Denny’s Making History

In early January, I wrote a story about the Seattle Landmark Commission considering designating a former Denny’s Restaurant building in Ballard as a historical landmark. Nope, really, I am not kidding. See, “Remember the Hat ‘n Boots?”

Well, as a testament to the death of common sense in the modern era, the commission did it. They actually designated a former Denny’s building as a historical landmark, precluding the owner from selling the land to developers for another use.

Now, the property owners are suing to have the historical landmark designation removed. I hope they win.

I am certain that there are people out there who disagree with me and would argue that it is necessary for us to preserve our history, which includes unusual architecture. I do not necessarily disagree. However, I just spent 2-1/2 months in Europe looking at architecture that goes back hundreds of years. Something that was created in 1960 would still be considered new by those standards. So, unless something historical actually occurred in that Denny’s, I fail to see the need to preserve the actual building (which will likely just fall into disrepair as did the Hat ‘n Boots) when photographs of the architecture would serve the same purpose. That is what archives and libraries are for. Now, if a treaty or something of historical significance had occurred in that Denny’s over a grand slam breakfast, I’d have a different opinion.

But it didn’t. And I don’t.