In response to the July 24 front page story. “Church’s expansion plans rile neighbors”:
The “7-unit apartment building” that Bethany Christian Assembly wants to demolish is in fact a converted craftsman house of the grandest turn-of-the-century style.
Bethany Christian Assembly stated in their environmental-impact checklist filed with the city that they had no intentions for their other properties on Baker Avenue. At a July 10 Riverside information meeting, Bruce French, a business representative for Bethany, stated that they do indeed have plans to use their property for a youth center.
Bethany Christian Assembly has neither adequately maintained their property nor treated at least one of their tenants with dignity. A renter at one of the properties tearfully stated at the meeting that she had repeatedly asked for the heat to be restored in her apartment and was ignored by the church.
None of the church representatives at the community meeting are residents of the Riverside neighborhood.
Add to all this the fact that Bethany does not currently need the space for parking. The city traffic tally stated that the church could “easily accommodate parking demand.” Why would the church want to tear down a house with as much history of any home in Riverside, one of Everett’s oldest neighborhoods, for just 24 parking spaces? Bethany’s record to date might indicate that their long-range plans are not just for parking.
In considering a business’ application to expand into a historic neighborhood, I would hope that the city considers not only the value of the classic structures at stake, but also the long-range intentions and the history of the applicant’s relationship with its neighbors.
Bethany has not built a good relationship with us.
David Lambert
Everett
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