-to-know-to-coexist’ http://www.urbancoyoteproject.com/blog/2016/3/19/10-ways-to-help-your-neighbors-be-coyote-aware http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2015/04/dec-issues-coyote-avoidance-guidance.html Here is information the Laurelhurst Blog has posted about living with urban coyotes.

Talaris Installs Fence Without City Approval, Violating Landmarks Agreement

The Laurelhurst Blog has received many inquiries about the fencing that was recently installed at the 7.8 acre Talaris campus (4000 NE 41st Street).

Neighbors said:

What is going on at Talaris?  There is a tall new fence and large signs that say the property is under surveillance.

There are new temporary chain link fence panels installed along the 41st street fence, the conference/hotel booking site said it ceased operations on October 29th, and a lot of construction/real estate people have been gathering at the old Seattle Gym building, which looks like it’s being lightly renovated. There hasn’t been much discussion since the 10/2018 MUP change after the sale to Quadrant. I think it would be interesting to find out if demolition is beginning soon and refresh past neighborhood conversations on what that means for neighborhood traffic, the eagle’s nest, future school boundaries, and beach club boundaries. 

Curious if there's any update on the Talaris property? Noticed that new, taller fencing has gone up. Any info would be of interest in the Blog. 

On December 18, the Landmarks Preservation Board listed on their meeting agenda for Talaris: "proposed perimeter fencing- retroactive."

The Laurelhurst Blog contacted the Landmarks Preservation coordinator about the outcome of this agenda item and they said:

The owner’s representative attended the meeting on December 13. They were asked by Board members to look at a more comprehensive security plan for the campus, in addition to, or in lieu of the new 6’ fence. 

To be responsive to this request, the owner requested to table the item, so it was not considered by the Landmarks Board at their meeting on December 18th. 

When work is done without approval we assess the situation and attempt to remedy the issue. In this case, we’ve asked the applicant to seek approval, so they have started that process.  

They are currently planning to return to the Landmarks Board meeting on January 15, 2020.

In 2018, Talaris removed a large oak tree with proper approval from the Landmarks Preservation Board and asked for retroactive Certificate of Approval from the City, violating the Landmarks agreement.

And in April 2016, Talaris again cut down trees without proper approval from the City Landmarks Board and after the trees were cut down, then requested a retroactive Certificate of Approval from the City.

And again, in November 2013, Talaris also cut down another tree with approval from the Landmarks Board and then suddenly got a retroactive certificate in place after the trees were cut down.

Shortly after after the Battelle / Talaris property was nominated, the Landmarks Preservation Board, "issued a report that informed the property owner that they were required to have approval from the Landmarks Board before making alterations or significant changes to specified features proposed for preservation. The areas of control for this property include the site and the exteriors of the building."

Also in recent Talaris news, LCC published this information in a recent newsletter:

Talaris Hospitality Services Now Closed  

The Talaris site owners have shut down operations of Columbia Hospitality management, which offered conferences, banquets, and overnight rooms in its unique Northwest setting. Quadrant Homes, the current applicant, is proposing to redevelop the parcel into 67 home sites. They continue to file reports required by the Seattle Department of Constructions and Inspections for a Master Use Permit. 

On September 9, the Landmarks Preservation Board determined that their Preliminary Certificate of Approval Application was complete as required by the Seattle Municipal Code 25.12.680.B. However, landscaping and tree removal was not addressed, and that information will need to be provided before further consideration of their development is evaluated by the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. 

As previously reported, the entire Talaris campus (the seven existing buildings and the entire landscape) was designated as a landmarked property by the City of Seattle’s Landmark Preservation Board in November 2013. With its current set of proposals, two landmarked buildings would be demolished entirely to accommodate the new structures, and over 52 percent of the site would be altered. With the recent deaths of two of the four original architects, Richard Haag (August 2018) and Bill Bain (June 2019), preservation of the site has become more significant as a legacy of their collaborative work together.

Columbia Hospitality, managed and operates 31 guest rooms at Talaris Conference Center. The guestrooms, had double or queen-sized beds, and some rooms had adjoining suites with decks and fireplaces. Amenities included wireless Internet access, cable television, desks, coffee/coffee maker and hairdryers.

