Posted Thu, Jan 5, 8:44 a.m.

For sure! Even us PBS NewsHour lovers had too much Iowa Caucus Coverage. JG-

Posted Mon, Jun 6, 11:50 a.m.

I'm glad to see this great piece by Mark Hinshaw. I was born in Seattle, moved to Spokane at age 1, returned at 14- just in time to see the most unsightly and unfortunate Seattle Viaduct built. I hope soon to see the waterfront made a credit to Seattle. It's ...

Posted Fri, May 27, 4:45 p.m.

Hi Larry- Hadn't read CrossCut for a while. Glad to see you're still a good Critical Critic.Jerry- See my Mercer Island PatchBlog- http://mercerisland.patch.com/

Posted Sun, Jul 11, 9:07 p.m.

JohnS'(above) makes a lot of sense to me- "A Chihuly museum located on the waterfront would do civic duty as both a tourist destination and a venue for social-functions quite well, and bring a lot of energy to the waterfront".

Posted Sun, Jul 11, 3:40 p.m.

Again Bobalou wraps it all up with his: "This is just another attempt, one of many, to "sanitize" the city". JG

Posted Sat, Jul 10, 12:14 p.m.

Hi Mark- Glad to see your byline again. See you're back in Indian Country again- writing about things that really matter. JG

Posted Sat, Jul 10, 8:52 a.m.

As to Bobalou's (above): "I don't mean to dump on Chihuly...I actually liked his early stuff.", count me in. The Mercer Island "palace of elegance" also alluded to is symptomatic of whar's happening to this still wonderful place where I've lived, practiced residential architecture for all these years. JG

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 9:15 p.m.

Bobalou- I can understand your desire for privacy- but I think your good views (because they agree with mine) would carry more weight if your profile gave more info about yourself and where you're coming from. I do hope to see more of your Crosscut comments. Jerry G-

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 4:46 p.m.

Here's an actlve link (click): http://crosscut.com/2010/06/24/architecture/19921/Paul-Thiry:-pioneer-of-architectural-modernism-in-Seattle/

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 4:43 p.m.

Sue Frause and Larry Cheek, both of Whidbey Island, are both admirers of Paul Thiry- as am I. He'd be pleased to see how the Frye has been updated by equally talented later practioners. Here's a Link to Larry's receny Crosscut piece Paul Thiry: pioneer of architectural modernism in Seattle. ...

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 3:41 p.m.

Bobalou- Please tell us more about you- your Crosscut Profile says you're a "Newbie". JG

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 3:38 p.m.

Bobalou- Twas ever thus. You've got to get the "by the barrel" ink buyers on your side. JG

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 1:56 p.m.

Ben- I well remember the oil-soaked tank farm. This illustrates my point exactly. The Sculpture Park could have been a so much better urban design. I must admit using the Theory of Less Palatable Alternatives on my custom residential clients. "More Condos" is a good boogeyman. JG

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 1:02 p.m.

Countermeme- This Seattle native thinks it's time to break the pattern of waiting too long to do anything- and then doing it really, really wrong. (You give a lot of good examples above). Crosscut deserves credit for this timely alert- hopefully timely enough so people will see it and put ...

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 10:57 a.m.

I couldn't agree more with the two preceeding. JG

Posted Fri, Jul 9, 7:20 a.m.

Worth repeating (from just above): "if you want Chihuly go to Tacoma, support their exhibit which is a substantial money loser. We don’t need two money losers within 30 miles of each other".

Posted Thu, Jul 8, 12:11 p.m.

MMF- I'm reposting this after reading your today's Post on the Hearing. JG I wonder is any other Seattle Native (or non-Native for that matter) is as over-Chihulied as I am. Fellow architect Clay Young, now gone, who with Paul Thiry and others (including myself) created and/or publicized the highly ...

Posted Thu, Jul 8, 11:24 a.m.

I wonder is any other Seattle Native (or non-Native for that matter) is as over-Chihulied as I am. Fellow architect Clay Young, now gone, who with Paul Thiry and others (including myself) created and/or publicized the highly successful '62 Seattle World's Fair had a much better vision of what this ...

Posted Wed, Jul 7, 2:55 p.m.

After reading the above comments on Larry Cheek's Paul Thiry piece (in which I am mentioned), I'm more and more convinced that all architecture has to stand on its own. If it isn't good, no matter who did it, let it go. Paul Thiry wasn't afraid to try new ideas ...

