Huy Pham speaking during a news conference on Tuesday at Seattle’s Hing Hay Park
On Tuesday, Seattle’s Chinatown International District earned the unfortunate distinction of being named one of the 11 Most Endangered Historic places in America.
The list serves as a warning shot about the CID “The 11 most endangered places list demonstrates” Katherine Malone is with the National Trust for Historic Preservation “Without sustained recognition the places that represent, our diverse collective heritage, are often at greater risk of loss.”
The CID is under pressure from urban decay, the fentanyl crisis & the disrepair left behind by other public projects.
“The Chinatown International District has seen this fight before” says Betty Lau, the co-founder of Transit Equity for All “The construction of city streets and freeways; two major stadiums delighting the neighborhood, demolishing businesses homes and churches.”
Enter Sound Transit. The agency is considering a light rail expansion which includes the construction of new train stations in the CID or just north at Pioneer Square. There can be a station in it, near it, around it” Huy Pham, with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, aren’t opposed to a light rail station, but it has to be done right “Construction disruption of 10 years plus of blocking off an entire street as well as ‘Will the businesses survive a decade of street closures?’.”
This move was political; local leaders lobbied to have the CID placed on the Most Endangered list says Katherine Malone, Chief Preservation Officer “This is our largest annual advocacy campaign; and it galvanizes critical support from the public.”
“This time is different” Betty Lau says the CID is ready to take a seat at the table to with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and Sound Transit “We are showing up at board meetings, council hearings, information sessions” where in years past they didn’t or didn’t know how.
The list of concerns is long “We are demanding nothing less than bold investments by Sound Transit and other public agencies” Joel Tan, who runs the Wing Luke Museum, is worried about pollution and the threat to Hing Hay Park “to insure the survival of our beloved neighborhood.”
There are questions yet to be answered. The location of a new train station won’t come until next year; but being among the most endangered historic places in America does provide some leverage as the debate continues.