In the early morning hours on January 20th, a collective of neighbors, reporters and casual spectators showed up at 1262 Alki SW to witness the move of a 1950s beach home that was once the residence of longtime community members Fred and Marjorie Dau. As the owners of the former Admiralty House Antique shop, the Dau’s, and their mid-century modern residence, were well known and loved in the neighborhood. Given the home’s storied past, developer Vibrant Cities dedicated themselves to the concept of moving the home, rather than demolishing it.
Clearance issues barred the first effort to relocate the home to the original family in southwest Seattle, but Nickel Brothers was able to arrange for the home to go to a new owner in Canada.
“We were delighted to work with the City and West Seattle in repurposing a great home,” said Ming Fung, Co-Founder of Vibrant Cities. “I want to offer a huge thank you to the Nickel Brothers team for a flawless move to Denman Island, B.C., where its new family can start their next chapter with this home.”
Fung said she was glad to see the community’s warm reception, as onlookers expressed joy over the company’s election to protect the home. West Seattle Blog even showed up on site to track the progress, covering the initial slow move by truck off the lot, through to the journey to the Don Armeni Boat Ramp.
Vibrant Cities is currently in the planning phase of a proposed midrise multifamily development on Alki Ave SW. As outlined in the “Early Design Guidance” documents, the heart of the project is a strong connection to the water and iconic beauty of the Puget Sound. It will maintain an outward focus to provide a greater bond between residents and their surroundings, and serve as a model for the region through the implementation of sustainable technologies to reduce environmental impact.