The Jacobsen House
3840 Linden Ave N
Listed for sale now
Summary of Historical and Zoning Information

1. Current Possibilities
 
Development from scratch
  • Presumably, there are no barriers to blank slate development on this large corner lot with one existing curb cut, potential parking access via alley, and views of downtown and Mt. Rainier waiting above
Retain 3840 Linden & remove 809 N 39th St
  • The unique presence of two homes on one parcel presents an opportunity in Seattle’s building code to retain 3840 Linden without counting its Floor Area Ratio (FAR) against other development. This building code section, designed to prevent demolition of existing housing, suggests that the full lot’s worth of finished square footage could be built as if 3840 Linden wasn’t there.
  • Per a 12/6/23 SDCI site chat with Ted Demin, Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections:
“There is SMC 23.45.510.D.3; 
‘3. The floor area in structures built prior to January 1, 1982, as single-family dwelling units that will remain in residential use, regardless of the number of dwelling units within the existing structure, provided that:
a. No other principal structure is located between the existing residential structure and the street lot line along at least one street frontage. If the existing residential structure is moved on the lot, the floor area of the existing residential structure remains exempt if it continues to meet this provision; and
b. The exemption is limited to the gross floor area in the existing residential structure as of January 1, 1982.’
Assuming it meets those criteria, then it wouldn't count towards the chargeable floor area. And yes, it appears that you can still expand it while still using the exemption as long as you're not trying to exempt the addition.”
  • This would allow for much more finished interior square footage to be built new on the site, while retaining the historic Jacobsen House either as a single family dwelling, or after conversion to a multifamily building. It should even be possible to expand the Jacobsen House such as for an elevator and/or a roof deck without losing the exemption.
Shift & retain existing historic garage
  • If a new owner could secure approval for a curb cut on 39th st, the existing garage could be rotated and moved toward that location, opening up more room for development on the footprint of the current driveway and garage.
Parking access through alley
  • Though lax parking enforcement means cars currently park adjacent to the 809 N 39th st house in the alley, in years past that has been and is presumably still designated a no parking zone, so it should be possible to use that area as parking access to new development, as with the apartments on the opposite side of the alley 
Subdivision
  • The large lot should be able to be subdivided into separate legal properties through subdivision, short platting, or a condo agreement, potentially before or after any development
Tree incentives
  • The existing tree at the northwest corner of 3840 Linden appears to be below “significant tree” thresholds, but if an arborist found it to be just large enough to meet the criteria, that could provide development incentives potentially including height (to access more view), perhaps for townhomes, condos, or apartments on the 809 N 39th St site 
Landmark incentives
  • Another unique opportunity presented by this property is the option of pursuing recognition as a Seattle City Landmark. The Jacobsen House’s previous identification in a city-funded neighborhood historical survey as “meeting local landmark criteria” provides a strong footing for an application to have it officially designated.
  • Official designation as a Seattle Historic Landmark brings potential incentives that “include, but are not limited to, zoning variances, building code exceptions, and financial incentives." A convenient variance request would be “zoning relief” allowing additional height and building flexibility for development on and near the 809 N 39th st footprint in exchange for retaining the historic 3840 Linden Jacobsen House: https://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/historic-preservation/preservation-incentives#stateandlocalincentives
  • Landmark status also opens eligibility for programs that could decrease property taxes, provide low-interest loans for restoration projects, and even various restoration cash grants from government and other sources, such as these noted on the WA Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation Grants list: https://dahp.wa.gov/grants-contracts
  
2. History
 
Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods' features a Historic Sites survey of the Jacobsen House, which includes this excerpt:
Victor W. Voorhees was one of the most successful local architects to promote standardized drawings and specifications for direct sale to potential home owners and home builders. 
In early 1907, he advertised plans, specifications and details for a "Modern Bungalow" for $25.00; the customer was also invited to "send 50¢ in silver" for his book of “house, cottage and Bungalow” plans. His plan book Western Home Builder was first published in c.1907; it was so popular that by 1911 it was issued in an expanded sixth edition. Western Home Builder included 125 house plans that ranged widely in size, style and construction cost. Many of these published designs can be easily identified in present-day neighborhoods throughout Seattle...
The subject house is exactly the same as Design #5, which is illustrated with a photograph in c.1910 and c.1911 editions of Western Home Builder. The angle of the photograph shows the adjacent sidewalks and site topography, which as very similar to the site of this house. Victor Voorhees is known to have established an office in Ballard in 1904 and his earliest known commercial and residential commissions were constructed in Ballard. Given the reported 1904 date of construction, the long ownership by the Jacobsen family and its proximity to other early residences in Ballard that were also illustrated in Western Home Builder, it appears that this house and its design were illustrated and sold as a standard plan included in Western Home Builder. It is likely that other extant examples of house constructed according to this plan can be found in Seattle and elsewhere in the region and/or nation.
Source: https://web.seattle.gov/DPD/HistoricalSite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=2147011373
​V.W. Voorhees biographies:  
Fremont historical survey by Krafft & Krafft Architecture (linked below under Resources), created for the Fremont Neighborhood Council and Sponsored by City of Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund and 4Culture Heritage Special Projects, selected excerpts:

  • The Edward Jacobsen house is one of only seven listings in Fremont for “Exemplary Examples of Property Types or Architectural Styles,” and is designated as “Appears to meet local Landmark criteria.”
  • “Three residential properties in Fremont have been identified as Voorhees plan book houses, though there are certainly many more. The known properties are: 4231 Greenwood Ave. N (1911), 3840 Linden Ave. N. (1904) and 4020 Evanston Ave. N (orig. 3628 Palatine Ave. N, 1908)”
  • Improbably, the Jacobsen House is tied to the other prominent local period architect via its garage: “Known as 'The Bungalow Craftsman,' Jud Yoho is considered to have been Seattle's most active and market-oriented bungalow entrepreneur. He was the owner of the Craftsman Bungalow Company and the Take-Down Manufacturing Company, as well as president of Bungalow Magazine. After 1912, Yoho published eight editions of Craftsman Bungalows catalog of house plans. The Craftsman Bungalow Company primarily built and sold bungalow-style homes on installment purchase plans between 1911 and 1918. The short-lived Take-Down Manufacturing Company specialized in small “portable” or manufactured buildings, especially pre-fabricated garages. Bungalow Magazine was published in Seattle from 1912 to 1918; it was modeled on Gustav Stickley's The Craftsman and on an earlier Los Angeles publication with a similar title. This widely-circulated publication featured many Seattle bungalows along with notable examples from southern California.…One Take-Down Manufacturing Company garage has been identified at 3840 Linden Ave. N." Therefore this garage is the last identified example of its kind.

3. Resources

Fremont Neighborhood Historic Survey
Renovation Estimate from Telios Construction - move in ready for under $112,000 (download here)
V.W. Voorhees Design No. 5 & Original Construction Photo of 3840 Linden Ave N
As-Builts and Perspective Shots from modeling by Studio 4500 (download for full quality here) 

​Historical Image (Presumably from 1937 city-wide photo survey)
Previous Owners
  • The property has only previously been sold once, moving from the Jacobsen to the Mattausch Family. The property was commissioned and first occupied by Edward Jacobsen, an executive with a prominent local laundry company. His son was Eddie Jacobsen, an inventor with several patents created in 3840 Linden's attic, and a glassblower. Here he is featured in a 1951 article in the Seattle Times:
  • The Mattausch Family patriarch, electrical engineer Lawrence Mattausch (1938-2022) worked patriotically for 50 years at Boeing, arming our nation's military. He is featured here (at left) on a Boeing company promotional poster.