The 17.8 acre Talaris campus (4000 NE 41st Street) was sold to Quadrant Homes, who has proposed to build 63 single-family homes on large lots that could sell for about $2 million each, according to a recent article in the Seattle Times and Daily Journal of Commerce.

The original plan proposed would keep some of the existing buildings and park space, including the existing conference center and four other buildings, and two ponds. Two other small buildings, including Building G, housing a lodge, would be demolished.

The site, built in 1967, was originally owned by Battelle Memorial Institute. In 1997 Era Care Communities purchased the property for $6,125,000 and it was developed into Talaris Institute which focused on infant and early learning research of the brain. In 2000, Bruce Mc Caw under the name 4000 Property LLC of Bellevue, purchased the property for $15,630,000. The county has assessed the property at $14 million and sold in 2000 for $15.6 million.

The property, when sold several decades ago, included an underlying Settlement Agreement in which Battelle Neighbors and the Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) are partnered together with the land owners of the parcel. The Settlement Agreement specifically states that major institutions can't operate within this property (no hospitals, colleges, etc). And the Settlement Agreement has specific restrictions attached which specifies the use of the property to protect the quality of life in the adjacent neighborhood.

The property was designated with landmark status in November 2013, which dictates that specific controls define certain features of the landmark to be preserved and a Certificate of Approval process is needed for changes to those features. Some incentives and controls included in the City's ruling are zoning variances, building code exceptions, and financial incentives, which are protected, as stated on the City's Landmark and Designation website.

For decades, neighbors were free to stroll the grounds, until 2013, when Talaris suddenly put up "No Trespassing" signs and installed a four feet chain link fencing in 2013, as well putting up a main driveway barricade, fence on northwest side and a surveillance camera. Neighbors were no longer allowed to use the large grassy meadow area where generations of kids practiced soccer and the past few years the grounds facing NE 41st Street are often neglected and grass not consistently mowed.

The Laurelhurst Community Club, has been involved with the site for over 30 years, working to ensure the property is well integrated with the neighborhood by closely monitoring proposed development. LCC has also worked with current owners in lobbying for better property maintenance.

Why Is Talaris No Longer Cutting Their Grass?

 

 

 

 



The Laurelhurst Blog has received many complaints about the overgrown grass at Talaris.on NE 41st Street.

And the Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) has also received inquiries about why suddenly the grass is no longer being maintained. 

Patients at the nearby dental office on the backside of their property have complained that they look out the big picture windows "onto a mess."

Nathan Rimmer,  one of the representatives for Talaris owner, Bruce Mc Caw under the name 4000 Property LLC, said  "Talaris cut back on some site and building maintenance last fall to help relieve the annual operating loss.  Landscaping was part of that."

LCC has said: 

LCC continually receives messages about the lack of maintenance of the areas of the Talaris property that abut the neighborhood.  The lack of maintenance has been a problem and we’ve heard from many neighbors about it.   

Neighbors take great pride in our community and it is stressful when a large property owner does not have the same commitment. 

 

LCC has sent email to the property representatives asking what their plans are to address this issue and is awaiting a response. And the Laurelhurst Blog sent email over two weeks ago and is also anticipating an answer.

Comments received from neighbors:

I imagine you've been hearing from more than one neighbor about the lack of care being given to the field at Talaris that runs along NE 41st Street. The lawn has become very overgrown and is not being cared for. That beautiful piece of land is becoming an eyesore. If you have any knowledge of what their plan for upkeep is, I would love to hear it.it just looks as though they haven't mowed the grass in weeks.  It makes me wonder if their plan is to let it grow wild given that some areas on the property have been mowed. 

Is it too much to ask that Mr. McCaw mow the lawn on 41^st?  As a responsible owner I feel he should maintain the property and certainly he has the fund to do so. 

Has Talaris suddenly stopped mowing to get back at the neighborhood for not wanting their huge development? Certainly they have the financial resources to do the mowing with such a big development looming. And certainly McCaw has the funds - to say they don't is an insult to the neighborhood, as it is completely not true.  

We have noticed that the lawn is no longer being regularly attended to, as it used to be.  Some areas are mowed while others aren't in an irregular manner which looks very odd, almost like a Mohawk.  

