In case you missed it, Historic Seattle is proud to have completed Phase 1 of a voluntary seismic retrofit of one of Wallingford’s most treasured landmarks—the Good Shepherd Center. This milestone represents not just a commitment to historic preservation, but also a dedication to public safety and community resilience. But our work is just one part of a much larger conversation happening across Seattle: how can we ensure the safety and longevity of our city’s historic buildings in the face of seismic risk? To explore this important question, we invite you to a special evening of learning and dialogue at the very place where our retrofit work took place—the Chapel Space at the Good Shepherd Center on Monday, June 24, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Together, we’ll discuss the challenges and opportunities involved in upgrading older buildings to meet modern safety standards while honoring their architectural and cultural significance. You’ll hear directly from the people working on the front lines of this issue—from city leaders shaping policy to architects designing innovative solutions. Whether you’re a building owner, preservation advocate, design professional, or curious community member, this event is a chance to learn more about how Seattle is working to safeguard its historic built environment for generations to come. Meet the Panelists: Curry Mayer, Director of Emergency Management for the City of Seattle. With decades of experience in emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction, Curry brings critical insight into how seismic readiness is being prioritized at the municipal level. Amanda Hertzfeld, Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Program Manager, City of Seattle. Amanda leads the City’s URM Retrofit Program, which supports efforts to strengthen some of Seattle’s most vulnerable structures. Her work bridges technical strategy, policy development, and public engagement. Kate Weiland, Partner and Design Principal, BuildingWork. Kate is a preservation architect with deep expertise in designing seismic retrofits that are sensitive to historic character. Her firm, BuildingWork, is known for its thoughtful approach to adaptive reuse and rehabilitation. (fb)

Caring for historic properties involves more than just the buildings. The gardens and grounds around them matter too. Today is Give Big and I need your help to raise $10,000! But more than just caring for these gardens and grounds, your gift today will also help to restore the beloved gazebo at the Garden House. This project will restore a cherished gathering space. With your help the gazebo will once again serve as a welcoming retreat, a sheltered gathering space, and a symbol of community. We are so excited about this project that our team has come together to encourage you and others to join them in making your best gift before midnight on May 7th. When you make your gift it will be doubled up to $3,650 thanks to the challenge fund created by Historic Seattle staff and volunteers! Visit the link in our bio to donate! Now let us tell you a little about the Garden House and the gazebo you can help restore. The house was built in 1886. It is believed by some to be the first home built in Beacon Hill. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a City of Seattle Landmark. The home’s grounds have some of the oldest pear trees in the state—more than a century old. After serving as a private home for the Turner and Knopf families , it was purchased in 1927 by the Jefferson Park Ladies Improvement Club. They transformed the space into a community center and in 1977 bequeathed it to the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs. The federation continued the property’s use as a community center and added the gazebo to the north garden. When we purchased the property in late December 2021, we became the stewards of a building and a garden that had experienced years of neglect and deferred maintenance. Our goal? To honor the property’s legacy by restoring its beauty, modernizing its infrastructure, and preserving its civic purpose. To that end, we look forward to beginning major renovations to the building this fall. But before that, we need to care for a truly special space - the gazebo in the north garden, a cherished community green space in the heart of a growing, changing neighborhood. (fb)