Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
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Started by: mujalifahmujalifah
On: 1212623853|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
Number of posts: 10
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Summary:
Posted for sale. What does the future for this site hold and how does it figure into the development of CC?
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Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
mujalifahmujalifah 1212623853|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover

As I was walking over to the market today I noticed that the church property is posted for sale.

What's the likelihood that it'd remain a church? Is it governed by the landmark district?

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Unfold Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by mujalifahmujalifah, 1212623853|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
scottplanscottplan 1212625711|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
Columbia City Landmark District

Hm, that's interesting.

It is in the landmark district. (36th Ave S is basically the sidewalk that runs through the park on the church's east side).

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by scottplanscottplan, 1212625711|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
mujalifahmujalifah 1212940986|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover

Maybe the market should acquire the property.

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by mujalifahmujalifah, 1212940986|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
scottplanscottplan 1228804810|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
Southside Church of Christ

DPD has published a notice of application for the Southside Church of Christ, on Edmunds next to Columbia Park — (the west side of the park is technically 36th Ave S).

Contract purchasers for the church are the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations. They want to use the space as their 9-person HQ, where they'll stage trainings and community outreach. The change of use requires Administrative Conditional Use review.

I can't get too excited about this, other than to regret the loss of another church and community mainstay. The comment period runs through December 17, but DPD continues to accept comment until the land use planner drafts his decision.

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by scottplanscottplan, 1228804810|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
anon (guest) 1228935740|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover

this is unfortunate, because the application says it will be a community center, but NWFCO is a business, not a community center. This will significantly change the historic district on columbia park. It is misleading to call it a community center. That would actually be a good, thing, similar to the role that the cultural center plays on the north end of the park. But NWFCO is not a community center. The role that the church played in the community was bringing people together who live near hear and a new occupant of that building should do the same thing, not operate a business.

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by anon (guest), 1228935740|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
scottplanscottplan 1228959447|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover

It is unfortunate that so many of our neighborhood's church communities are dwindling or up-and-moving. I like the idea of church, but I don't intend to go, so I guess I'm part of that problem.

At work I get to pore over chapter and verse of another Good Book. Thumbing through Seattle's Land Use Code, my most common question is, "What's the use?" Sometimes it's exasperation, but usually it's a necessary exercise — to figure out how best to characterize what somebody wants to do with their property.

In this case, NWFCO is correctly identified as an institutional use. And as an institution, they're accurately described as a community center. They may not operate exactly like RVCC or the RCC, but the definition fits. Read it for yourself.

This is change — I imagine fewer people will be going through the church doors. But I don't understand the concern that this might significantly change the historic district.

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by scottplanscottplan, 1228959447|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
scottplanscottplan 1236172605|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover

Here's the DPD notice of Decision, where there's another link to the decision itself.

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by scottplanscottplan, 1236172605|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
mujalifahmujalifah 1236235266|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover

A few things I noted while reading through the decision. I've never reviewed one of these before, so sorry if these observations/queries are lame.

  1. The map on page 2 is of NE 68th St and Roosevelt Way and not the location under discussion. (?)
  2. "The adjacent 36th Avenue South is not opened, and is in fact incorporated in the parking running behind the Columbia City Library" (p2). Is 36th really part of the libraries parking?
  3. It mentions that the property is near Fifth Church of Christ Scientist. Do they mean the Rainier Valley Youth Theatre?
  4. "a handful of lots on the west side of 35th are vacant, but in possession of Howland Homes, suggesting that they will be developed to capacity with market-rate housing in the not-distant future." (p2) - There are 12+ units well into construction on this "vacant" lot. When are these decisions usually written?

About definitions. I guess I should call NWFCO, but I don't see on their website or on charitynavigator.org any reference to a non-profit status. Can a for-profit operation claim their office to be a community center? Or can any organization (for profit or not) be an Institution?

Interesting.

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by mujalifahmujalifah, 1236235266|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
Mikala Woodward (guest) 1236358128|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover

36th was vacated before it was ever put in, and is now part of the park — you know that sidewalk that runs in front of the houses on the west side of the park? That's where 36th would have been. And yes, the Fifth Church of Christ is the Rainier Valley Cultural Center.

mik

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by Mikala Woodward (guest), 1236358128|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St
scottplanscottplan 1236552284|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover

The map on page 2 is of NE 68th St and Roosevelt Way and not the location under discussion. (?)

hmmm… Mr. Janos needs to turn off his "text only" view when he uses existing documents as templates.

"a handful of lots on the west side of 35th are vacant, but in possession of Howland Homes, suggesting that they will be developed to capacity with market-rate housing in the not-distant future." (p2)

Timely site visits are good. But his conclusion is sound!

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Unfold Re: Southside Church of Christ at 3518 S Edmunds St by scottplanscottplan, 1236552284|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
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