SR520History.Org
On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, a public meeting was held at the Community Center. The purpose was to report to the neighborhood on the progress of our application to have Montlake designated as a National Historic District. The neighborhood is eligible for this designation because of the large number of homes and buildings constructed in the early 1900’s that show distinct architectural styles, and that have been maintained in their original form over the years. The evaluation team has reviewed over 1100 of our 1200 homes. They are still hoping to collect from owners any unique information about their home’s history.
The team reviewed the benefit of having Montlake receive this historic designation. While there are not regulations imposed on the property owners, there are federal regulations that must be observed if a federal project is conducted in the district. These regulations protect the district from potential damage to historic structures by limiting the vibration and noise that can occur during a construction project. The SR 520 bridge construction which is partially funded by the federal government must observe these standards. The Montlake Community Club board has supported this application for Historic District designation so that vibration standards would be in play and hopefully will reduce the likelihood of damage to our old and beautifully maintained homes near the construction zone.
