TheBanyanTree: The House on Newton Street

[Monique Colver]

There was no reason for us to be driving through the Capitol Hill
neighborhood of Seattle, but there we were anyway, just looking around at
the cool old buildings. Capitol Hill is an old section of Seattle, with
newer buildings mixed in with older buildings. We turned a corner and found
ourselves on a street of bricks, and were amazed. A cobblestone street!
Halfway down the short block was a real estate sign advertising an open
house, and on a whim we stopped. We're not in the market for a house, and we
don't live in Seattle anymore, but we stopped anyway just to take a look.
The house, up and behind an embankment, was only visible at the very top. We
went in the entrance at the side and up a few steps and found ourselves on a
large front deck that had an awesome view of Lake Union and the Space Needle
way over on the other side of the lake. It was private, as much as a deck
could be private in an urban setting.   A woman called to us from inside and
invited us in, and the first thing she told us was that this was her dream
house. It wasn't her house, and it wouldn't be her house, but it was her
dream house. We looked around. She told us the house was built in 1903.
1903! Can you imagine? It's over 100 years old! I love old houses. They're
so . . . well, historic. This house was very well built, and it had been
updated. It had Cat 5 wiring. A new furnace and new plumbing. With all the
flavor of the original structure.

                And then we looked around some more. A small living room
with a fireplace had French doors to the deck. Behind that was a room that
was probably once the dining room. Wood floors that were recycled 100 year
old Eucalyptus. The kitchen had a sub zero fridge and a large 6 burner
range, but still looked . . . historically old. The housing for the
dishwasher was made to look like it was just a cupboard.

                A side entry gave way to the small side yard – they call
this house a "condo alternative" because it doesn't have much of a yard, and
it doesn't have a garage. But it's a house. It's a perfect 1903 house.
Downstairs is a master bedroom and a bathroom with a steam/shower room.
Upstairs, two more bedrooms and a bathroom with a claw footed tub.

                It's a work of art. A 1903 Craftsman Grand Lady with a view.
Both the July 4 th fireworks and the traditional New Year's fireworks can be
seen from the deck in front. It's not huge, 1400 square feet on the first
and second floors, and a basement down below that's another 1,000 square
feet for storage.

                We talked to the real estate agent about how wonderful the
house was, and she told us that she'd had people come in to look who didn't
want to hear about the house because they were going to just tear it down
and put up something new in its place. For the view, no doubt. For a view,
they'd pay 749k (which is a bargain for Capitol Hill, for a house like this
house, in this area, on a cobblestone street, with a view, in such good
condition), and they'd tear down the best part of the lot, the 1903 house,
and they'd put up their own version of what? A 21 st century convenience
with no charm, no history, no personality.

                I have nothing against new houses. I love my new house. But
I would never tear down a beautiful old house to put something new up. This
house on Newton Street is wonderful. A penthouse across the street is listed
for sale also, for, oh, just about 3 mil. In a rebuilt building, so it feels
like "new." Oh boy. There's a Tudor down the street for 1.895 mil. The house
on Newton Street, at 749k, is a steal.  There are condos in the area for
349k, 549k, 650k. But this house . . . this is a HOUSE.

                After we arrived, several more groups came in to look
around. We left, hoping that whoever does buy this house has enough sense to
leave it intact, to enjoy it as it should be, and doesn't do something
stupid like, oh, tear it down to put up something new. That would be . . .
well, awful doesn't quite say it well enough. A tragedy, of houselike
proportions, and I do not use the word tragedy lightly.

http://www.estately.com/listings/info/756258#listings/photos/756258