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Seattle's Fight to Save The Showbox, Its Most Important Venue

demetriosdemetrios Posts: 96,344
in The Porch


Artists like Pearl Jam and Duke Ellington once graced its stage. Now activists are trying to save it from demolition.



Comments

  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177

    Here's a cool, short documentary that was shown last night at an event at the Showbox to rally support to save the venue:


    https://player.vimeo.com/video/336969748

    No Reentry: The Irreplaceable Showbox from Daltonic Films on Vimeo.

    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 41,158
    All the rich rockstars should pool their money and buy the property and make it permanent endowment of the arts.

    No one would own it yet everyone would.

    Problem solved.
  • demetriosdemetrios Posts: 96,344

  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,702
    Tell the city to stop being lazy and start acting like a real music city
  • demetriosdemetrios Posts: 96,344

    Showbox granted landmark status after months-long battle


    By KIRO 7 News Staff
    July 18, 2019 at 9:13 am


    Fliers for the Save the Showbox campaign. (KIRO Radio, Mike Lewis)

    There were cheers and hugs Wednesday night after The Landmarks Preservation Board voted unanimously to grant the Showbox landmark status, specifically the exterior of the building and its main entry.

    It also includes the second floor.

    This comes after a months-long effort to save the iconic theater from the wrecking ball, clearing a major milestone.

    It was back in early June when the board agreed to move forward and get the theater designated as an official city landmark.

    Among the people who packed that meeting were performers and Showbox workers, including one who read a statement from Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready.

    Showbox employee Shannon Welles called the venue “an icon in Seattle and an important player in the music ecosystem.”

    The owners of the property want to build a 44-story residential tower, which matches the zoning set by the city council.

    Property owners say redevelopment would generate at least $5 million for affordable housing.
    The 1916 building was first used as a market.

    It was renovated in 1939 and became the Showbox.




  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,489
    demetrios said:

    Showbox granted landmark status after months-long battle


    By KIRO 7 News Staff
    July 18, 2019 at 9:13 am


    Fliers for the Save the Showbox campaign. (KIRO Radio, Mike Lewis)

    There were cheers and hugs Wednesday night after The Landmarks Preservation Board voted unanimously to grant the Showbox landmark status, specifically the exterior of the building and its main entry.

    It also includes the second floor.

    This comes after a months-long effort to save the iconic theater from the wrecking ball, clearing a major milestone.

    It was back in early June when the board agreed to move forward and get the theater designated as an official city landmark.

    Among the people who packed that meeting were performers and Showbox workers, including one who read a statement from Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready.

    Showbox employee Shannon Welles called the venue “an icon in Seattle and an important player in the music ecosystem.”

    The owners of the property want to build a 44-story residential tower, which matches the zoning set by the city council.

    Property owners say redevelopment would generate at least $5 million for affordable housing.
    The 1916 building was first used as a market.

    It was renovated in 1939 and became the Showbox.




    So great to hear this.
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • demetriosdemetrios Posts: 96,344

    Owner of Seattle’s iconic ‘Showbox’ settles lawsuit with city


    SEATTLE -- The court battle over the iconic 'Showbox' music venue in Seattle is over.

    Seattle's Landmark Preservation Board voted in favor of nominating the theater for historic landmark status in June, ending the owner's plans to sell the venue to a real estate developer.

    The building's owner Roger Forbes filed a $40 million lawsuit and claims the city failed to follow proper protocol.

    Forbes and the city reached a settlement this week.

    As part of the agreement, there's an option for a third party to buy the property and rights to the Showbox name for more than $41 million.

    The Showbox has played host to countless big-name acts since it opened in 1939, including Duke Ellington, the Ramones, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Prince and Lady Gaga.




  • disilluziondisilluzion Posts: 1,015
    When I was in Seattle over the summer, I asked some locals about saving the Showbox. They said that if the bands don't care enough to, then why should the fans? I don't know if that's the general consensus there, but it makes sense. The bands are the ones with enough money to save it, and they don't seem to want to. It makes no difference to me since I don't live there. According to one person I spoke with, Jeff even told them to just let it go, it's done. Something like that.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 16,216
    Things change.  Cities change.  Should move on.  Just a building.  A glorified bar.  
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    bootlegger10 said:
    Things change.  Cities change.  Should move on.  Just a building.  A glorified bar.  
    More than that for some of us. A big part of my life's history is there. Countless shows, amazing artists I've seen there from Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees, Cheap Trick, POTUSA, and 100's of other bands. Took my current wife on our first date there. I understand that some venues are just venues. But some venues are more than that. Some are part of the soul of a city or community, and this is one of them. I have no use for religion, but appreciate historic churches and cathedrals as well, and am happy when they get landmark preservation status or protection. Notre Dame was just a building but most consider it more than that and are taking efforts to restore it. No different than the Showbox, except the Showbox serves better drinks and has better music than Notre Dame. 
    In the end it isn't up to me. I don't have the cash to buy the building, but the Showbox is more than a glorified bar to anyone who's a local and spent any time in the music scene.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    disilluzion said:
    When I was in Seattle over the summer, I asked some locals about saving the Showbox. They said that if the bands don't care enough to, then why should the fans? I don't know if that's the general consensus there, but it makes sense. The bands are the ones with enough money to save it, and they don't seem to want to. It makes no difference to me since I don't live there. According to one person I spoke with, Jeff even told them to just let it go, it's done. Something like that.
    The reality is that a band isn't going to spend $40+ million on a building to protect the venue. Not sure why those locals you talked to equated an unwillingness or inability to pay $40+ million with not caring. There are plenty of musicians supporting the Save the Showbox effort. We've seen pictures posted with a couple of different PJ members with Showbox shirts on while onstage in the past couple of years. Look back at this thread and you'll see an official PJ communication with a picture of Mike regarding saving the Showbox. Don't know what Jeff's opinion is other than the anecdotal opinion from the one source you talked to, but the band has spoken publicly. And Mike clearly would have a different opinion than Jeff's alleged opinion as demonstrated by his annual Flight to Mars shows there and his support of the campaign to save the venue, etc... 


