Seattle company seeks emergency demolition after disturbing video surfaces
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
- The company trying to develop a new mixed-use apartment building in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood is now asking the city for emergency demolition of the vacant building on its lot.
A video of a man going down a hole, presumably into the building, is part of the reason for this new request. The company, Minglian Realty, LLC, sent that video to KOMO News and the city.
The video shows a man in a ball cap looking around and then disappearing down a hole in the ground at the southeast corner of the building across the alley from the dog park on Bell St. The building at the corner of Bell St and 2nd Ave. was once filled with the aroma of fresh food coming from Mama’s Mexican Kitchen, but today is boarded up, padlocked, and covered in graffiti.
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Denise Whitaker
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The company is not trying to get taxpayers to pay for demolishing the building. They are trying to get expedited approval to demolish the building. It takes an AVERAGE of 5 YEARS to get city approval to demolish a building. One building near the Seattle Center took over 15 years to get approval for demolition. It finally came down after a homeless man set himself on fire inside and the building owner sued the city. The claim was that the city was negligent in allowing the demolition to be postponed that long. The city finally gave approval after the lawsuit was filed. The city has a policy of not allowing demolition of rundown buildings that need replacing. So it can take years or decades to get a demolition permit.
On the other hand, shouldn't an owner be considered negligent if they don't secure the property that they own?
They're running longtime tenants out with crazy rent increases because they want to clog the city up with higher density buildings that harm the neighborhood. Then they let these buildings fall into deep disrepair and claim they're helpless victims.
Yeah, this building should come down... now that they've created a crime den. But the owners haven't maintained any kind of security.
If there was justice, they'd be forced to forfeit the property due to neglect and the resulting public harm.
@@coachmullen1how does a higher density building “harm” the neighborhood? People in Seattle complain about not having enough housing, then when developers try to build more housing, people like you come out of the woodwork and complain that it’s going to change the character of their neighborhood? Have you been to Belltown lately? It’s gross and dangerous. I avoid Belltown exactly because it has no character. You can’t win with some of these people.
Taxpayers are still paying for the expenses associated with this spectacular display of inadequate function (as a city). It'll still probably conveniently burn down before it is demolished.
@@PlantMusicLifehousing, not structured cages that cost 3k a month.
@@coachmullen1 I think you're expecting an irrational degree of expense on security here.
Do you really think any building owner is to going to shell out for a whole system of security cameras and multiple security guards 24/7 simply to deter criminal activity that city and police should be dealing with?
They've clearly made it impossible to enter the building normally and as a result someone has basically dug a hole to get in there.
The length of time a tenant has rented a building doesn't entitled them to fixed rent for life or any stake in the ownership of it.
The big empty space next door was a building full of homeless when the police swept the building and it mysteriously burned that night?
It seems that there is no one working in Seattle government any more. They either take forever to get it done or just never gets done
Did they replace hard working staff with “friends”?
@davidthedeaf That is what happens when you don't hire DEI because of AA. They just hire their friends.
But they are diverse!
Many, many fond memories of Mama’s. Started going there back in the 80’s. Another Seattle landmark being demolished 😢
😪😪😪
You can thank everyone that didn't actively fight the lockdowns.
@@americanarborcarebewahahaha mumps much?
Nobody cares
@@americanarborcare Seattle has around 4,000 other restaurants to choose from. The city is 80 square miles. What does that add up to. A restaurant or two every block.
Companies buy historic properties and kick tenants out and let the building deteriorate so they can demolish it without too much resistance. It happens often in many cities around the country.
Happens around the world. Fortunately some countries are putting caveats on these places- If it's empty it must be maintained or else the redevelopment permit is rescinded. The USA has yet to take up this ruling.
Rinse and Repeat.
@@iGame3D In St Louis, MO
In Ottawa Canada that is the favourite recipe applied by developers and a totally benignly absent City Hall playing the scandalised but getting along anyways. Eryvtime the historical preservation society screams to high skies then all is forgoten. Next.
Amazon bought that building in 2016! WTH? Mama’s was 2 years from being a historic registered site in 2016, too. Amazon owns the entire block.
Nope. A Chinese development company, Minglian Realty LLC, is the property owner. 😏Let’s not blame Amazon for all shady deals happening in Seattle.
But it is designated a “historic site” so it should not have been allowed to deteriorate to this point.
@@CaseNotesOnFile Humanity is spiraling toward extinction. 'historic site' is nonense, get some NERF 3D models of these 'historic' places before they are blighted and they will live in high definition virtual reality until the lights go out.
