Hundreds attend seminary open house

Daniels Real Estate, in partnership with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, the Kenmore Heritage Association and the Association of King County Historical Organizations, held a community open house at the St. Edward Seminary on Saturday.

The event drew dozens of people eager to get a peek inside the historic building. Last month, Daniels was selected by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to lead the restoration and reuse of the seminary, converting it to the Lodge at St. Edward through a 62-year lease. At an earlier public hearing, several commenters remarked that even though they lived near St. Edward State Park for decades, they didn’t have many opportunities to go into the seminary.

During the open house, attendees had the opportunity to wander through the dining hall and kitchen, and guided tours were given of other parts of the building, including the basement, classrooms, dorm rooms, the library and the chapel.

Daniels Real Estate President Kevin Daniels also gave those in attendance a brief overview of his plan for the property, which is still in the planning stages, and held two question-and-answer sessions.

“We’re in the process of getting smarter on the building,” he said during the first question-and-answer session. “We got a lot of great ideas during the public hearings.”

The initial proposal for the Lodge at St. Edward suggested the hotel could have 100 rooms, but Daniels said he now thinks that number will be between 70 and 80. The facility is also planned to include a conference center, meeting rooms and a restaurant, and it is estimated that his company will have to spend somewhere between $40-45 million on the renovations.

Increased traffic and demand for parking have been major issues of concern for both opponents and supporters of Daniels’ project, and he said they would continue to work with the city and the state to see what can be done to mitigate the impacts.

“We need to figure out the transportation in and out,” Daniels said in response to concerns raised by attendees. “There’s no magic answer to it.”

The seminary building, designed by John Graham Sr. and constructed in the 1930s, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Daniels plans to preserve and restore as much of the building’s art deco design aspects as possible, he said, pointing out an exit sign in the dining hall as an example.

Daniels estimated that construction would likely not begin at the seminary until early 2018 due to various steps in the process with the state and the City of Kenmore.

The next step in the process is the completion of environmental review process, which is under the direction of the City of Kenmore. An appeal hearing for the environmental impact statement (EIS) and a public hearing on the site plan will be held at 9 a.m. March 1 at Kenmore City Hall.

More information about the EIS can be found online at www.kenmorewa.gov/lodgeatsaintedward. For more about Daniels’ plans for the project, visit danielsre.com/projects/st-edward-seminary.

This room in the basement of the St. Edward Seminary was featured in a tour of the property on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY/Kenmore Reporter

Open house attendees walk through a hallway during a tour of the St. Edward Seminary on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

The locker room in the basement of the St. Edward Seminary was featured in a tour of the property on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

St. Edward Seminary dorm rooms, including this one, were featured in a tour of the property on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

The chapel in the St. Edward Seminary was featured in a tour of the property on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

Open house attendees walk through the third-floor hallway during a tour of the St. Edward Seminary on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

Open house attendees walk around the chapel during a tour of the St. Edward Seminary on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

The chapel in the St. Edward Seminary was featured in a tour of the property on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

St. Edward Seminary is due to undergo renovations to become a lodge. CATHERINE KRUMMEY/Kenmore Reporter

This stairwell in the St. Edward Seminary was featured in a tour of the property on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

A photo of the building being constructed in the 1930s is on display inside St. Edward Seminary. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter

This room (once a barbershop) in the basement of the St. Edward Seminary was featured in a tour of the property on Feb. 11. CATHERINE KRUMMEY / Kenmore Reporter