Talaris has always been well-maintained over the many, many years and neighbors have always enjoyed the  beautiful grounds and until several years ago actually going onto the campus to enjoy the grounds. Never has it been  unkempt with no care to being a good neighbor and maintaining the grounds. especially as it is now.  The Laurelhurst community prides itself on being considerate of its neighbors, in word and in deed by owners and businesses maintaining their public facing areas. Certainly Talaris can afford moving their grass! 

I noticed it as well-very overgrown- a jungle out there. Why has the lawn maintenance suddenly stopped. It looks awful!

We are wondering why Talaris is not mowing the "play field" grass.  I would like to believe it's because of the nesting eagles, but one never knows with those folks. 

It is curious why Talaris hasn't mowed the grass in weeks.  It makes me wonder if their plan is to let it grow wild given that some areas on the property have been mowed. 

The lawn mowing at Talaris seems to have stopped since it looks really overgrown on the 41^st side, except around the two entrances so it’s very odd looking.  

We hope that Talaris as one of our business neighbors will do its part to maintain its property just as we do with our homes. The hospital maintains its property That is what a neighborhood is, having respect for neighbors by  maintaining ones property, whether it be a private residents or business.



Why Talaris May Have Been In Such A Hurry To Put Up The Fences And Yesterday's Seattle Times Article

Talaris Campus (courtesy of Talaris website)

The Laurelhurst Blog has learned that the Talaris represenatives appear to have had a deadline in mind, when putting up the new fence, along NE 41st Street and the northwest side of the campus, as it needed to be completed before the Landmark Nomination Public Meeting last Wednesday, as they wouldn't know the outcome if the nomination would be approved or not, and didn't want to take a chance it would, just as it did with a unanimous 10 member vote.

With the  Battelle/Talaris campus approval for nomination as an Historic Landmark by the City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board, no changes can now be made to the property without the Landmarks Board approval. 

Any additional fencing, gating or modification to the site should be reported to Erin Doherty Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board Coordinator, at erin.doherty@seattle.gov.

The next step in the process is the designation and the Public Hearing will be on November 6th.

The critieria for this next consideration by the Board are that the building or site must  be at least 25 years old and must meet at least one of the six criteria for designation outlined in the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance (SMC 25.12.350):

a) It is the location of, or is associated in a significant way with, a historic event with a significant effect upon the community, City, state, or nation; or



b) It is associated in a significant way with the life of a person important in the history of the City, state, or nation; or



c) It is associated in a significant way with a significant aspect of the cultural, political, or economic heritage of the community, City, state or nation; or



d) It embodies the distinctive visible characteristics of an architectural style, or period, or a method of construction; or



e) It is an outstanding work of a designer or builder; or



f) Because of its prominence of spatial location, contrasts of siting, age, or scale, it is an easily identifiable visual feature of its neighborhood or the city and contributes to the distinctive quality or identity of such neighborhood or the City.

Although the Landmarks Preservation Board does not have to cite specific criteria at the nomination stage, there was discussion at the Public Hearing that the Battelle/ Talaris site meets standards c,d,e and f.

If the Board does not designate the property, the proceedings end and the property can't be considered for designation for five years, except at the request of the owner.

If the Board designates the property, the next step is the Controls and Incentives Agreement, which is negotiated by the Board staff with the property owner. Once an agreement is reached and signed, it is then sent to the Landmarks Preservation Board for approval at another public meeting with possible subsequent appeals in meetings with the Hearing Examiner. If approved, the property is then subject to protection by city ordinance, as stated on the City's Landmark and Designation website.

Friends of Battelle/Talaris, a group of Laurelhurst residents who have an avid interest in preserving and protecting the Battelle/Talaris site, landscape and buildings based on their unique modernist design and intact original character, submitted the nomination to seek formal recognition of the property’s historic, cultural and architectural significance.

"Recent development proposals may adversely affect the integrity of the site," the group said in a recent press release.

Here is the nomination for Talaris/Batelle posted on the City's Landmark nomination webiste.

For more information on the City's nomination process go here and here for the City's ordinance pertaining to the nomination, designation, and Controls and Incentives process and appeal procedures.

To contact Friends of Battelle/Talaris email preservetalaris@gmail.com or go to their Facebook page or website.

The Landmarks Preservation Board is coordinated by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation Program. The Historic Preservation Program handles the identification and protection of more than 400 historic structures, site, objects, and vessels, as well as eight historic districts throughout Seattle.

