School district and Museum reach agreement on Ronald School building
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
According to the school district website, the Shoreline School District and the Shoreline Historical Museum have reached an agreement on the Ronald School building, currently occupied by the Museum and located at 749 N 175th St, one block west of Aurora on N 175th at Linden Ave N.
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| Front, north side of Ronald School |
Under this agreement, the School District will ultimately pay the Museum $852,000 - $652,000 at the closing of the purchase and sale agreement and $200,000 when they vacate the building, which must be prior to February 1, 2011. These funds will come from the 2010 bond money for the Shorewood modernization/replacement project.
The Museum will convey its interest in the Ronald School and current ground lease to the District by September 30, 2010. The Museum will lease the Ronald School building until February 1, 2011 and a portion of the Sunset School for storage only, from September 30 to no later than June 30, 2012.
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| south, back side of Ronald School |
The District will include the Ronald School in the design of the new Shorewood, abutting the Ronald School on the south, rear side and leaving the north, east, and west sides free. Under codes governing school buildings, the Ronald School will need to be brought up to current earthquake codes.
The Museum and its officers agree not to oppose the project either directly or indirectly and to write a letter of support for the District's application for a Certificate of Appropriateness and a Conditional Use Permit from the City of Shoreline.
The full agreement and further details are on the School District website.
The agreement does not mention the bell tower. In the 1930s the cupola that housed the bell needed replacement and was taken down. The bell remained in place standing alone on the top of the building, but the cupola was not replaced and an earthquake in 1949 caused the bell to be removed for safety reasons. The bell is on display in the Shoreline Historical Museum. (Information corrected. I had the wrong earthquake. DKH)
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23 comments:
Does anyone else smell a rat at the way this agreement was reached? It reminds me of "Snidely Whiplash tying Nell to the railroad tracks and demanding she must "pay the rent", but in this case they are demanding the Museum take way less than the value of the building they've occupied for 35 yrs and also are forced to support the SSD on their plans to gut the Landmarked building.
It is a very abusive process, and everyone should know that this "Agreement" is just as sickening as the first "Agreement" in which the Museum Board ended up supporting the Bond which led to their destruction.
This mess is brought to you by the same people who are abusing SESPA employees and giving themselves huge raises. It is the same group that
closed down Room Nine, Sunset and North City Schools. Remember?
So, to review, they force the Museum to sign a settlement where it is also forced to say they support the destruction of the building they've been stewards of for 35 yrs!
A very smelly rat! This is not in the public interest.
The Shoreline SD is DESTROYING the BUILDING?
OH MY GOSH!
That's just totally wrong and awful.
I can't believe they would TEAR DOWN a historic building?
How can they DO THAT!!!
And WHY are they BUYING IT if they are just going to tear it down?
I can't BELIEVE they're destroying this building.
Why can't they just move it somewhere?
Can't the museum buy a piece of land or something for them to move the building to?
It would be so great if they could do that.
Then, the museum could have the building that they want..
This is wrong.
The School district should have to incorporate this historic building into the new design.
So many great possibilities that could have been if the Museum and the public had been given prompt notices and had been let in on honest and respectful communications. But instead:
YOUR tax dollars went to pay SSD to stonewall, deceive, misinform, confuse, and totally manipulate the public.
First telling us nothing at all, but that they had been working everything out with the Museum Board during the design planning process,(while they were stonewalling them). Later, telling some of the public that something drastic would likely happen to it (July 9, 09). A month before the Bond vote they were saying at the LFP stop of the conceptual plan road show-a month before votes were due-that it would be "restored" to all of its greatness. Less that 2 weeks before my vote was due, I was notified via an orange notice that the Ronald Building would be moved!?
What would have happened if a true blue, inclusive public process had been done done.
What if the SSD had actually established dialogue with the Museum during the very early stage of the design process when they would have become aware of either the potential that the Museum was at risk of eviction, or that the Building AND the Museum could stay (or return after retrofitting-if necessary)
That slogan, "CULT OF DECEPTION", really does fit this District very well.
If this is such a terrible deal, why did the museum agree to it?
Anonymous @10:43 - Where does it say the District is tearing down the building? The article specifically says that the building will be incoporated into the new school.
And what does this mean?
"The Museum and its officers agree not to oppose the project either directly or indirectly..."
If I want to opposed the project, then I will regardless of what SSD wants, as it my right under the law.
I have no idea what backroom deal SSD strong-armed the Museum into, and what backroom deal they are cutting with King County Landmarks, so is SSD going to make groundless, baseless accusations (like they did about the so-called sick out) about people commenting on SEPA? What a bunch of fascists.
