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Billy O’Neill, “Dale Chihuly’s right hand man,” (in white sneakers) selecting the large facility on Airport Way for his decorative glass making studio. The venue was going to teach youth and adults the art of Chihuly style glass making. The large open-bay building features the same old-growth historic bowstring-trusses that caused our city council to save the Pavilion building in the 1990s.
It was a dream come true for Renton’s Arts Community, our youth, and our Economic Development department. A world-class glass studio was relocating to Renton, headed up by the vice-president and operations manager of Chihuly’s workshop in Seattle. Billy O’Neill, who Seattle Times calls Dale Chihuly’s right hand man, was working on a gift for Renton that would have taught new generations of Rentonites how to create beautiful glass sculptures and containers. Mr. O’Neill has served on the Seattle Arts Commission, as secretary on the Executive Board of Directors of the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) and on advisory boards for the Seattle Sounders and other non-profits– a perfect fit in Renton. He was instrumental in creating Chihuly’s Garden of Glass at Seattle Center.
But the exciting glass art studio fell victim to a School District Eminent Domain taking, along with numerous other businesses and homes, with no acknowledgment by the School Board of the glass studio’s extraordinary significance.
The business, called “Glass Eye” already has a permanent sales location at Pike Place Market, which would have soon been selling the Made in Renton glassworks. We would have a new Made-in-Renton products we could share with visitors and far-away family, to replace our much-missed Uptown Glassworks.
The large open-space building was leased and getting preparatory updates. According to the buildings representatives, half a million dollars had recently been put into the building to prepare it for new tenants. The building ceiling comprises bowstring trusses, probably old growth, from the first half of the 20th century. Preservation of these trusses, which can span wide spaces, was a major driver in our saving the Renton Pavilion building in the 1990s after it had served as a Mazda showroom.
Mr. O’Neill explained to the Renton School Board that he had grown up in this area, and played softball in high school on Renton High’s current field. He regretted he was unable to bring the education gift to the Renton youth as planned. He was accompanied by his wife and a small entourage of partners and patrons, who all in turn implored the Board to reconsider their action. Each speaker received an emotionless “thank you”, by a School Board that had obviously already made up its mind.
Mr. O’Neill expressed concern that the building’s owners were not being properly compensated for the value of the unusual building, and the concerns were repeated by the owner’s real estate representative who also spoke.
In the unacceptably-brief five minute discussion by the board after all the comments, one of the board members asked the School District’s project manager why the Districts offer of 2.7 million was nearly two million dollars shy of the building owner’s price of 4.6 million. The District’s manager said he was using the price the building had traded hands for half a year earlier, and that the land value is reduced by being height-limited by the airport and possible oil residue in the underlying soil.
When Mr. O’Neill asked if he could offer some helpful information to correct the the record on this appraisal, the Board Chair refused to reopen the public hearing to hear the explanation for the difference in value, suggesting that he should email his input.
He pointed out that the information could inform their decision, so giving it to them before their decision made more sense then emailing it afterward. The Board wasn’t interested in the information, and murmurs in the audience made it clear that we all knew the Board had made their decision before the public hearing had even begun.
Soon the Board President asked for a motion. And after a long, suspenseful silence that looked like no one wanted to appear to have lead responsibility for the taking of so many homes and businesses, the motion to use eminent domain was made and seconded, and then unanimously approved.
Mr. O’Neill describes his planned art studio to the School Board Directors.
Later, Mr. O’Neill’s team explained to me that the 2.7 million dollar estimate is wrong because there has been a half million dollars of improvements made to the building, along with some inflation since the last sale. Additionally, the previous sale was discounted because the building had been emptied by a fire, and it now was repaired and had leases. And lastly, the District was treating it like raw land, talking about how high you can build and possible minor environmental concerns– issues that don’t matter when the right building is already in place for the use, and generating even more rent than a 4.6 million dollar building.
As I visited with Mr. O’Neill and his wife and friends after the meeting, I wished a Renton Economic Development specialist was with me. Ideally, they would have been working to find the exciting glass studio another fitting site in Renton, as well as helping keep the other displaced businesses in town. In the case of an Glass Art Studio of this value, they’ve already got a Plan B of course since everybody wants them; and sadly Plan B is not in Renton.
