Ep. 40: The "Anti-Nomination" Landmark Process in Seattle

Feliks Banel's focus on this episode of CASCADE OF HISTORY is what's often called the "anti-nomination" process for potential landmarks reviewed by the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods' Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board - when a building's owner does NOT want the building designated as a city landmark, and consultants and attorneys join in a process that probably runs counter to how many people believe historic preservation programs should operate in the United States. This past Wednesday, October 4, 2023 the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board voted to designate only the 1951 memorial wall at Memorial Stadium as a city landmark, and to not designate 1947 Memorial Stadium. Through audio from the meeting and excerpts from email correspondence, we use Memorial Stadium as a case study to show how public resources are being devoted to processes that appear to be lacking some key elements of what might be called good government. This LIVE broadcast of CASCADE OF HISTORY was originally presented at 8pm Pacific Time on Sunday, October 8, 2023 via SPACE 101.1 FM and streaming live via space101fm.org from studios at historic Magnuson Park – formerly Sand Point Naval Air Station - on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle.