SEATTLE - For 27 years, Pamela Standal has been serving breakfast and lunch at her shop at the base of the 1926 Lloyd Building.
"This is a lovely old building. There isn't that many left down here," Standal said as she stood in her bustling business.
On Aug. 16, the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board voted to give the building a landmark status. It a statement of significance, the board said the building was a "unique example of Beaux Arts Renaissance Revival Style."
"Yeah - great that is what we want to hear," said Standal. She, along with other tenants, were closely watching the landmark decision.
"It would be a shame to tear it down with all the quality ingredients in it," she said.
This week, the building's owner, Comprise Ventures, filed a lawsuit against the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board and the city of Seattle. In the filing, the owners claims the landmarks decision is "based on unlawful procedure,constitutes an erroneous interpretation of the law, is not supported by substantial evidence, is clearly erroneous application of the law to the facts and violates the constitutional rights of Comprise Venture LLC."
The issue revolves around what entity has the authority to begin the landmark status. According to the lawsuit, in 2006 the Seattle City Council directed staff of the Landmarks Board to conduct a "historical inventory " of buildings in downtown Seattle that were more than 50 years old. The suit states that normally, community groups or the building owners would ask for landmark status. According to the plaintiffs, the City Council is responsible for initiating the process.
A city council spokesperson says the council is not allowed to comment on pending legal matters.
The Lloyd Building sits among brand new skyscrapers in the Denny Triangle of Seattle near the downtown shopping core. It's a valuable piece of real estate and the landmark status would prevent the owners from building a new structure.
"The building has a lot of charm," said tenant Robert Loe. After more than 30 years the accountant may be the oldest tenant in the building.
He has the 10th floor corner office. He could move to a new office building but he likes his landlords and enjoys the mahogany wainscoting and old style doors. "I hope the building is here longer than I am."
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