This photo shows the bow-string trusses that would have added a historical element to the new glass studio
Renton’s downtown Pavilion building shares the same historic bowstring truss structure as the now-disrupted “Glass Eye” studio. The desirable and beloved Pavilion building has been the center of recent controversy because the Mayor has taken it from Rain City Catering, which ran it as a successful event center, and it is currently sitting vacant awaiting the Mayor’s vision.
The exact kind of vitality we’ve been working to bring to Renton; Glass Eye’s Studio’s Ballard location can bring out hundreds of visitors for their community events. Here residents line tables full of Chihuly-style glass ornaments, sculptors, and containers.
Vase in work at current studio location in Ballard. Renton residents could have readily participated in this glass forming, or purchased made-in-Renton glass artwork, at the Renton location.
Glass Eye’s studio in Ballard
This Google Earth screenshot shows the intended home of “Glass Eye” Studio (white roof in center) on Airport Way, between the airport (front) and the high school (back).
i have attended meeting after meeting and what i find absolutely appalling is not one school board member has ever said “I’m sorry”
they don’t have to have it change their decision. they could still move forward with the eminant domain, because its “in the best interest of the public” but still be sorry they are taking the homes away from nearto 70 families, displacing people when we are in the middle of a housing crisis when housing costs are at a peak and very few (if any) of us are able to relocate within Renton because we cannot find anything affordable/comparable
those school board officials are elected to be the voice of the people – not push the agenda forward of the school district. how many of them have met with me and my neighbors?? none of them! Board Member Booker came to a public meeting at the library – with an agenda driven by the district – and didn’t say a word. didnt even acknowledge us!
vote every school board member out!
vote down every bond proposition that comes before the public because the school district has proven they cannot be trusted with a blank check!
Wow. Just wow. I can’t believe how the Renton City Council has just sat back and let this opportunity disappear. Wouldn’t that have been a much needed asset to both the Renton High School students and the community as a whole. Instead of stepping up and being the leaders our city needs and deserves, and working with the Renton School Board to maintain the businesses and homes north of the school, the City Council hid behind their podiums. And yes, the Renton School Board has not responded to neighbors or the communities request for discussion of this poorly thought-out ‘addition of the ball-field’. I can guarantee that if the public knew the extent of the Renton School Boards destruction and misuse of out public dollars for the benefit of a handful of students there would be much outcry. What a loss. I am sad for the students who could have benefited from the partnership with the glass studio. And such a beautiful building that will be destroyed. Instead the students will have a muddy field that few will use only part of the year.
The School Board wants everyone to believe this is in the best interest of the Renton High School students, and that there is some higher more important purpose for this neighborhood. The truth is that flattening this building that was going to be a glass studio, and replacing the entire block with fields is completely unnecessary!! Renton School District has several other options, including expanding to the West instead where there are just dilapidated buildings, and these options would still allow the full rebuild of the high school. The glass studio does not need to go! The Renton School Board is so short sighted, wanting to push through their agenda withoit stopping to consider the potential of having a glass studio there. What is most important to RSD is moving forward with their project, not stopping to consider what any of the property owners have to say about it.
I personally loved the irony of starting the meeting with a stolen land acknowledgement—right before jumping into the discussion of stealing of additional land from Renton citizens.
We’ve lived in Renton for over 20 years. I hate to say it, but Renton seemed to be more practical and business oriented when Dennis Law was mayor and Randy Corman was on the city council that I was proud of. Even King Parker was pretty pragmatic when he changed his mind about rebuilding the library over the river if I’m not mistaken. Now the city government seems to be more in line with Seattle and there now seems to be more of a soft ‘liberal’ focus (for lack of a better word) prioritizing diversity and handouts (with associated taxes) vs. business. Kicking 70 families out of their homes and shutting down the glass studio doesn’t seem like a smart move and there must be better alternatives. I hope Renton stays on track with the smart foresight that brought in the Landing, etc. p.s., Is Winco still going to be built in the old Fry’s building?