March 9, 2018 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 3A
Sea Lark apartments to be rebuilt
A year after
burning down,
construction is
set to begin this
summer
By Brenna Visser
Cannon Beach Gazette
COURTESY LORRAINE ORTIZ
Manzanita sculptor Mike Cook with state Rep. Deborah
Boone and his piece “Earth Rescue”
Manzanita artist’s work
lands in governor’s office
Cannon Beach Gazette
Many artists dream of
having their work in a posi-
tion of prominence where it
can be seen by decision mak-
ers. And that is exactly what
happened with Manzanita
resident Mike Cook’s piece
“Earth Rescue,” which now
resides in the Oregon gover-
nor’s office.
Since becoming a sculp-
tor post-retirement, Cook
combined his creative pas-
sion, concern with climate
change and his drive to ad-
vocate for Oregon’s Clean
Energy Jobs Bill and the
state’s participation in meet-
ing the Paris Agreement. He
wanted to see where creat-
ing for a cause might lead
and if it could help in some
way.
Cook’s artist statement
for “Earth Rescue” states
that the work is a gesture of
caring for the wound, soften-
ing the impacts and what can
occur with an agreed, politi-
cal, environmental, econom-
ic and scientific framework.
At first, state Rep. Deb-
orah Boone welcomed the
possibility of having the
piece in her office, but as the
2018 session approached,
along with a solid chance for
the passage of the Clean En-
ergy bill, Boone suggested
perhaps the piece could be
placed in the governor’s of-
fice. And that is exactly what
happened.
As Cook continues to
write notes to legislators, he
can leverage the placement
of his sculpture, referring to
the piece and what it rep-
resents. “I can refer to the
piece by name, where it is
and suggest they go take a
look at it,” he smiled.
Plans to rebuild the Sea
Lark apartments in down-
town Cannon Beach are in the
works a little over a year after
the buildings were destroyed
in a fire.
Planning commission and
design review board approved
designs and plans. Construc-
tion is expected to start this
summer, David Vonada of
Tolovana Architects said
Thursday, Feb. 15. He spoke
on behalf of Mike Clark, the
property owner of Coaster
Properties LLC.
“We feel it’s a huge up-
grade and plus for the com-
munity,” Vonada said.
The new building will re-
semble the former as it will
many of the same exterior
materials and remain the same
size. This time, however, the
complex will feature eight
one-bedroom units instead of
the original four-plex of two-
to-three bedroom units. This
time around there will also be
an Americans with Disabili-
ties Act accessible room.
There is also a deed re-
striction that prohibits these
apartments to ever be con-
verted into condominiums or
short term rentals in an effort
to keep them affordable, long-
term housing.
“We were able to have
eight units in the same amount
of space. That means more
affordable housing, which
we’re pretty excited about,”
Vonada said.
The process to rebuild the
Sea Lark was stalled partial-
ly due to waiting on a park-
ing variance from the plan-
ning commission. With the
increased number of units,
Clark argued he could create
CANNON BEACH FIRE AND RESCUE/FOR EO MEDIA GROUP
Fire consumed 124 N. Larch St., leaving three residents displaced.
‘WE FEEL IT’S A
HUGE UPGRADE
AND PLUS FOR
THE COMMUNITY.’
David Vonada,
on behalf of Mike Clark,
property owner
more parking to the current
parking requirements, which
would be about one space per
unit.
But some commissioners
were concerned the lack of
parking could negatively im-
pact the tenants.
“Without a lot of public
transportation, you really
need a car to get around here,”
commissioner Robin Risley
said in December.
At the same December
meeting, Clark and former
planning director Rainmar
Bartl argued the amount of
parking required by the city
is excessive, and that many of
the tenants whom this would
serve don’t have vehicles or
walk to work.
SAM STEIDEL/FOR CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Flames at the Sea Lark apartments in downtown Cannon
Beach threatened to spread to nearby buildings.
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