Posted Thu, May 13, 7:24 a.m.

I find these articles by Knute Berger on the early days of my native city most interesting- especially when they relate what's been there all along to what's being put forward as completely brand new. The Past is always with us- even on Mercer Island where I've lived, practiced for ...

Posted Thu, Apr 15, 11:07 a.m.

Tony- Here I am Tuesday on KING5 TV being interviewed about my positive past dealings with Washington Mutual as a residential architect before it became WaMu. Jerry http://www.king5.com/news/business/Watch-Former-WaMu-employees-customers-react-90796984.html

Posted Tue, Apr 13, 10:30 a.m.

As to Disclaimer's (above): "Let me get this straight. The structural integrity of the building's weakest link is a special type of paint and grout. Are we looking at a skyline of new disposable buildings that might not last twenty years?". the paint and grout are not structural elements in ...

Posted Mon, Apr 5, 9:26 a.m.

This is like comparing apples and oranges. I've seen/heard them both in action- Ivar was droll, Dave is not. JG

Posted Fri, Mar 26, 5:41 p.m.

Having seen this kind of inspired operation in other countries, I'm really looking forward to experience same- soon. JG

Posted Tue, Mar 23, 7:38 a.m.

I'm really glad to see someone of Art's stature doing some creative thinking about my native city. The Regrade was the long-ago start, the Chihuly the latest of a long string of bad ideas that have kept Seattle from realizing its potential. JG

Posted Fri, Mar 19, 8:27 a.m.

If there ever was a non-starter, this Chihuly thing is it. I was around when architects Clay Young, Paul Thiry were trying to get Seattle to do it right for once. The ill-considered Regrade set the tone long ago. JG

Posted Wed, Mar 17, 9:16 a.m.

This sounds like a very healthy way to go. JG

Posted Thu, Jul 30, 12:05 p.m.

A great story- we lived on Lopez part time for some 40 years and have one-time chicken-raising grandchildren on Orcas. It all rings true. J-

Posted Thu, Jul 30, 12:01 p.m.

(Corrected)- Of course the Tunnel is "far from a done deal"- my native city needs a lot more time to chew this over again and again and again and again.....................................................................

Posted Thu, Jul 30, 11:59 a.m.

Of course the Tunnel is "it far from a done deal"- my native city needs a lot more time to chew this over again and again and again.....................................................................

Posted Thu, Jul 16, 3:47 p.m.

bjohn's "a list of pre-approved designs which would be eligible for an expedited approval process" is a sure prescription for non-progress. There are so many kinds of highly varied infill sites to be filled. It's akin to saying only so many kinds of steering reactions are OK when driving down ...

Posted Thu, Jul 16, 3:30 p.m.

As to being "most livable"- It all depends on what's important to you. In my case, it's a single-family home on my own lot in a good neighborhood. We've tried the multi route and hope to never again. JG

Posted Thu, Jun 25, 12:30 p.m.

A great CC article- It reminds me of how this Wallingford boy found his Fremont girl living with her NYC transplant family in what looks like the "Fremont Classic" shown. She's still with me, the house is still there.

Posted Tue, Jun 23, 3:55 p.m.

As to (above): "Even badly designed townhouses at least provide density"- density is not the answer to all Planning problems. JG

Posted Fri, Jun 19, 12:09 p.m.

As to: "I suppose you could say this is the exception that proves the rule, but in general the idea that only degreed professionals should have a voice in issues that are within their field is disturbing, on many levels". I agree completely with author Benjamin Lukoff. Wiseness does not ...

Posted Wed, Jun 17, 2:29 p.m.

As to "Doing density right", the way to see it done wrong is in the CBD of Mercer Island- a newly built collection of ineptly designed multi-stories. JG

Posted Tue, May 26, 8:32 a.m.

Skip- Does Crosscut have any [b]codes?[/b]J-

Posted Tue, May 26, 8:31 a.m.

As to Mossback's parting shot- "During the Ballard Denny's controversy, one of the people arguing to demolish the diner told me he had just come back from Europe, from Prague, and that there was a city with real historic buildings worth saving, they were hundreds of years old. Of course, ...

Posted Fri, Mar 6, 11:58 a.m.

