SEATTLE — Students at Cornish College of the Arts held a sit-in Monday calling for a historic campus building that’s for sale to remain a creative space for emerging artists.
The college announced April 9 that it has listed Kerry Hall on the market. Kerry Hall, which was built in 1921, was the original building where Cornish was formed.
Student organizers hoped the building's new owner would continue to use the space as a hub for creative arts.
"Our biggest fear is that the building will be sold for commercial use, wiping out the entire history and legacy of where Cornish began," sit-in organizers said in a statement.
Music and dance classes are currently held in Kerry Hall and will move to Cornish’s main campus in South Lake Union in the fall.
The move has been years in the making, the university said. In 2007, the Board of Trustees outlined a plan to unify the campus in South Lake Union. The college has already moved most classes there.
Proceeds from the sale will be reinvested into the college, allowing it to grow.
Kerry Hall is a 31,900-square-foot building located at 710 E. Roy St. in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which recognizes properties that are worthy of preservation.
It includes a white facade and classical design elements, according to the college. It has classrooms, rehearsal space and performance venues inside.
The building was named in honor of Cornish founder Nellie Cornish’s mother and also served as Cornish’s home.
The building is zoned LOWRISE3, which could allow it to be used for multifamily conversion, office space, or community use, according to the listing.