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A big little acquisition in West Seattle

CLC buys West Seattle open space

CLC buys West Seattle open space

The Cascade Land Conservancy has purchased the Allingham property in West Seattle, a  small purchase -- slightly less than an acre -- but an important one.

The Allingham property is in the Longfellow Creek Greenspace and surrounded by public property.  The City has been interested in acquiring the property for over 10 years.  

Longfellow Creek and the surrounding greenspace is a vibrant place for both people and animals.  A trail follows its meanderings, built and stewarded by local citizens.   Local residents recount stories of children balancing across the creek on fallen firs, and damming up a swimming hole where they caught cutthroat trout in the 1950s and '60s. The Suquamish called the creek "to-AH-wee," which means trout.  About four miles from downtown Seattle, Longfellow Creek is a gem in the emerald city. It's surrounded by more open space than any other creek in Seattle.

The purchase is significant for another reason.  It is the first use of an innovative financing tool developed by the CLC.  Working with Commerce Bank, CLC has a line of credit at the bank backed by the signature of high net worth individuals.  It allows the conservancy to move quickly to acquire land – as it did in this case – at a relatively low interest rate.

The property and the method of acquisitions reflect the CLC’s strengths as an innovative, entrepreneurial organization that can make things happen – whether it’s a large working forest or a small urban greenspace.

The property, located at the corner of 29th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Findlay Street, was purchased from the Allingham family for about $600,000.  CLC plans to hold the property for several years while the City of Seattle secures funding for permanent preservation.

The Allingham property is a .92 acre wooded hillside adjoining a large block of Seattle Parks property that was originally acquired for expansion of West Seattle Golf Course but is now managed for open space.  The Allingham property protects critical wildlife habitat, and expands already protected public lands in the Longfellow Creek Greenspace.

Cascade Land Conservancy was asked by the City of Seattle to acquire the property.

“The Cascade Land Conservancy prides itself on being a ‘can-do’ organization,” said Chip Nevins, King County Senior Conservation Director for CLC.  “This is a great example of our ability to step up to help the city and the property owner.”

The property also advances the goals of The Cascade Agenda.

CLC has been working on conserving urban open parks and open space properties for the last 17 years.  The Cascade Agenda highlights the correlation between making our cities more livable and conservation of our regional landscape. Having adequate parks and open space is a major component of urban livability.  This project will provide added protection to over 34 acres of public property in the Longfellow Creek Greenspace.

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