By Reporter Steven Smalley
Global Seas, managers of fishing and research vessels in Alaska and elsewhere, doing business as Oceanstar LLC, is the new owner of the ?Admiral?s House,? confirmed company sources. Purchased for $2.7 million, reportedly $500,000 under the listing price, Global Seas is headed by company founder, President and CEO, Robert M. ?Bob? Desautel, a resident of Seattle.
Built in 1945 and previously owned by the Navy, the Admiral?s House has eight bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms, and is located on nearly four acres of land overlooking downtown Seattle, Puget Sound, and the Elliott Bay Marina. The stately white mansion on the bluff in Magnolia is designated a City of Seattle landmark and nominated for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The residence was home to admirals of the Navy since World War II.
?They fell in love with it because of Seattle history,? explains Staci Baldwin, the real estate listing agent, who spoke with Magnolia Voice.
Although it would make for one of the grandest homes in the region, company sources say Global Seas plans to put its offices there. No dates were announced.
?We can?t wait to move in,? gushed an employee at Global Seas. ?It?s a fantastic piece of property…just phenomenal. If you?re not happy there, you?re not happy anywhere.?
With headquarters in Seattle, Global Seas manages industries which include fish harvesting, and fish processing, plus ownership and management of survey vessels for charter, real estate, agriculture and technology, according to published company sources.
The new owners are required to maintain the house and site as stipulated by the landmark’s ordinance.
That HOME is on the National Register of Historic Places. I hope their plan of making it into offices preserves the property.
Actually it is NOT on the National Register of Historic Places, it has only been nominated. It IS designated a Seattle Landmark, but this does not give anywhere close to the same protections…
Let’s hope the new owners do a better job than the Navy of cutting and maintaining the blackberry bushes and weed trees that block the view from Ursula Judkins VIEWPOINT Park. The blackberry bushes are again higher than the surrounding chain link fence. It would be great to see the Magnolia Community Club take an interest in improving the view from the park. Visitors taking photos of the ships and the city often climb to the top of the the chain link fence to get a decent picture. Others try to stick their lens through the openings in the fence. Is this the best we can do for the park?? (Note that there is not a tree or bush blocking the view from the front of the Admiral’s House.)
Have you ever attempted to contact the Navy about your complaint? I have found the US Army Reserve to be very responsive when I notified them of tagging/graffiti at the former Fort Lawton property…same with over grown lawn and bushes there. They got right back to me, put me in touch with the appropriate people, and let me know what they were going to do about it and their expected time table. The military (in general) wishes to be a good neighbors, but if you don’t tell them, then nothing will happen…just sayin’…
Thank you for your suggestions. Yes, I’ve contracted the Navy/Navy’s property management company many times over many years. They have been good to cut back the bushes, but, of course, they grow back each year. If I don’t write, the bushes keep growing, taking out more and more of the view from the park. In past years, neighbors cut the bushes for free, but that is no longer allowed. If the Viewpoint park view is not protected, it will be lost. More is lost each year despite more visitors using the park to see the cruise ships, the city, etc. The park is a valuable community asset. I could be one of the best viewpoints in the whole city. Seattle Parks and the Magnolia Community Club should step up and protect the view. Repeated requests to Seattle Parks have fallen on deaf ears.