Why should taxpayers have to pay the cost of demolishing the building? The owner should deal with it...
MaMa doesn't have any money.
The taxpayers don’t have to pay for demolition. It takes an average of five years to get approval to demolish a building in Seattle. What the building owner is doing is asking for expedited approval for a demolition. Like, within 90 days. Virtually impossible to get.
@@richardbeckenbaugh1805Corporate lies. It doesn't take five years. Total lie. Even if it did take five years it is because of corporate greed leading to underfunding of the government. When a crain collapses and kills people, driving by, clearly there is good reason to have a vigorous environmental and safety regulations in placd for demolition and building. Nor done right it could lead to thousands killed and a toxic and unstable environment.
@@smokingjoe9864 It's very highly unlikely that the owners of Mama are the owners of the building. Very few mom and pop restaurants own the building they do business in. They were just renting. When they went out of business, they would have sold the building if they owned it as they couldn't afford to pay taxes on a vacant building.
It becomes the taxpayers problem when the owner can’t deal with it and the taxpayers run the risk of it falling down and killing them. Turns out that taxpayers don’t like being crushed by vacant buildings.
If the owner does have money, the government can attempt to get reimbursed in court.
Moving to Seattle was a mistake. Hate it.
Delta is ready when you are, honey.
@@schoolingdiana9086 Keep yappin'. Your city can't afford anymore brain drain.
@@schoolingdiana9086thanks babe. Having my car broken into 4 times in 3 years was not normal. I'm back in Detroit. Enjoy your city.
@@Anonymous-lg5jgit’s what you get for living in the ghetto parts of Seattle. Plenty of parts of it are crime free
Try Iowa might be you style
Sounds like a commercial real estate scam
I watched them go in through the garage door earlier this summer, guy would lean up against the door look around and the door would come up a little ways and he would scurry in like a rat
Maybe if the property owner wasn’t trying to gouge perspective clients this building would have been in use immediately. But this is the true cause of homelessness, landlords hoarding property for profit.
Really, that's insane.
Landlords would rather have buildings sit vacant than lower the rent to a level a tenant is willing to pay. So much for the free market.
Amazon bought this building in 2016.
Maybe if the city weren't gouging everybody on property taxes, the restaurant would still be in business.
I think it's more that all their stolen money goes to hard drugs 🤷
Yet the realty company’s motives aren’t wholesome either.
They’re trying to make more money here. Just another BC-based realty company trying to profit off Seattle’s culture.
@@Acronym6197 He is saying the company has left it derelict in order to get it demo so they can build on the site.... there is no other reason they wouldn't have rented it out long ago...
@@daveweiss5647yeah the reason they don’t rent it out is the crazy laws made it too risky to rent to anyone beside the rich. If you have ever had anything bad happen no one should rent to you. Too risky.
Amazon bought this building in 2016. Mama’s had filed for being on the historic register and there was only 2 years to go. No BC ownership at all here.
@@Acronym6197Not BC. It’s owned by Amazon.
@@joesmith3590Amazon has owned this building since 2016. They evicted Mama’s.
City Hall incompetence once again.
When will Mayor Harrell's office or the City Council deal with PUBLIC SAFETY as the NUMBER ONE PRIORITY?
So, DENISE WHITAKER/KOMO, when was the last time the City actually demolished any buildings according to the statute?
Never. The statute deals with expedited demolition permits, not demolishing buildings. It takes an average of 5 years to get a demolition permit. The statute is to cut that to a year or less. Unheard of in Seattle.
Why is there so much bureaucracy? If the owner wants to demolish it, let them.
It’s supposed to be on the historic register.
@@schoolingdiana9086 A historic crackhouse? That thing is long gone based on the footage of the inside.
@@schoolingdiana9086Seriously, that building is historic? It’s small, ugly, run down, and filled with vagrants. It’s not worth keeping.
Do you own it? Do you rent? Now imagine being forced out by some circumstance like damged roof and/or foundation and/or plumbing. Who damaged it? You don't know. But now you're going broke with repairs/demolition/renovation. Or you vacate. "The Owner" does this to everyone on the block, they would have had to pay $500,000 for each house, but now they pay $220,000 or less each. Are you seeing the racket yet? I had to quick sale my home because we were targeted by this kind of racketeering operation and it was being run or 'enforced' by a Republican city councilman.
The building is NOT secure Cities should charge land owners, for having empty stores. Because the Rent is TOO high.
How much is the fine? These developers are looking at making $3000 a month rent on what looks like at least 90 residential units, that's $270,000 a month + the rents for retail space on the first floor, that the city is literally preventing them from collecting because they won't let them demolish the building. People that kind of money aren't concerned about city fines and the city can't afford to keep enforcing those fines.
