City places Potala LLC on notice of property maintenance violations at Denny's Triangle

Denny's Triangle

On October 9, the City of Shoreline filed Violation Notices with Potala LLC for its violations of the City’s property maintenance code for failure to maintain its properties located between N 155th Street, Westminster Way N., and Aurora Avenue N. The site, commonly known as Denny’s Triangle, is to be the site of Potala Place Shoreline, a seven-story mixed-use residential and commercial development.

The buildings currently located on the properties in question were scheduled for demolition and had been fenced pending the issuance of the demolition permits by the City. As a result of a Federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) action filed in Federal Court on August 25, 2015, activity on the properties has been frozen. The Shoreline Fire Department notified the City that the properties had become a public health and safety nuisance. Subsequent inspections have found all of the buildings had been broken into recently with illegal activity occurring inside. The buildings themselves have become unsafe and present an immediate and emergent threat to public health, safety, and welfare.

The Violation Notice requires Potala to immediately secure the buildings and premises against unlawful entry. Potala is also required to take corrective action to ensure the properties are brought into compliance. Corrective action could include demolition of all buildings, repair of all buildings to occupancy standards, or bringing the structures into compliance with the City’s Property Maintenance Code and maintaining the properties and adequately securing them against unlawful entry.

On October 19, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 378 authorizing the City to abate the properties in questions to ensure public health, safety, and welfare are protected. The Resolution also authorizes the City Attorney to take actions to ensure any cost to the City is recovered.

The City has been in contact with Potala representatives who have stated that they fully intend to address the Violation Notice and bring the properties into compliance. In the meantime, the City continues to explore options for how it can take action to address the unsafe buildings, including possibly demolishing the buildings itself if necessary.