The above makes this Seattle native remember why he's never cared for the sneery writings of Jonathon Raban. The Britain he came from has far more of those "drab Seattle bungalows" arrayed in dreary blocks as shown in the movie "Shirley Valentine". JG

Posted Tue, Mar 3, 3:25 p.m.

Critic Larry Cheek took the absolutely worst way to do a personal home for himself and his family. I was astounded and then dismayed at Larry's lack of understanding of the rather complex process of designing a custom home that fits one's own needs and is buildable at an affordable ...

Posted Mon, Dec 15, 5:48 p.m.

As to "Tunnel, viaduct, who cares. The Viaduct goes to nowhere. Let me explain. It's part of a private freeway to Burien...the best kept secret in Seattle. It serves no other higher purpose." posted by Ex-Seattleite, said person seems to have forgotten about West Seattle and other Spokane Street connections. ...

Posted Mon, Dec 1, 9:53 a.m.

As I said before- Incredible!: Frank Chopp's proposal accentuates the negatives and diminishes the possible positives of redoing Seattle's forever dismal waterfront. The State of Washington should send him to look at Chicago's now handsome lakefront. A much closer, less expensive trip would be to Portland's riverfront. Jerry Gropp Architect ...

Posted Thu, Oct 23, 11:50 a.m.

The only way any great city gets a light rail system or anything that works in the great city yet to come is by just going ahead and doing it. Go see the London Tube Museum or the many like it. Jerry Gropp Architect.

Posted Mon, Oct 13, 1:33 p.m.

Ted- Apparently you haven't talked to enough people in Real Estate- including architects. Customers/Clients are holding off on committing to buying, building, alterations and/or additions. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA

Posted Thu, Oct 2, 12:48 p.m.

Riding the Streetcar-: As a kid, I used to ride the streetcar from my home at 50th and Wallingford to the Cobb Building to get my braces tightened up. As I recall it went down Meridian to Fremont, over the bridge and down Westlake. Worked fine, my teeth are still ...

Posted Thu, Sep 25, 3:06 p.m.

Incredible!: Frank Chopp's proposal accentuates the negatives and diminishes the possible positives of redoing Seattle's forever dismal waterfront. The State of Washington should send him to look at Chicago's now handsome lakefront. A much closer, less expensive trip would be to Portland's riverfront. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA

Posted Tue, Sep 23, 12:07 p.m.

An Ex-Caddy-: As an Ex-Caddy (Rainier, Olympic View, UW, etc. to show how long ago), golf clubs per se are not the most inclusive sampling of public opinion. They often include rather biased members reinforcing the similar biases of their fellow members. However they are just a segment of the ...

Posted Fri, Sep 19, 9:47 a.m.

Spokane's pretty nice-: Yes Knute- Spokane's pretty nice. While born here, I spent my first 14 years over East of the mountains. When I get back there (not often enough) it seems still to be a right-size, right-speed family-oriented community. I do admire the way the Spokane riverfront has been ...

Posted Mon, Aug 18, 12:10 p.m.

combines the good and bad: Mercer Island is not only between Seattle and Bellevue geographically, it combines the good and bad environmental elements of both of these- and the further out suburbs. That's why I've lived there all these years. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Mon, Aug 11, 5:26 p.m.

How Seattle Used to Be-: Seattle used to be a pretty nice place to live- and in many ways it still is. However, now too many people are squeezed into what used to be a favorable footprint between the mountains & Puget Sound. As for me, I'm a Seattle native- ...

Posted Mon, Jul 21, 11:38 a.m.

Cores: Hey- this solves one of my biggest problems in practicing residential architecture. All I have to do to stay within the Budget is to not count the Roof and/or the Foundation when I'm totting up those probable Building Costs. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA

Posted Thu, Jul 10, 2:28 p.m.

The time has come-: The time has come to get rid of the Viaduct. While it was an improvement over the rather grotty waterfront when it was built, it now impedes making our ugly bayside into something attractive like Portland and even Chicago now have. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA- (a ...

Posted Tue, Jul 8, 11:13 a.m.

It never makes sense-: In this architect's opinion, It never ever makes sense to demolish a well-designed and well-built building that is suitable for a number of re-uses. As someone who has done a lot of remodeling as well as new structures, I know the cost of demolition (wise or ...

