Sabey Corp. Asks to Demolish Part of Rainier Brewery
September 24, 2007 — The Sabey Corporation, owner of the historic Rainier Brewery complex in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood, is waiting for word from city officials on whether it can demolish the largest structure on the site. Sabey purchased the 5.5 acre site in October 2006 and announced plans to redevelop it with an eye toward preserving the buildings. But engineers reported last summer that the stock house, one of five historic buildings in the complex, was sinking at a rate of one-quarter inch a year, rendering it unstable. "This is simply a life safety issue, and the building can't be reclaimed," says Jim Harmon, senior vice president and treasurer for Sabey.
Since the purchase, Sabey has held a number of community meetings about its plans and it has conducted tours of the complex, which was used as a cold storage facility in its latter years. Last summer, Sabey engineers reported that frozen ground under the stock house had begun to thaw, causing the building to subside. Tenants-mostly small businesses-were asked to vacate the structure as a safety measure, and Sabey is now asking permission to demolish it. Because the building is a designated city landmark, the developer's request is under review by the city Landmarks Preservation Board. Sabey also needs a demolition permit from the Department of Planning and Development to proceed. If permits are approved, demolition could begin as early as November.
The owner is considering ways to recycle some of the building's elements, such as large timbers, signage, and exterior brick. Harmon says a replacement structure would be designed to closely match the scale of the old building so that it fits the neighborhood's historic character.
Constructed between 1900 and 1914, the complex was once the home of the Seattle Brewing & Malt Company, later called the Rainier Brewing Company. The city of Georgetown was incorporated in 1904 in part to protect the property interests of the brewery's owners, according to historian Paul Dorpat. Georgetown was annexed to Seattle in 1910.
For more information, contact Jim Harmon, 206-281-8700.
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