When criminals resort to digging into a building, it's secure.
Drug addiction is terrible
Lived and worked in Seattle for 20 years. Moved away in 1997. Mama's Mexican Kitchen was always a favorite. You could park anywhere, walk anywhere, any time. It was during the Reagan Administration that "homeless" entered the American vocabulary.
Your comment was good, until you had to lie about Reagan. There have always been homeless in America. The problem is much worse today; homes have never been as unaffordable to the average American.
Glad you left. Hopefully you and your Blue values will never come back here.
Reagan didn't cause homelessness. SIN caused homelessness.
Typical lib. Put the responsibility on someone who's not responsible.
Sin???? Are you delusional? Reagan finished what Republicans long had in mind. Tossing people out of hospitals onto the streets. Take you skywizard and stuff it.
I've lived here 37 years it's terrible when I was a kid seattle was fun now not so much...
We'll do everything except provide shelter for the homeless.
They’re going to build apartments there.
Whatever. City leaders don't care,
"It's easier to ask forgiveness...then it is to ask permission". Oops, sorry...We thought we had approval to demo it.
You can 'investigate' and 'monitor' till hell freezes over. Does nothing to solve the problem, just costs the taxpayers money. That money would be better spent removing the problem.
If it’s falling down, not occupied and abandoned…invest or digest it. Grass is better to look at than an ugly building.
If you want change Vote! You may want to vote differently if you want true change. Washington State has a lazy Voting record. Vote or get more of the same
Why does it take so long to get a permit?
Business Owner: I want to demolish my building.
City: Does it NEED to be demolished?
BO: Yes
City: Will it cost the city anything?
BO: No
City: PERMIT APPROVED.
See; that didn't take very long.
What is harm of demo-ing ASAP.
Here's the real issue, a private property owner shouldn't need city permission or fee . Thats tyranny or communisim
Try not paying your property taxes to see how far that "fees are tyranny" thing gets you.
@@kimwilliamson3615 It's full of asbestos and lead.
If the Property Owner wants to demolish the building, he/she should Apply for a Demolition Permit and upon Permit Approval, he/she can start ripping & tearing. They will be required to fence off the area and provide a suitable sidewalk substitute or protected sidewalk (scaffolding etc). Any other Permits required and all costs associated with the Demolition should be the sole responsibility of the property owner(s). Furthermore, if the building can be Condemned by the Chief Building Official, the City (Municipality) can Order that the Owner Demolished it within a limited time period. If the owner fails to do it, the Municipality can then do all the necessary work and apply the costs to the Whole Property by way of a LEAN !
Problem Solved.
Maybe try watching the vid sgain. Or for the first time. The story says RIGHT THERE the demo permit was applied for. They're waiting for the city to act. And waiting. And waiting. And ...
The real problem is that the City's Planning Department needs to provide a Permit for any changes, including demolition, and the Planning Department is currently running about a year behind on Permit approvals. So even if this property is condemned, the Owner's will not receive permit/permission to remove a single brick for over a year! Seattle civil service leaders are a shining example of all that is wrong with government, and especially those managed by left wing officials.
"BUILDING SEEKS EMERGENCY DEMOLITION [sic]" -- that's a first!
Prime location in Seattle; why was it boarded up to begin with?
Intentional to cause blight, approve demolition, redevelop. Gentrification.
Sad!
Anyone else think that news correspondent looks like Teryl Rothery?
SG-1 Dr Janet yep
I like mixed-use buildings… ESPECIALLY in this case
The businesses at street level will add to job availability and the units above will help provide more housing options. Even if they aren’t proper low-income, the people that move in will create vacancies where they used to live that will likely be viable for lower-income folk… maybe
what a wonderful newscaster!!
So who is supposed to pay for this demolition?
Never mind. Thank you, @richardbeckenbaum.
Once a thriving corner in belltown.....so many such cases.
How about emergency securing of the premises? How hard can that be?
What does that entail exactly?
@@iGame3D24 hour guards. Sentries with dogs patrolling the perimeter. 30 foot high cement block barbed-wire-topped walls. Towers with marksmen. The usual.
0:20 that could be said about all of Seattle.
Soooo… affordable housing? 🙄
Extremely bizarre
Hello, "Yard at a time"??? Got a hole I need filled with LOTS of concrete.
Governmental "monitoring " yeah thats just an excuse for inaction while they look for a way to wring more money from the owners.
Add more diversity! That should fix it!
