By Becky Chan
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
“In the cherry blossoms’ shade
there’s no such thing
as a stranger.”
Kobayashi Issa
(Photo by Assunta Ng)
The flowering cherry trees leading to the Pike Place Market will fall prey to Seattle’s monster project to connect downtown and the waterfront. A band of concerned downtown residents and supporters, reacting to the proposed development of the market area, have formed a nonprofit group, savethemarketentrance.org, for historical preservation of the entrance to the Market. Saving the cherry trees is part of its mission.
In the design of a new pedestrian and bike path entrance to the Market, the city plans to replace six Kwanzan, Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’ and four Sargent’s cherry, Prunus sargentii, with hybrid elm trees. The elms were chosen for its form, foliage density, and growth rate. A last-minute effort to save the 40-year-old cherry trees may be futile. The Public Notice of removal tightly wrapped around the tree trunks are like yellow tombstones, prelude to the trees’ demise.
“We can’t even give it a proper goodbye,” lamented Jean Bateman, a downtown resident and volunteer with the preservation group. The trees at the Market are dormant, leafless, and brown now. If the city goes on schedule, the cherries won’t have a final chance to blush.
Blooming cherries looking east near the entrance to Pike Place Market last April. (Photo provided by savethemarketentrance.org)
Flowering cherries usually bloom late March to mid-April, the white to pink delicate blossoms lasting only days are revered in poetry, especially in Haiku, imitating life is fleeting. Hanami, blossom-viewing or Sakura festivals, may be a Japanese obsession but it is celebrated globally. It is a reminder for all to pause and savor the moment.
Taha Ebrahimi, author of an upcoming book, Street Trees of Seattle, due out spring 2024, said that these are downtown’s first-recorded cherry street trees based on the city’s data (they are also some of the last remaining in the downtown core). When she reached out to Seattle’s Department of Transportation, she was told they were being removed due to alleged “rapid decline” in the increasingly warming and drying conditions of Seattle.
In 1976, Japan’s former Prime Minister, Takeo Miki, gifted Seattle 1,000 cherry trees to commemorate the U.S. Bicentennial and the ties between Japan and the U.S., particularly Seattle.
Miki worked as a dishwasher in Maneki in the Chinatown-International District when he was a student at the University of Washington in the 1930s. Upon his return to Japan with a pro-American attitude, Miki was denounced for opposing the war with the U.S. Decades later, Miki served as prime minister from 1974 to 1976. It’s unknown whether the Market’s trees were part of Miki’s gift. But the first Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival began that year with those trees symbolizing hope, renewal, and friendship.
The symbolism of the cherry trees must have been on the city planners’ minds in the 1980s. During the revitalization of the market area, the trees, acting as a natural remembrance and nod to the city’s Japanese community, were planted near the Market to welcome visitors. Before the 1942 Executive Order resulting in the incarceration of Japanese Americans, over 75% of the Pike Place Market farmers were Japanese.
Public Notice on tree removal. (Photo provided by savethemarketentrance.org)
The removal notice on the marked trees indicated a 14-day public comment period, from Feb. 21 to March 7, regarding the plight of the trees. Listed were a website and a telephone number. One needs to call the number to get an email to comment.
On Feb. 27, the Seattle Department of Transportation & Office of the Waterfront & Civic Projects responded to an inquiry from Northwest Asian Weekly that construction crews will begin to remove the trees the week of March 6. There was a 30-day public comment period during the design phase of the market entrance last October. The additional 14-day public comment period is per city standard.
“My concerns are around the public’s ability to actually comment,” said Bateman, the trees’ advocate. “These trees and the historical, cultural heritage they represent deserve our respect and gratitude.”
On Feb. 27, Ebrahimi and local author and plant expert Arthur Lee Jacobson visited the Market entrance to inspect and identify the trees in question.
Jacobson said afterwards, “Neither elms nor cherry are ideal for that block.” He recommended rather than killing the existing trees, the city can give them extra care so they can become healthier and more attractive.
Project information can be accessed at http://waterfrontseattle.org/waterfront-projects/pike-pine-renaissance. Phone: 206-499-8040.
Public comments to the city can be made via the email obtained by NW Asian Weekly info@waterfrontseattle.org
Becky can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Dear Civic Practitioners,
Urban design tells us that intersections should be a transition zone. First and Pike is a unique intersection where all traffic stops for pedestrian crossings “scramble”. Can’t we loosen up a bit and compromise on the cherry trees to philosophically provide a design “scramble” as well? This is not the only time I and others have requested your consideration. If you are looking to support community action, this is a opportunity.