For questions or concerns with the campus icontact Steve Goff with PC Management at 206-571-7487, as Alan, with the Talaris Conference Center, told our staff.

The owner of Talaris listed on the City's Public Records is Greg Vik, with 4000 Property LLC, also associated with Pistol Creek. 

 

Here is yesterday's article in The Seattle Times:

Laurelhurst neighbors seek landmark status for Talaris site

Originally published September 23, 2013 at 8:03 PM | Page modified September 23, 2013 at 9:47 PM
By Alexa Vaughn

Seattle Times staff reporter

Residents of Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood are hoping landmark designation for a historic private park will keep it from becoming a site for more than 80 single-family homes.

 

The new owner of the Talaris Conference Center site in Laurelhurst wants to build at least 80 single-family homes on the 18 acres.

Related

For almost 50 years, the private park that is now Talaris Conference Center was an informal urban oasis for Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood.

Its modernist landscape was planned in the mid-1960s by the same man who designed Gas Works and Victor Steinbrueck parks, Richard Haag. He transformed the swamp where his children used to chase frogs into a bowl-shaped park with a man-made pond, fountain and flora influenced by Japanese style.

The public was allowed to stroll freely through the site, even though it was privately owned with buildings that housed nonprofit research groups such as the Battelle Memorial Institute and Talaris Research Institute.

“It was open to anyone,” said Haag, who at 89 still designs landscapes in his Capitol Hill office.

Now Laurelhurst residents have been fenced out of the property and are lobbying to have the entire 18-acre site designated a landmark to preserve as much of it as possible while the property owners consider development options for it.

Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board unanimously approved a nomination for landmark designation last week, and the site’s owner, 4000 Property LLC, has been temporarily blocked from moving forward with plans to build at least 80 single-family homes .

But the owner says that especially since the Talaris Research Institute assets were sold in 2012, it has needed a viable financial solution to maintain the property.

The owner has subsidized the property for several years, says George Thurtle, the company’s spokesman. “That is ending,” he said.

In 2012, representatives of the owners presented the neighborhood with two options: One could be done under current zoning laws, and the other, lower-impact plan would require rezoning for apartment buildings.

With current zoning, the company could completely take over the site with more than 80 single-family homes.

They offered that plan for shock and awe,” said Haag, who has supported Laurelhurst residents’ efforts to designate the site as a landmark. “I think developers often do that — they develop a plan for the most intense use as a scare tactic.”

Thurtle says developing the site for single-family homes was proposed because it’s one of the only legal ways to eventually make a profit off the property.

“The site costs hundreds of thousands each year just to maintain, and ownership needs to see an exit strategy,” Thurtle said.

The other plan allowed for preservation of some of the buildings and landscape, and informal public usage, if the neighborhood supported a plan to rezone for apartments. A maximum of 350 units would be built in two- to four-story buildings that would have taken up less than 2 acres, said Thurtle.

Many Laurelhurst residents and a grass-roots group called Friends of Battelle/Talaris instead focused on a landmark designation.

After the city rejected 4000 Property LLC’s request for rezoning, the option for partial preservation of the site was not possible, according to Thurtle.

“Significant time and money was spent developing a preservation oriented land use concept and business model,” a statement from the company said. “That proposal was rejected by the Laurelhurst Community Club who lobbied Council to reject it.”

Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board may decide Nov. 6 to approve the landmark designation for the entire site, blocking development for even longer, but not permanently. The property company can still negotiate with the board for other ways to preserve parts of the property while allowing the owners a reasonable way to manage the site financially.

Thurtle sounded optimistic about that potential process. “Uses need to be allowed that support and pay for the site,” said Thurtle. “The preservation community understands that, and it’s also written into the Seattle Municipal Code, which requires an owner be given reasonable economic use.”

The board can approve changes to the property that include development. Laurelhurst residents such as Jeff Davies, a real-estate agent who has meditated and exercised in the park for years, hope that process preserves most of the site’s aesthetics.

Davies, who lives next to Talaris, called the site a model of Northwest architecture and one of the first examples of integrating buildings with natural surroundings.

“It’s held up so well,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that a historic resource could be lost.”

Alexa Vaughn: 206-464-2515 or avaughn@seattletimes.com.