    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • pjl44pjl44 Posts: 10,435
    I definitely feel nostalgia for venues around me, but I think it sucks to leverage that against a private property owner. I can certainly understand why a bunch of rich local musicians (or other residents) wouldn't necessarily want to pony up and buy a place to preserve it. Just don't then use your influence to handcuff the guy if he wants to offload his building to someone else. 
  • disilluziondisilluzion Posts: 1,015
    @jeffbr I get what you're saying. If they tore down First Ave in Minneapolis, it would suck for me, but anyone not from MN wouldn't care much, and Prince isn't around to save it, LOL. 

    I know that Mike has been public about saving it, but maybe Jeff meant that while he does care, there isn't a whole lot they can do about it so just accept that it's over? I can only read between the lines of something that I heard secondhand. 
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    disilluzion said:
    @jeffbr I get what you're saying. If they tore down First Ave in Minneapolis, it would suck for me, but anyone not from MN wouldn't care much, and Prince isn't around to save it, LOL. 

    I know that Mike has been public about saving it, but maybe Jeff meant that while he does care, there isn't a whole lot they can do about it so just accept that it's over? I can only read between the lines of something that I heard secondhand. 
    Yeah, I get it. But I just think that if Jeff really feels that way, he might be a bit of a quitter. Not sure you throw in the towel until all options have been exhausted. I have no illusions of a band or several coming together to purchase the building. But I do have hope that the venue will be given proper historical landmark status, and a different developer could come in and purchase the building, build something beneficial to the area (and their bottom line), while at the same time preserving the historic nature of the venue. It isn't looking good for the long term prospects of The Showbox, but the community hasn't and isn't giving up at this point. Just wanted to offer you a different view from a local, since the locals you talked to sounded more resigned, or perhaps didn't understand the issues. If they don't care about saving it, that's fine, but there are a lot of locals from artists to fans to business people to historians to community activists who are working hard to exhaust every option. I wouldn't bet money on the success of the fight, but will support the effort until the fight is actually over.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • disilluziondisilluzion Posts: 1,015
    I appreciate your view as the few that I talked to said it's pretty much over. They seemed defeated, while not caring at the same time, if that makes sense. Hopefully they can come up with something to preserve it for you guys.
  • demetriosdemetrios Posts: 96,344
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=554427072059336&id=267350420767004

    Hello, Showbox supporters! 

    HUGE, exciting news: Historic Seattle and STG have partnered to submit an offer to buy the Showbox! Press release is below.

    While the Showbox is now designated an Historic Landmark, it is still not saved. But it can be. We still need your support! There is another step in the Landmarks process. We need controls placed on the property to ensure protection.

    Comments may be presented in person at the December 18 Landmarks Preservation Board meeting or in writing in advance (by December 6) to Sarah Sodt, the City’s historic preservation officer, at sarah.sodt@seattle.gov. Please voice your support to Save and Protect the Showbox by placing controls on the property.


  • demetriosdemetrios Posts: 96,344

    Check out this spread in the Seattle Times today! The point of a landmark designation is protection. And we need your help to make sure protections are placed on this Historic Landmark.

    What can you do? Email Sarah.sodt@seattle.gov by December 6 to ask the Landmarks Board to place "controls" - controls are the protections for a landmark. Without controls, The Showbox can be demolished.

    Thank you to all the artists and organizations that signed on to this letter!!

    For more info/wording, visit Historic Seattle's Showbox advocacy page: https://historicseattle.org/advocacy/save-the-showbox/



  • demetriosdemetrios Posts: 96,344


    Support Historic Seattle’s advocacy efforts! Contributions to our advocacy fund were essential in securing landmark status for The Showbox. Your gift also enables us to continue to fight to protect other cultural spaces in Seattle. You can also show your support by purchasing a Showbox shirt. 100% of proceeds fund our advocacy work! Please allow 5-7 business days for delivery.


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