SEATTLE—October 22, 2003—The NewHolly redevelopment involves the creation of over 1,000 new housing units on 118 acres, yet one old house has been left standing and has now even been temporarily moved 100 meters. It is the Lee House and this move is just the latest effort to save this historical home from demolition.
The house has occupied a hillside overlooking Rainier Valley, up off Othello Street, for more than 80 years. This hillside is now in the center of redevelopment activities with piles of dirt, heavy construction equipment, and a deep pit all surrounding it less than 30 feet away.
The pit is the first step in making way for the 40,000 sq. ft. Othello Building, the future home of the International Community Health Services medical and dental clinic, 24 housing units and retail space. Project managers were concerned that the Lee House's foundation would become unstable because it was so close to construction operations.
As a result, a trained crew was brought in to manage the moving of the Lee House about 100 meters away from its original location.
Despite its being more than 2,100 square feet in size, with two stories of old hardwood floors, large staircase and marble fireplace, the building was successfully brought into the safer area on October 8.
The Lee house is out of character from the bustling construction now surrounding it but, according to project manager Carter Hart, "it represents a historical era for both the NewHolly neighborhood and Seattle, and is worth the preservation effort.
It will provide a touchstone for both Othello Place at NewHolly and for the surrounding neighborhood that links back, not just to Holly Park, but also to a time before even Holly Park existed."
In its pre-WWII grandeur, the house was home to the family of Seattle police officer Charles Lee for more than 20 years. Dot Rohan, one of Lee's grandchildren, remembers it as a "really charming, gracious old home."
"I have wonderful memories of the house before they built Holly Park," Rohan says. "It was kind of set up there alone, majestically up there in its day. It was a farmhouse with a beautiful big veranda wrapped around the front of it. Orchards and a vegetable garden were in the backyard. There were lots of formal dinners and everything was white linen."
Wartime efforts changed the neighborhood and soldier encampments with anti-aircraft weapons were set-up across the street to help build a defense for Boeing.
"My brother and I have fond memories of going across the street to talk to the soldiers," Rohan says with a smile. "I had long red hair and they used to tease me all the time. One day I was running around and they were chasing me. Well I ran right in front of a horseshoe game and got hit in the head! It knocked me out as cold as a clam and the soldiers carried me up back home."
World War II efforts expanded, requiring Boeing to hire people from across the country. In turn, the City needed land to build housing for the defense workers in the neighborhood and Lee's family had to leave their home.
"It was devastating," Rohan recalls. "Nobody could imagine such a thing. In those days, they didn't give you much money to move out of your home. The family did everything they could to stay there but there was nothing they could do. Everyone was extraordinarily upset."
The Lees eventually found a new home in Seward Park and although the Lee property was used for defense worker housing, the house itself remained intact as a community hall.
In the 1950s, Seattle Housing Authority took over Holly Park to provide low-income housing and the old family building was officially named Lee House.
Although it has gone through numerous renovations and changes to accommodate the community's meeting space needs, hints of its original character remain. "It had beautiful hardwood floors that are still underneath there," says Rohan. "It was such an eloquent, lovely home at one time. It had a double staircase that came not only from the front staircase in the front hall, but the back kitchen area. The original railings and banisters are still there too."
Now that redevelopment work is underway around Lee House, NewHolly Development Project coordinator Carter Hart is leading efforts to both preserve and restore Lee House as much as possible to its original condition.
"Ever since I saw the pictures of what it originally looked like, I felt it had a great deal of dignity and historic presence," says Hart. "It has served the community in a couple of different roles and it would not be appropriate to leave it in the condition it’s in now when we're building a new community around it."
The house's original character has deteriorated over time and the restoration needs include landscaping, a roof, new plumbing and wiring, as well as windows and siding. Although the Seattle Housing Authority has approached historical societies and other potential community partners to aid in the Lee House’s plight, the financial commitment to its restoration is greater than their capacity.
For now, the Lee House will remain in its new spot for a few months as the foundation to the Othello building and surrounding housing units are laid. Then it will be returned to its original location, awaiting funding resources to determine if it will be fully restored and returned to the community as a NewHolly community meeting space and non-profit service provider office space, a role it has performed with grace for the past fifty years.
"I’ve lived here (in Seattle) all my life but unfortunately our family doesn’t have unlimited funds for anything like this," says Rohan.
"There are a lot of organizations that could still use it. I could even see it being used for small weddings and things that would help pay for itself. I think it is a part of the history of Seattle and I can’t tell you how eternally grateful my family is that there are people trying to save it from demolition."