Posted Wed, Jun 25, 12:18 p.m.

a building worthy of saving defined-: I can understand and fully support wanting to preserve good architecture but let's define same. In this long-time architect's book, a building worthy of saving on desireable, useful property has to be attractive and well-designed in the first place and well-used by the community ...

Posted Fri, Jun 20, 12:01 p.m.

Niggardly-: Niggardly- that's what I call all this back to basics talk. There are other reasons to buy a Prius (I just did). We've been surprised at how roomy and comfortable it is with all kinds of keen features plus the 50 MPG. Man does not live by bread alone. ...

Posted Thu, Jun 19, 9:44 a.m.

Wikepedia and my native Seattle-: As another Capitol Hill (Providence Hospital) Seattle native, I really appreciated this. Also as a somewhat guarded online user of Wikepedia (versus Brittanica), what I read of the workings of same made me even more so. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA.

Posted Thu, May 22, 9:47 a.m.

city still loses an architectural gem: Mossback Knute- An impressive lot of words- negated in one stroke by your calling this beknighted Mannings/Dennys "an architectural gem". Trust me, this structure is- and always was- far from it. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA

Posted Wed, May 21, 11:24 a.m.

Good Riddance-: The Ballard Mannings/Dennys is an unfortunate reminder of a low point in the art of architecture. While it served its purpose back then, it no longer has any redeeming qualities now. There's many a better use for the land it continues to occupy. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Mon, May 19, 5:34 p.m.

Why demolish the UW Reactor Building?: As an architect I know well how much work is involved in putting up a new building- and how little is involved in destroying one that still appears to be useful. It's probably paid for and could be coverted to another use at a ...

Posted Tue, May 13, 1:52 p.m.

Street Cars worked great for me-: As a kid, I rode the streetcars from Wallingford down through Fremont along Westlake. I just now looked carefully at your historical picture to see me getting off the streetcar to get my braces tightened- but I wasn't in the picture. Jerry Gropp Architect ...

Posted Sat, May 3, 4:43 p.m.

I couldnt agree more with Knute-: Knute said: "But the Denny's is pure California, a cheap carnival of look-at-me design that says little about Seattle's character or the Northwest's natural environment". That's right on. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Tue, Apr 29, 9:53 a.m.

Pure Brutalism: Larry Cheek's mostly knowledgable article "On Architecture- What to Save" in today's PI- did not support saving the UW's Reactor Building. I disagreed saying: Its Pure brutalism is/was in complete keeping with its housing a '60s atomic reactor- Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Fri, Apr 25, 9:40 a.m.

Crosscut's Mixed Libe Review: Having seen and used the old classical Carnegie Library, its mundane '50s replacement and now the overly-famous Koolhaus creation, I'd have to agree with the mixed review given in Crosscut today. I was one of those local architects who urged Deborah Jacobs to emulate the Bellevue ...

Posted Tue, Apr 22, 3:51 p.m.

oxymoron: oxymoron- Why don't you have SpellCheck on your Comments? JG

Posted Tue, Apr 22, 9:23 a.m.

the perfect oxmoron-: Skip- Now I've seen the perfect oxmoron in your: "Googie "architecture" (quotes added) successfully combined Modernism and popular culture and why it is important today". Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Fri, Apr 18, 9:57 a.m.

Very interesting-: A Lincoln High graduate, raised in Wallingford, I'm really looking forward to the rest of these three articles. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Wed, Apr 16, 11:53 a.m.

Better late than never-: This last weekend I finally got up to see the vaunted Issaquah Highlands. Unbelievable! A reasonable idea badly executed- marketed to those dis-educated to think density is the answer who will soon find out it really isn't. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Wed, Apr 16, 10:35 a.m.

Ted's been around the block-: Now back living in Seattle, Ted Van Dyk's been around the block and back East and well remembers the Reagan Democrats- as I do. It's all relative, even Reagan doesn't look so bad as he used to compared to today's overwhelmingly abundant bad. Let's hope ...

Posted Tue, Apr 15, 10:21 a.m.

really disgusting!: Now this is really disgusting. It shows that things are really out of balance in this country. Here in the Seattle area we've seen a lot of developer indifference to the plight of those needing a decent home for their families. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Mon, Apr 14, 2:59 p.m.

