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The former Sound Food building has been bustling with construction activity in an attempt to remedy “years and years of deferred maintenance,” Mike Urban, one of the building’s two new owners, said last week.
Urban said that he and his father bought the space as an investment. King County Assessor’s Office records show the building sold on Dec. 21 for $390,000. Attention has since turned to working on fixing existing leaks, replacing the building’s siding, repairing damage done by rot and replacing the single-pane windows with more energy-efficient ones, Urban said. He also said that he had to remove the wisteria plant that had been clinging to the building’s north and east faces.
“We cut the wisteria down because it had caused so much damage to the building exterior,” he said. “If anyone misses it and would like to plant it at their own home, I will happy to give them a seed.”
He declined to comment on what the exact plans are for the building, saying only that the work being done right now is everything that does not require a permit.
“We are beginning the permitting process for structural work that will enhance the building and set it on a path toward resurrection,” Urban said. “As that process moves forward, we are focused on simple fixes to repair existing damage. We’re basically doing all we can do.”
The building has had a varied history of tenants, but began as the Sound Food restaurant, which opened in 1974 and served natural and organic food for more than 30 years. The restaurant closed in the early 2000s.
Since the iconic restaurant’s closure, chefs and caterers have attempted to make the place their own. Two former Sound Food employees used the space for their catering business off and on from 2008 until 2013, when another chef moved in. Lauren Garaventa, of local food pop-up Meat and Noodle, moved in briefly at the beginning of 2013, but left after a few months.
The space was most recently occupied by Rachael Gordon, a chef who created sweet and savory pastries and American cuisine. Her food, particulary breakfast offerings, drew crowds to her restaurant. Rachael’s at Sound Food began in May 2014, but she, too, soon closed the doors and left after acts of vandalism cost her thousands of dollars in losses. Four months after beginning, she closed up shop, and the building remained vacant for most of 2015.
Now, Urban says that he understands the building is special and has a long and varied history, and he plans to respect that fact.
“I have a long history on this island, and I really respect history,” he said. “I respect buildings and the history they offer, and I will not do anything to jeopardize that.”
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