Arthur Skolnik papers, 1944-2015

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Skolnik, Arthur
Title
Arthur Skolnik papers
Dates
1944-2015 (inclusive)
Quantity
19.78 cubic feet (18 boxes and 2 oversize folders)
Collection Number
6273
Summary
Papers from an architect, urban planner, and preservation advocate from Seattle who worked on the preservation of Pioneer Square among other projects
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No user access copies exist for the VHS tapes, film, DVDs or CDs. No restrictions on access for other materials. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Art Skolnik, FAIA, is an architect, urban planner, and preservation advocate. He is best known for his efforts in landmarks preservation, creating innovative public-private partnerships for economic development, and contributing to effective decision-making for urban quality. Skolnik was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 11, 1944. He received his Bachelor's in Architecture from the University of Illinois in 1966 and his M.A. in Architecture/Urban Design from the Pratt Institute in 1968. In 1971, Skolnik was hired as the Pioneer Square Historic District Manager and became the first Historic District Manager in Seattle. In the capacity from 1971 to 1974, he was part of a campaign to save Pioneer Square from urban renewal. Skolnik oversaw the management of both public and private projects and activities within the district. He served as the first city conservator in Seattle in 1975.

In 1975, Skolnik was appointed as the first official Washington State Historic Preservation Officer (the first such appointment in the nation) as well as the State Historic Preservation Officer and Executive Director of the State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Skolnik served as president of the Skolnik Company (previously known as The Conservation Company) beginning in 1978. The company was a consulting firm focused on land-use, architecture, historic preservation, economic development, property management, community advocacy and public policy in Washington State.

From 1984 to 1985, Skolnik served as the Executive Director of the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter Council. He directed and oversaw the restoration and rehabilitation of the 16-square block Downtown Gaslamp Quarter Historic District, formerly San Diego’s “red light” district. He returned to Seattle as the Vice President of Real Estate Management at Heartland Real Estate, Inc. and then at the King County Department of Metropolitan Services. After serving as the Principal-in-Charge at Daly & Associates and Executive Director of the Kalakala Foundation, he became active in public dialogue about the future of Seattle’s downtown waterfront especially around the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Skolnik ran for public office three times: in 1979 for the King County Council; in 1998 for the Washington State House of Representatives; and in 2003 for a seat on the Seattle City Council.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Materials related to Art Skolnik's life and career including correspondence, reports, notes, writings, photographs, audiovisual materials, and other material related to his work in Seattle.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 2 accessions.

  • Accession No. 6273-001, Arthur Skolnik papers, 1944-2015
  • Accession No. 6273-002, Arthur Skolnik papers, 1976-2014

Acquisition Information

Donated by Arthur Skolnik on March 6, 2019 and September 25, 2019.

Related Materials

Pioneer Square historic district manager records, 1972-1977.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 6273-001: Arthur Skolnik papers, 1944-2015Return to Top

17.02 cubic feet (15 boxes and 2 oversize folders)

Scope and Content: Slides, photographs, films, awards, high school and university materials, yearbooks, articles, VHS tapes, correspondence, various campaign materials, biographical information, reports, miscellaneous application materials, writings, journals, drawings, reports, and other ephemera related to the life and work of architect Arthur Skolnik including his work saving Pioneer Square, rehabilitating San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, and work with The Conservation Company (later The Skolnik Company).

Restrictions on Access: No user access copies exist for the VHS tapes and film. No restrictions on access for other materials. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Arthur Skolnik on March 6, 2019.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Accession
1 6273-001
Skolnik family and personal papers, including photographs, correspondence, and family tree
approximately 1944-2004
1 6273-001
High School and College
approximately 1960s
1 6273-001
Pioneer Square
1970s
2 6273-001
The Conservation Company
approximately 1970s-1980s
3 6273-001
Historic preservation documents
1980s
3 6273-001
Applications
approximately 1990s
3 6273-001
Political Campaigns
approximately 1990s
3 6273-001
Conferences and Symposiums
approximately 1990s
3 6273-001
Penn Yards Urban Design
approximately 1990s
4 6273-001
Penn Yards Urban Design
undated
4 6273-001
Planners and Notebooks
approximately 1980s
4 6273-001
Awards and Honors
undated
4 6273-001
Miscellaneous Projects
approximately 1970s-1990s
5 6273-001
Writings by Art Skolnik
approximately 1970s
5 6273-001
Miscellaneous
1970s-1990s
6 6273-001
Llama farm articles, photographs, clippings
1997
6 6273-001
High School and College
1960s
6 6273-001
Pioneer Square
1960s-1970s
6 6273-001
Conservation Company
1970s-1980s
7 6273-001
Conservation Company
1980s-1990s
7 6273-001
Gaslamp District
1970s-1980s
7 6273-001
Political Campaigns
1970s-1990s
7 6273-001
Miscellaneous Projects
1980s-1990s
8 6273-001
Miscellaneous Projects
1990s-2000s
8 6273-001
Miscellaneous
1970s-1990s
9 6273-001
Slides
undated
10 6273-001
Slides
undated
11 6273-001
Slides
undated
12 6273-001
Slides
undated
13 6273-001
VHS: Arthur on TV, Alaskan Way Viaduct Interview
March 2007
13 6273-001
VHS: Seattle City Council Candidates- Primary, SCAN- League of Women Voters Forum
2003
13 6273-001
VHS: Fellows Series: Art Skolnik FAIA Four Seasons Olympic Hotel
61 minutes
2001 January 23
13 6273-001
VHS: KK KIRO TV Art Skolnik
2002 November 6
13 6273-001
VHS: Block 51, Portland Addition, Downtown Portland Oregon and surrounding area. Skolnik testimony
1987 October 20
13 6273-001
VHS: Arthur San Diego TV Interview
1986 December 29
14 6273-001
Film: Pioneer Square, taken by Art Skolnik district manager from his office at 1st and Yesler, taken over several weeks
8 mm film reel
1973
15 6273-001
Photographs, plans, and album
undated
folder:oversize
OS Folder 1 6273-001
Drawings and campaign poster
undated
OS Folder 2 6273-001
Banner/Sticker: Skolnik County Council Campaign
undated