Sad. Mama's was excellent back in the day. Many fond memories there.
I ate there back in the day and it just wasn’t any good. It was the Beth’s Cafe of Mexican food.
Mama's was an awesome place. Government failure.
Nope. Amazon bought the building in 2016 and evicted Mama’s.
That outside wall looked like it was bowed in places .. any word on the structural integrity of the building? Did not look good.
Ongoing illegal activity’ ?
RIP Mama's.
Remember, you voted for this. Enjoy!
Dayum, her neck is scary
They shouldn't allow the buildings to become run down. It's obvious the owners bought the property with the intent to tear down the building, which is why it is vacant.
If the city forced owners to maintain and secure their buildings, maybe we would have less urban decay, which leads to revitalization. This leads to the poor being forced out of another neighborhood. If neighborhoods aren't allowed to be run down, revitalization would be unnecessary.
Was the reporter in Jurassic Park?
Mama's - GONE NOW!!!
Boards Boards Boards
Emergency demolition - Yeah, good luck with that 😂😆😅🤣😂
A sentient building
Rats will always find a way in.
The city and tax payers should not have to pay for it. That his problem, not ours.
democrat utopia
Is that a guy or girl? I cant tell.
Change...but not for the better.
HOW DARE THE HOMELESS TRY TO HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS
If I owned the property, I would see it as my own responsibility to maintain the building and keep it secure and safe.
The owner may want to demolish the building, but they should be paying fines for allowing the building to be used in ways that are dangerous to the neighborhood and to the public.
If my property was being used for criminal activity and I do nothing to stop it... like not repairing holes in the wall that give criminals access... at some point, I'd be complicit in the criminal activity.
is that a dude?
What the democrats\socialists did to Seattle is awful. Such a shame.
Hazmat will have to come in because trust and believe Meth is being cooked in there!
Just call up Larry Silverstein , he will get it done ✅ 😂😂😂🎉
Yes. They must take measures to be safe from the homeless people they created from years of taking measures to satisfy their greed and ego.
Haha what a great neighborhood. They really turned it around!
The city should sue the property owner for cost of demolition. simple as
The property wants to demolish the building
So obvious what the private owner or owners are doing. They got a KOMO 4, screen reader, minion lying for them.
Yeah, 'cuz you know it is so hard for the owner to plug a whole in the ground. I'm sure the owner knows how to find the cheapest tax free labor to fill it with concrete. Rich property owners derelict in their responsibility to the neighborhood is blaming the government for their slum property and then asks for a handout by getting the demolition covered by the taxpayers. Just the fact the city lets them get away with it shows just how our economic system is written to favor the rich and how corrupt it so the law that should work for the people works for a rich a few. We will
Wealthy corporate owners take and take from our economic resources and expect they have to give nothing in return. Greedy, lying, unethical private property owners. We provide them with subsidizing farmers, clean and abundant water, cheap food, cheap labor, police, courts, jails, defense, roads, and so many other services they needed to live and build a business. Corporate greed has shot itself in the foot by hogging more and more of the economic pie since the 1980s. It can run and hide from a massively unequal economy that keeps getting worse, blame anything but corporate greed, but people still need water, food, clothes, shelter, healthcare. They can't make it themselves so they have to get it some how since they can't make enough to pay for them do to corporate greed. You owe them/Us. Time to reverse the massive distribution of economic gains into fewer and fewer hands, that started around 1980, before we become dilapidated country with AR‐15 massacres on every aspect of public and private society evey week and most people needing to steal, live in abandoned buildings, use drugs to cope with beimg houseless because corporate greed hogs most of OUR economic resources through greed, low pay, and corruption.
It's your building homie you still own it take care of the graffiti get rid of the people get security
Himler Taxlee did that
😑🤦♂️
😂 You deserve what you voted for. 😂
What a stupid story... omg theres homeless people in an abandoned building, everybody ruuuuun!!! 😂
If this was happening in your backyard you would be alarmed as well, go back to the top of Queen Anne.
@@notanindianscammer7594exactly.
Okay, well if it’s your business next door that burns to the ground because a bunch of drug addicts decided they wanted do fenty in a derelict “historic” building, you’d probably feel a certain way, too.
But it’s on the owner to tear it down. And it’s on the city to make sure that it’s easy to do and to remove as much red tape as possible. The fact that it takes 5 years to make that happen is absolutely absurd.
She's not camera pretty.
get help
super rude bro, lol
nobody fucking asked you.
Beauty is not the end all be all!
She is going a good job reporting AND that is all that matters!
I thinks she's gorgeous!! 😘😘😘