History
Hangar 27 is a former WWII Navy seaplane hangar. When Magnuson Park was originally given over to the city in 1974, the Navy retained some of the space including hangar 27. Hangar 27 was not deeded to the city until 1998 so it was not included in the original planning for the park.
2001 -- the Parks Department began leasing to hangar to community groups. The Northwest Crafts Alliance held its first event there and has since worked on making the building more functional by installing emergency exit doors, heating,
banners etc.
Other organizations also began holding events there:
Lakeside School's Rummage Sale
Rat City Rollergirls monthly derbies
The Arboretum plant sale
Cascade Bicycle ~ Group Health's Bicycle Expo
Danskin Women's Triathlon
International Conference of ABANA (Artist-Blacksmiths of America) and many others
2005 -- the Parks Department sent out an RFP for someone to fix the building using private money. Arena Sports submitted the only response: it proposed to renovate the building at public expense and then get a long term lease to use it as a dedicated sports facility.
2006 --When the Parks Department accepted the Arena Sports proposal there was much community protest at the loss of such a vital community gathering place. At its November meeting The City Council unanimously agreed and requested that Parks come up with an alternate proposal that preserved the mixed-use function of the hangar.
2007 -- In May several of the hangar 27 tenants sent a letter outlining a possible proposal to the acting head of Parks in an attempt to get the process moving.
July -- H27O was formally chartered as a non-profit by the state of Washington
October --At its October 25, 2007 meeting, the Board of Park Commissioners reported that they were never informed that there was a City Council directive regarding alternative proposals.
November -- H27O president Dave Lefebvre sent a letter to Christopher Williams
Interim Superintendent City of Seattle Parks and Recreation asking them to consider the proposal that H27O "provide oversight for managing, operating, marketing and scheduling activities in the building, in accordance with an operating agreement with the City as envisioned in the [1999 Royer] Blue Ribbon Report. The objective of this arrangement is for the City owned building to be operated and managed by an independent, efficient and business-oriented non-profit organization that will be able to act entrepreneurially and in the public and community interest."
November -- A letter from Christopher Williams, the interim head of the Seattle Parks Department to Kathleen Miller states that because Arena Sports withdrew its request for public funding and replaced it with private funding of the proposed repair and renovation, the Parks Department feels the City Council's unanimous mandate for an alternative proposal is no longer relevant. The letter stated that the Parks Department is not preparing an alternative to the Arena Sports proposal and that it had not informed the Parks Board of the City Council's request for an alternative proposal when the Parks Department presented the Arena Sports proposal to the Parks Board of Commissioners. The letter did offer that the Parks Department "will be prepared to discuss the options put forth by others" when it presents the Arena Sports proposal to the City Council.
The Seattle Parks Department still says Hangar 27 will cease being available for community events at the end of November 2007 because it needs earthquake retrofitting and renovation.
Timothy Gallagher has agreed to become the new Parks Department Superintendent so action may take place soon.
We look forward to the City Council discussion. See How to help.