RE: No photos of Bassetti's buildings unfortunately: The Pacific Northwest section in the Seattle Sunday Times used to be called the "Pictorial" (informally the Roto) wherein Margery Phillips and others showed and knowingly described my designs and that of many other architects doing home design to a receptive public that ...

Posted Mon, Apr 14, 2:43 p.m.

about Fred Bassetti-: While Fred Bassetti like most architects started by doing really creative house designs, he soon left these small commissions and went on to greater things of which he and his partner Jack Morse did many. When he retired he went back to the small stuff- remodeling his ...

Posted Wed, Apr 2, 9:48 a.m.

Even Mossier-: Born in Seattle, raised in Wallingford, living for many years on Mercer Island, as an architect, I have even more to lament than Mossback. It used to be possible to create one's own reasonably priced home on a easily-found vacant lot without undue regulation. Pretty hard to do ...

Posted Fri, Mar 28, 11:02 a.m.

Fred Herman was right-: I had my architect's office on Main Street in Bellevue for 24 years and saw happening exactly what Planner Fred Herman predicted. The Downtown CBD used to be far more useful to Bellevue and us Mercer Island citizens. Gone are most of the good restaurants and ...

Posted Thu, Mar 27, 10:11 a.m.

RE: just a few points on a piece i mind a lot less: "people of such awfulness"- oh my! I'm sure this writer reaps what he sows- everywhere he goes. It's time for him to move on- away from Nordic politeness. JG

Posted Thu, Mar 27, 9:47 a.m.

Decrying-: This long-time residential architect has never seen the logic of decrying falling house prices. Ever-rising building costs take a lot of the fun out of creating family homes- in my native Seattle and everywhere else. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Thu, Mar 27, 7:54 a.m.

A realistic view-: To this Seattle native, Jean Godden has a realistic view of what Seattle has become & how it got there. I too miss her PI writings. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Tue, Mar 25, 12:42 p.m.

Hard to put a handle on it-: I really, really liked the previous comment- "It's more than architecture!". So-called "Landmarking" is awfully hard to define and/or codify- just like life in the far West- or anywhere else. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA

Posted Thu, Feb 7, 10:33 a.m.

Courthouse Panels-: Like many "modernizing" things done in those days, this was a bad idea from day one. Kawneer and other metal panel makers relentlessly promoted their use to architects like me. Many small towns East of the mountains had their downtowns "improved" thusly. I'm so glad Peter is writing ...

Posted Wed, Feb 6, 4:43 p.m.

Ballard Googie: The trouble with preserving the Ballard Mannings as a good example of Googie architecture is that from day one (I saw it built) it wasn't great architecture by any means. Let it go- there are plenty of better buildings far more worth our efforts. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA ...

Posted Wed, Sep 5, 3:18 p.m.

Iconic Pictures-: All these well-chosen iconic pictures make this Seattle Native want to go see the whole MOHAI collection. Jerry Gropp, Mercer Island.

Posted Thu, May 10, 10:52 a.m.

As for me, I've seen a lot of unwise growth-: As for me, I've seen a lot of unwise growth- from David Brewster's article today, it appears that things aren't quite as bad as I thought. Let's hope so. Seattle native Jerry Gropp Architect AIA PS

Posted Fri, Apr 20, 9:05 a.m.

Couldn't be more intrusive-: The about to be built Zoo Garage couldn't be more intrusive judging by the picture you've published. As an architect, I know full well that there are ways to pick colors and materials that would blend in rather than stand out. I also know the nicely ...

Posted Thu, Apr 19, 5:05 p.m.

Architectural Mossback: Knute- I guess I'm an Architectural Mossback in that I'm not particularly fond of the from elsewhere houses that the spec builders have been throwing up to replace/displace what used to be NorthWest style homes- with stained wood and all that. Jerry Gropp Architect AIA (born in Seattle ...

Posted Mon, Apr 16, 4:05 p.m.

Geof Logan's Comments (above) are right on the mark.: Now here's an architect (I presume) who really can write well and knowingly about design things. He calmly and clearly lays out what's wrong with SAM's highly hyped Olympic Sculpture Park. Next time I hope you make him one of the ...

Posted Tue, Apr 10, 2:59 p.m.

Sad to say, once again Seattle has blown it!: The aim of the new Olympic Sculpture Park is laudable, the architectural design isn't. On a site that calls for soft undulating forms enhanced by trees and other plants, what we have had presented to us are severe concrete zig zags ...