No one said they are tearing it down. But they are might just as well. They are going to completely gut it and tear out the back wall to connect to the school. All for their all important "image".
It IS a terrible deal for the Museum and the public. It is an outrageous breach of trust. The Museum was faced with obliteration, so decided to settle. The abusive school district told them, take the offer or we'll condemn you. And in the "deal" they agree to support the conditional use permit, and never say anything bad about this outrageous ravaging of a public asset. It is a GAG, plain and simple.
The bullies win. But maybe not. Maybe they will pay a big price for their outrageous destruction of this institution. They certainly look really bad for this and for their treatment of SESPA.
If that is the case, then SSD should mitigate all traffic impacts that Crista had to for their proposed master plan, which included extensive remodeling of Kings HS. Just because Shorewood is a public school does not mean they are exempt from traffic studies.
SSD should have to address water availability in that location as well, there are water main issues in that area and they did not have a certification of water availability in their SEPA file.
SSD had numerous other issues not addressed in their Shorewood SEPA file - like asbestos abatement, which will not be more of a problem since they are going to gut the building, surface water runoff, pedestrian safety since 175th & Linden is one of the most dangerous intersections in Shoreline and will fail as working intersection soon (isn't student safety an issue here), parking, etc.
SSD should not get a free pass on SEPA for their conditional use permit just because they are a public agency and they cannot make the general public quiet, although given their fascist ways they would like to do so.
What was good for Crista is just as good for Shorewood.
Is the building the museum?
The building is being saved and incorporated - brought to earthquake and ADA standards and used for it's original purpose: a school. That seems very historical.
So, why can't the museum exist elsewhere? It now has the funds to get started. I don't understand why the two are inextricably combined?
It seems that now is the time to move forward in a postive manner and save the museum in whatever manner possible.
The Museum’s mission has, from the beginning, incorporated the Ronald School Building. The reason the building and the Museum are inextricably combined is that the Shoreline Historical Museum came into existence during the period of our nation's 1976 Bicentennial. Federal grants were given all over the country for this kind of project – because local history matters! Our Shoreline Historical Museum was created through that program so it would be housed permanently in the historic Ronald School Building – a perfect match.
At the time, it was a great partnership between the Historical Society and the School District, which had surplussed the building and didn't want the expense of upkeep anymore.
Now it seems the SSD will spare no expense in order to occupy this little plot of land, ravage the building for some yet-to-be-determined “educational” use, leave just a 3-sided façade remnant of this beautiful, historic and still useful structure, and merge it into a huge new building.
Our community is greatly diminished by the SSD’s outrageous actions against us.
What about all the money the Ronald Museum spent on upkeep and restoration over all those years during the time they had the Ronald School under their stewardship?
Over a million dollars of public money was recently spent on restoration from 4Culture, if SSD had planned upon taking over the building, then they should have spoke up. Now it is wasted because they are going to gut the entire project, and it will not longer be a landmark.
Get it? It no longer is eligible for State or Federal Historical Registries, there are very few of these sites left in the US and the Ronald School was just about there, until SSD lied to all the funding agencies that put money into the building, all the donors who contributed, all the volunteers who spent the time over the decades. It is isn't preserved, it no longer is a building of any special distinction.
SSD - a public agency that treats the public's money and time like toilet paper.
How exactly did the SSD lie to the funding agencies that put money into the building, all the donors who contributed, all the volunteers who spent the time over the decades?
Let's all step back and look at the big picture of reality. The museum can no longer be housed in the Ronald School. That's it, done deal, all gone, game over. Crying and screaming about isn't going to change a thing.
So, the museum is moving out. Does it have a place to go? Are any of you that are putting all of your energy into outrage looking for a new home? Because, in reality, the longer it takes for the museum to find a new home and the stuff just sits in storage, the less likely there will ever be a museum.
Yes, right now we have a basket full of lemons. Let's take all of those lemons except one and make the best lemonade we can out of it. Then take that last lemon and toss it at the school board come election time to work on new administration.
Is Shoreline filled with nothing but "Eeyores"? Yes it's sad. But save what you can. The deal is done.
Dear Anonymous 8:44,
It might be over and time for lemonade, but maybe not. There are still many steps the SSD has to go through to complete their evil deed.
And someone must tell this story of abuse and deception, otherwise the bullies get away with this atrocity "scott free". They must go through the Conditional Use Permit and Landmark "Certificate of Appropriateness" process. They also need to sell those fraudulent Bonds to more suckers.
