By Theresa Goffredo
Herald Writer
EVERETT — The Public Facilities District Board gave its blessing Thursday to moving the proposed $75 million hockey arena and events center 20 feet to save one old building, the Ancient Scottish Rite Temple.
But that wasn’t far enough for some preservationists, who want more buildings spared.
Board members will pass along their decision to the city council Wednesday when the council meets to discusses the Everett Historic Commission’s recommendation not to tear down old buildings on Hewitt Avenue.
To accommodate an expected crowd, the council will move to the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., for Wednesday’s meeting.
The facilities district board, the group charged with operating the events center once it’s built, decided to support the idea of moving the whole building 20 feet to save the Scottish Rite Temple, 2935 Oakes Ave., which was built in 1910 and is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
"This should reduce a lot of concern the Historic Commission has. By far, this is the most significant historic structure," said Mukilteo resident Sam Rarig, who is a member of the First Presbyterian Church, 2936 Rockefeller Ave., where members are concerned about the loss of parking because the events center will be built next door to the church.
"You really have to shift gears sometimes to get where your goals are," Rarig said.
But Historic Commission Chairman David Blacker said Thursday that moving the events center might be "moving in the right direction, but it’s too little and really late."
"That’s great. The Scottish Rite is a wonderful building, and of course it needs to be saved, but it does nothing to save the downtown corridor," Blacker said. "That’s the only block of Hewitt, both blocks, that are the same vintage and once that’s gone, they won’t be there any more."
The city is in the process of buying up properties in the two-block area of Hewitt and Broadway to build the events center, which would hold trade shows and concerts and a public ice rink.
Two of the buildings in the two-block area, the Moffat Building and Stovies Stove Shop, both on Hewitt, are on the Everett Historic Register. To demolish the two buildings, the city had to ask the Historic Commission for a waiver. During a four-hour meeting that drew 215 people Nov. 28, the commission denied the waiver to demolish.
The waiver would have only symbolically cleared the way for the destruction of the two buildings because the commission’s recommendation isn’t binding. The council can accept, deny or modify the recommendation.
You can call Herald Writer Theresa Goffredo at 425-339-3097
or send e-mail to goffredo@heraldnet.com.
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