The Southwest Seattle Historical Society, with funds provided by 4Culture is conducting and survey of the h historical character of the West Seattle Junction.

The survey launched on Wednesday, March 18, 2015, will interview property owners in the two-block Junction core to elicit data and anecdotal information and contract with an architectural historian to identify elements that define The Junction’s character, give it uniqueness and allow it to thrive as the business hub of the West Seattle peninsula.

The project teams the Southwest Seattle Historical Society (the survey’s fiscal agent) with the Southwest District Council, West Seattle Junction Association, Junction Neighborhood Organization and ArtsWest.

The 4Culture grant totals $10,000, most of which will pay for the evaluation services of a professional architectural historian. The grant states that while The Junction “has undergone dramatic changes,” elements such as “the low-story look, the traditional narrow and deep interiors and the compression of multiple businesses into small spaces” have allowed the district to retain a distinctly “small-town feel.”

It also states that because there is only “outdated and insufficient knowledge about the worthiness of any of the structures” in The Junction, the survey will have great value.

One aim of the survey is to determine if buildings in The Junction would qualify for nomination as Seattle landmarks, which is part of why property owners are “key stakeholders” in the survey.

Over the next six months, all 45 property owners in the survey area will be invited to be interviewed about the history of their buildings, including enhancements and uses, along with how the district’s milieu has contributed to the success of the businesses operating in their buildings. The interview findings will be merged with architectural data, and results of the survey will be made available to the public.

“We trust that the resulting information and insights will be useful to property owners, businesses and the community at large in shaping the future of this treasure of a business district,” says the survey’s letter to property owners.

The district got its name immediately prior to West Seattle’s annexation to Seattle, in 1907, when the West Seattle and Fauntleroy streetcar lines converged at a transfer point at California Avenue and Alaska Street, forming “The Junction.” Among the oldest buildings in The Junction are the Campbell Building (1918), housing Cupcake Royale, and the Hamm Building (1926), home of Easy Street Records.

Here are the questions going out to business and property owners in the survey:

Property Owner Interview Questions

The West Seattle Junction Historical Survey aims to identify the features that make The Junction a thriving business hub with a unique character. The project will consult with property owners to identify the characteristics that most enhance the district’s visual appeal and business climate.

The information we gather will help the whole community at a critical time in our history, guiding the district to move forward while honoring its past.

We are including this basic list of questions so that you can be prepared for the interview. We look forward to scheduling it with you!

1. How did you come to own your building(s)?
2. What is the history of your building?
3. What do you love about your building?
4. What have you done to enhance or maintain it?
5. How do select your uses/tenants?
6. What do you think makes The Junction special?
7. What are the advantages of being in The Junction rather than somewhere else? What are the challenges?
8. What characteristics of The Junction are worth promoting or preserving as we adapt to new development?
9. Do you use your location in The Junction for an advantage in your advertising?
10. Do you own buildings elsewhere? How does this compare?
11. How is the redevelopment of The Junction affecting you?