Accession No. 6273-002: Arthur Skolnik papers, 1976-2014Return to Top

2.76 cubic feet (3 boxes)

Scope and Content: Materials related to Art Skolnik's life and career including correspondence, reports, notes, writings, photographs, and audiovisual materials on issues such as the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seattle's baseball stadium, Seattle's waterfront, and the Kalakala Ferry.

Restrictions on Access: No user access copies exist for the VHS tapes or DVDs, or CDs. No restrictions on access for other materials. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Arthur Skolnik on September 25, 2019.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 6273-002
Recognition Certificates
1998-1999
1/2 6273-002
Metro - "Bikes on Buses"
1991-1995
1/3 6273-002
Campaign against the Seattle Aquarium
2000
1/4-1/5 6273-002
Seattle's Federal Reserve Bank
2011-2014
1/6 6273-002
Willard R. Espy Literary Foundation
1999
1/7 6273-002
King County Department of Metropolitan Services
1991-1993
1/8 6273-002
King County Department of Metropolitan Services
1994
1/9-1/10 6273-002
King County Department of Metropolitan Services
1995
1/11 6273-002
Metro Economic Development Program
1994
1/12-1/14 6273-002
Kalakala Ferry
2002-2005
1/15 6273-002
Shoreline Sky Nursery
2005-2008
1/16 6273-002
1998 State Election
1998
1/17 6273-002
2003 Seattle City Council Election
2003
1/18-1/21 6273-002
Viaduct
2002-2014
2/1 6273-002
Pioneer Square Preservation Board
2007
2/2-2/5 6273-002
Seattle Baseball Stadium
1996
2/6 6273-002
Sailor's Union of the Pacific Building
2008-2011
2/7 6273-002
Ace Hotel
2008
2/8 6273-002
Seattle Waterfront
1998-2001
2/9 6273-002
North Bend
2000-2001
2/10 6273-002
Snoqualmie
1999-2001
2/11 6273-002
Teaching
2004-2016
2/12 6273-002
Action: Better City
1968
2/13 6273-002
Designs and Patents
1982-2012
2/14-2/15 6273-002
Landmark Preservation
1999-2015
2/16 6273-002
Regional Transit Project
1991-2001
2/17 6273-002
Notes
undated
2/18 6273-002
Daly & Associates
2000
2/19 6273-002
Seattle Monorail Project
2003
2/20 6273-002
Miscellaneous event programs
1976-2002
2/21 6273-002
Articles mentioning or quoting Art Skolnik
1987-2016
2/22 6273-002
Carmack House
2008-2009
2/23 6273-002
Carmack House and Landmark Preservation Board Hearing
2008-2009
2/24-2/25 6273-002
Skolnik Family and Personal
1986-2015
2/26 6273-002
Correspondence
2001-2013
2/27-2/28 6273-002
Articles with comments by Art Skolnik
2007-2010
Box
3 6273-002
DVD: Kalakala Saga: "Clueless in Seattle"
2004 March
3 6273-002
VHS: "CNN Kalakala"
2002 December 3
3 6273-002
VHS: Kalakala Story
2003
3 6273-002
DVD: The Future of Pioneer Square, interview with Art Skolnik
2010 March 5
3 6273-002
CD: Kalakala photographs by Jack van Kinsbergen
2002 October
3 6273-002
CD: labeled Miscellaneous photographs
undated
3 6273-002
CD: SR 99 S. Holgate Street to S. King Street Viaduct Replacement Project: Finding of No Significant Impact and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation
2009 February
3 6273-002
CD: SR 99 S. Holgate Street to S. King Street Viaduct Replacement Project: Environmental Assesment and Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation
2008 June
3 6273-002
CD: SR 99: Alaskan Way Viaduct & Seaweall Replacement Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement
2004 March
3 6273-002
CD: National Historic Register Form - Alaskan Way Viaduct
2008 August 8
3 6273-002
CD: Views from the Viaudct by Art Skolnik
2008 July
3 6273-002
CD: Viaduct Studies & Resources
undated
3 6273-002
CD: Art Skolnik on the Dave Ross Show on Viaduct Retrofit following WSDOT Release of $2.3 Billion Estimate
2006 December 6
3 6273-002
CD: Pictures from Viaduct Press Conference
2007 February 8

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Skolnik, Arthur--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Skolnik Company--History--Sources

Family Names

  • Skolnik Family--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Gaslamp Quarter (San Diego, Calif.)--History--Sources
  • Pioneer Square (Seattle, Wash.)--History--Sources