2005/12/05 Council Agenda Packet

005 �`�� 1'i't'st'rt'tltitttt throlf z - 2525Colby Avenue *315C c'tiltC(Iiltt/t t� �iH;"i;<?1�i Det €vereLL ashlingLon 9820! q �1eot. Y'+n'W.1115borit E-vcretL org tt tt ifit, (ti. ) EIRM Allan Gillen, Director February 4, 2005 Everett Planning Department 2930 Wetmore Avenue Everett WA 98201 Re. Providence Everett Medical Center, Donovan Historic District and Everett Community College Dear Mr. Giffen We believe that the proposal by the Hospital to expand their facilities into the Donovan District by removing 22 historic homes would result in the needless destruction of a unique and valuable part of our community. The historic value of this group of homes has been well documented and recognized by the city when it added the Donovan District to the local historic register in 1996. Unfortunately, the hospital has continued to purchase the homes one by one over the past ten years while making plans to destroy them as they expand their campus eastward. It is apparent that the hospital attaches value only to the land the houses occupy. The block slated for demolition borders the west side of Oakes Ave, the heart of the district and the only complete block -long street of Donovan homes. The loss of these homes would significantly reduce the visual character of the street and would devalue the entire Historic District. If the hospital would recognize the historic value of the neighborhood, we believe that solutions can be found that respect the homes and the residents of this neighborhood. It appears, however, that the hospital's determination to pursue its original plan has brought us to the point where otherwise intelligent architects and planners have long since ceased being creative problem solvers. Instead they now function as advocates in the role of selling /promoting their client's original goal of marching through the Donovan District toward Broadway. We recommend the following: First, that the hospital and its consultants stop threatening to take their facilities out of town; show that they are willing to cooperate and compromise by asking their architects and planners for solutions that respect the surrounding neighborhood.