I'm sorry if you are just so tired of hearing the truth and about the impacts of your precious SSD's abusive actions.
YOU must accept responsibility too. You voted for it didn't you?
You and all the other suckers who fell for the SSD scam.
The chickens must come home to roost.
Dear Anon @ 9:36,
Surprise! I voted "no" on the school levy.
Surprise! I don't work for or am I associated with the school district.
Surprise! I think that the entire school administration needs to be overhauled.
Surprise! I'm also realistic enough to realize that the school plan is going to go through, the Ronald School is going to sucked into the new high school, and if something isn't done right now to find a relocation spot for the museum it is going to be "game over" for it.
What do you really want to save at this point? With what has happened so far you can't possibly be Polly Anna enough to think you can actually save the building from the school district's use.
I'm not tired of hearing the "truth" of what's going on. I'm just tired of hearing the whining and crying but no realistic problem solving.
Save what you can.
People voted for the levy because they wanted new schools built. Everyone has their own reasons. Some people want new schools for their kids, some people believe the studies that newer school facilities raise property values, some people just value education.
And these people are happy that the new school is being built. I'm not sure what responsibility you want them to accept? Most of them don't care about the museum. The people who do care about the museum are responsible for ensuring its continued existence. What are you doing towards that end?
I am just so confused. Are people here saying that the museum really can't exist without the building?
I should have specified that I voted no on the levy because I don't think that school districts have been responsible with their budgets. Not because of the museum.
That being said, I would like to repeat that this is now problem solving time. If the museum is so important, you better start switching gears to save it's very existing in any form.
It's simply not true to say that Museum supporters are not helping the Museum to move forward in another location. Much has gone on to find a new space. Museum will eventually re-open somewhere and re-define its mission.
BUT, I agree with the comments that citizens need to understand what has occurred. This entire process is absolutely outrageous and there is much that the public doesn't know. Citizens need to be informed about what has been taken from them, how and why it has happened.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT EDUCATION. Most Museum supporters have also always supported rebuilding the high schools, but it didn't have to be this way. SSD didn't need the tiny Ronald School site. That's clear from the many ideas floated and rejected by them on how it may be used. And, at the school board meeting this week the architects talked about how difficult it has been to work in the small space into a huge 225,000 sq. ft. building. So the answer is to destroy its interior and incorporate (disappear) 3 of its exterior walls into the new structure.
This building has been the most prominant and valuable historical artifact in the area and was owned by the Museum until the SSD yanked it away. These dealings may have been legal (we'll see), but that doesn't make it right.
It bears complaining about. The whole story needs to get out and be understood.
Right on Anon 2:13!!!!!! You framed the issue perfectly.
It's not about Museum supporters whining. It's not about education.
It's about the ego of the SSD groupies and Administration, who want a "legacy" and a fancy looking image to get rich people to move here, with their potential kids who will help them to continue polishing their image well into the future.
Museum supporters have played fair and many are just picking up and moving on to whatever's next, with broken hearts. Some are willing to fight back though and make certain the story is told. Yes we're angry, and we have every right to be!
The Museum will now have to change their entire mission, which used to be tied directly to the Ronald School. There is an intact "classroom" vintage 1920's style there, that shows our kids how the Shoreline pioneer's children lived every day. The building has many features inside that connote the feeling of a 1913 schoolhouse. The inner staircase alone is worth a visit (BTW, when the building is gutted by the clever Basetti Architects, that will probably be gone!).
The Museum was created to celebrate education in Shoreline, and has been about learning every day of it's existence.
Apparently the SSD is about destroying every shred of history left, all the while proclaiming they are about restoration and preservation.
Yet another pack of perjury being told by our SSD "leaders".
The big lie continues.
I asked before about these "big lies" and didn't get an answer. How exactly did the SSD lie to the funding agencies that put money into the building, all the donors who contributed, all the volunteers who spent the time over the decades? And what other lies do you think were told?
I understand that you are upset about the museum's failure to secure land to move the building to, but I'm confused about all the accusations.
@ 10:42
Well, after reading all of this, it would seem that the lies would have something to do with SSD stretching the truth about how much demolishing they were going to end up doing instead of "restoring" a registered Historic Landmark.
I understand that there is a big difference between getting an OK for a little remodel here or there, or leaving most of it intact and restoring all of it. However a complete gutting of all but 3 exterior walls is quite extreme.
When my friend "remodeled" his tiny falling apart condemned house by tearing down all but one wall, that was one thing. Piece of cake. But, dealing with a well preserved Historic Building is very different.
@1:27 - Where were the SSD's promises about restoring the building?
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