Lisa and Monica rescued this from the smoke and ashes the day of the fire – June 25, 2021.

The record Heat Dome followed the day after the fire that closed HPIC. Thus began our checklist of chores and waiting, while we gathered information. We thank all of you again for your support and donations! Here’s what we know so far:

SFD Fire Investigator’s Scene Report, via a Public Records Request through the City of Seattle:

INCIDENT SUMMARY:
IT IS THE OPINION OF THESE INVESTIGATORS THAT THIS FIRE IS UNDETERMINED. THE FIRE ORIGINATED ON THE LANDING AT THE TOP OF THE SHORT STAIRWAY ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING NEAR THE NORTHEAST CORNER. FIRE BURNED THROUGH THE STAIRWAY LANDING, EXTENDING FIRE TO THE ADJACENT CRAWLSPACE FRAMING. FIRE EXTENDED UP FROM THE LANDING, THROUGH THE ENTRY DOOR, INTO THE MAIN HALL AND TO THE SECOND FLOOR AND ATTIC ABOVE. EVIDENCE OF TRANSIENT ACTIVITY WAS FOUND IN THE ENTRYWAY. AN INTENTIONALLY SET FIRE COULD NOT BE RULED OUT. THERE ARE NO PERSONS OF INTEREST RELATED TO THIS FIRE AT THIS TIME.

Insurance
As of our latest Board meeting (Weds Sept 8) we are still waiting for an “official” determination from our insurance company as to how and when the building recovery/rebuild will be funded. In the meantime we have been creating a comprehensive inventory of Business Personal Property which will be covered, and also preparing a claim for loss of Business Income. We expect the official determination on the building coverage soon. We don’t expect the insurance to cover the full cost of the renovation and will be seeking additional funding – from the neighborhood and other funders – to make the renovated space as inviting and versatile as possible.

Nothing could have prepared any of us for waking up to such devastating news. While we share our sadness and loss with so many in this community, this moment is just a scar that will be woven into the fabric of our century-old story, and in the end will only serve to make us stronger. As we emerge from our shock, we are already focusing on how to rebuild our beloved space, as well as how we can continue to serve the community until our doors swing wide open again. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we are resilient and can adapt to the most challenging of circumstances, to still be an important presence to meet the needs of our community. Together, we’ve got this.

Read more…

 September is sold out! Don’t miss this great end-of-summer sale!

This summer of almost post-pandemic we decided to triple the fun of our popular Giant Garage Sale – and then the fire happened. And then we realized the Garage Sales would be perfect – already outdoors with plenty of space and opportunity for vendors to show their wares and ingenuity and for shoppers and neighbors to show their support and gather again. We welcome the community to peruse the sales and keep our gathering space alive and active. We will have refreshments too. A fire can’t keep us down!

All the previously donated items for sale were lost in the fire, so if you still have saleable items you’d like to donate, write to us here, attention Garage Sale.

“Ron amazes you in many formats from Crack Sabbath to Suffering Fuckheads to Yada Yada Blues Band while charging forward on his Hammond organ. However, Ron moves to the upright piano on this show and provides you a window into the many Sunday nights at Vito’s where he has stayed up late and brought the lovely and lively sounds of his jazz trio. Geoff Harper joins him on upright bass. D’vonne Lewis is on the kit.”

Help us raise $50k by the end of May!

Lucky Mystery Now Orchestra is a collective of prominent Seattle musicians and collaborators who perform and improvise over original, rudimentary, and minimalist works conceived by Joel Ricci, composer, trumpet player, and metaphysicist. These tunes are offered as vehicles for the various individual interpretations by the artists of the Orchestra, while simultaneously presenting a reflection of a functioning and flourishing collective ecstatic ceremony/ritual.

Please do tune in and lend your attention and intention to our musical and rhythmic efforts.

Evan Flory-Barnes is a sorcerer. Able to concoct large, swelling scores with symphonies following his precise baton or manifest nuanced, delicately woven narratives on his solo upright bass, the Emerald City virtuoso offers elegant, honest, approachable and magical music. With deep influences in hip-hop’s boom-bap, classical music’s delicacies and rock ‘n’ roll’s power, Flory-Barnes is a fire, centralized and for any to be made warm. His current Avant-Soul Pop Music features a love of classic soul and experimental pop, featuring talents as a bassist, composer/arranger and singer-songwriter. His songs touch on the cultivation of hard won self-love, personal sovereignty and experience relationships as both a catalyst and crucible in the developing of one’s soul and self.

The work continues on HPIC’s Performance and Dance Space, with funding from a Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Neighborhood Matching Fund grant for $25,840.

The project will improve indoor air quality, while upgrading the space to be even more supportive of performing arts and cultural activities. When we are able to re-open, we will have a refreshed and more accessible space for the community, as well as an improved venue for local performers and artists.

Neighborhood Matching Funds are all about volunteer match. If you’d like to volunteer to help with the building work, email us and we’ll add your name to our list.

Also, we value your input! Send us your ideas for the space, for programming, for virtual things we might do.

We thank King County and 4Culture for the Building Structural Improvements Grant, and also for support from the Covid Cultural Relief Fund, which has helped us pay our bills during this time.