The proposed streetscape of large canopy elm trees marching down Pike end awkwardly at First Avenue. Given the scale of the historic Pike Place Market and the fact that this low rise intersection is considered the market’s entry / plaza, the tree canopy should respond in kind. The existing cherry trees on Pike at First Ave (east side) provide that needed scale transition and respect for the market entry. The impact of the grand colonnade of elms will not be lost simply by retaining two or more cherry trees with their celebratory blossoming to mark spring planting.
The Market Historic Commission has long felt the zoning allowed on the east side of First Ave at this intersection is out of scale. Simply retaining the cherry tree will be an acknowledgment addressing that concern.
The market has recently lost a pre-renovation (1970) volunteer cherry tree at Post Alley and Stewart Street. This cherry tree has historic ties to the Japanese American community as do the cherry trees at the entry to Pike Place Market. And, the ongoing loss of Seattles urban canopy, our urban lungs.
As you know, there is always a gamble with planting monocultures, and historically the elms speak to that. We have three Smithsonian American Liberty Elm cultivars on First Avenue in Belltown planted around 1980. So far, so good. Our urban canopy needs every tree we can save and, more, to plant.
Appreciate your consideration and look forward to a positive outcome.
The cherry trees in Seattle are a special symbol of the relationship between Japan and the United States. It’s an important reminder of the relationship that has been established between our two countries.
My grandmother, Kazuko Umezu, was the founder of the Nikkei War Brides Association. Her work was celebrated by government officials in America and also the Emperor of Japan. The cherry blossoms are an annual reminder that, even though she’s passed, her efforts to bridge our countries together, still continues.
I am very disappointed to hear that these trees, which have great historical value, are being removed. These trees should be tended to and revitalized. They are too important to our history to remove and should be honored for the cultural heritage they represent.
Despite the damage to sidewalks, I would prefer to keep the cherry trees.
Elm trees will reach a height of 60 feet. The real problem is the root system will break up sidewalks and roads. We had many of these Elms in our HOA and the majority were removed within twenty years for damaging driveways and sidewalks. I would assume Seattle will have the same problem.
They are a good looking tree until the roots appear on the sidewalks. It looked like in forty years the Cherry trees did not have this issue.
The trees are kool and belong there. If they are going to get rid of them don’t just cut them down. Why not auction them off. I’m pretty sure they would all be sold and most likely cherished. Just a thought.
This is obviously not in the best interest of preserving a bit of history that won’t be able to be replaced… Come on… Go destroy something else that fewer people care about.
It’s not like these trees are using needles or occupying the area and generating liter and human waste!.
I agree we need to get rid of the garbage. Get rid of the drug addicts and criminals, before we get rid of these trees. I bet someone who is involved with this is figuring out how to make a buck.
Oh brother, I’m just not good at this, so no more.
“Seattle is Dieing” KOMO TV special, watch it on You Tube, then fight back and try to save it for our children ! I’ve never commented on this before. I never comment on anything ! When I try to post my comment it’s saying it looks like I’ve already commented before, but I never did !
“Seattle is Dieing” KOMO TV special, watch it on You Tube, then fight back and try to save it for our children !
This is very sad. I’ve walked that sidewalk for years on my lunch break. We should stage a protest. The city is continuing to lose it’s soul. Who signed off and approved this? They saved that south side block for historical purposes. At least keep the trees on that side of the street by the Green Tortoise Hostel.
This is a fake article and a bad one at that Bunch of condo owners trying to stop real urban development.
Either you appreciate flowering cherry trees or you don’t. The source of the article is irrelevant.
Yeah, could someone flush before we leave.
Yeah , Seattle Lost its soul a long time ago. Just put a fence around the corpse and move on.
Personally I’m fighting. If you are upset contact that email and let them know how dumb this is. How can they take beautiful living trees down to put in elms that will destroy not only the culture, history and beauty of that area, but also the sidewalks, sewers, and streets. I mean the root system of an elm is huge 2x it’s gigantic height of 60-80 ft. These roots are known to break though concrete and the like. I’m infuriated to see this silent attack on our ties to Japan, history, and the market.
They really should take a note from Japanese construction roles. If a tree is in the path of the project, they bind the roots and move the whole tree to a new location. The tree gets to live, the project gets done. Win win.
Buffalo was once known as the city of elms before they all died from Dutch elm disease…. They were not particularly attractive neither are the cherry tree’s attractive for much of the year….BUT when spring finally arrives the trees bloom and symbolically represent a renewal that this once great city seems to be much in need of… Too bad some fail to recognize that some things are worth preserving.
Stop posting these nimby lies, you disgraceful liars.
The trees are kool and belong there. If they are going to get rid of them don’t just cut them down. Why not auction them off. I’m pretty sure they would all be sold and most likely cherished. Just a thought.
Shame on Seattle…..The city that lost soul
Shame on Seattle…..The city that list it’s soul
Taking trees our = Idiots.