Swedish Club News Vol. 57, Issue 3: March 2018 Swedish Club . Seattle . Washington A home for the Nordic-American community Kvinnor Kan Honors UW President Cauce weden has a long history of gender equality, stretching back into SViking days when the men would go off “a-viking” for months or years at a time, leaving women in charge of the farm and the family. Sweden was early to give women the right to vote, and today has one Our Mission of the world’s highest rates of women in political leadership. The To promote better understanding Swedish expression “kvinnor kan” (women can) is used when a between the United States and woman does something usually associated with a man’s task. For the Nordic countries, with example, the woman of the house fixes a broken electrical outlet. Her tossed-off comment is “kvinnor kan.” emphasis on Sweden, and to Our fourth annual Kvinnor Kan honoree at the Swedish Club is perpetuate Nordic culture UW President Ana Mari Cauce. She is both the first permanent female and traditions through the president and the first Latina president of the UW. Cauce was born in teaching, observance, practice Havana, Cuba, and at the age of 3, fled with her family to Florida Our 2018 Kvinnor Kan dinner and celebration of this culture during the Cuban revolution. Her educational preparation includes a honors UW President Ana Mari Cauce. and its traditions. Ph.D. from Yale University in child clinical and community psychol- ogy. She is a strong advocate for women and underrepresented minorities to pursue STEM careers. Previous honorees have been internationally renowned feminist Alene Moris, Washington ACLU Director Kathleen Taylor and Gov. Christine Gregoire. Our dinner honoring President Cauce takes place Tuesday, Mar. 6, at the Club. Chefs Ann-Margret and Malin will make a special meal of pork roast. Gluten-free and vegetarian entrees are available if you request them when registering. The cost is $40 ($25 for full-time students). The social hour starts at 5:30, with the meal at 6:30. Please call the office to reserve your place and pay in advance: 206-283-1090. Looking Back on Knut Hamsun through the Cinematic Lens BY LORI ANN REINHall he year 2017 saw the 100th anniversary of the publication of Norwegian Nobel laureate Knut Ham- Tsun’s epic novel Markens grøde (Growth of the Soil), and it was a time for Norwegians to reevaluate their most celebrated and controversial novelist. Even today Hamsun is the author whom Norwegians both love and hate: they despise his support for Hitler during World War II, but they love his books, which, despite everything, have held up to the test of time. The Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association is teaming up with the Swedish Club to have a closer look at this Norwegian author with a film series and a talk by UW Assistant Professor Olivia Gunn, who will reexamine Hamsun’s position in history at the Club’s monthly Members & Friends Max von Sydow plays the controversial Norwegian Dinner on Wednesday, Mar. 14. author in Hamsun (1996). Cont. on p. 4 www.swedishclubnw.org Swedish Club Club Notes 1920 Dexter Avenue North Seattle, WA 98109 y columns in January, February and now a higher percentage of annual cash flow.) March have focused on the research 4. Retain ownership and control of property, 206-283-1090 Club Business M 206-283-1078 Rentals reports by developers Maria Barrientos and with Swedish Club members providing the 206-283-2970 FAX John Links concerning the potential redevelop- equity for the development and receiving [email protected] ment of the Swedish Club’s parking lots. For 5–6 percent guaranteed interest on their [email protected] several years now, the Club has actively investment. The Club would remain the [email protected] www.swedishclubnw.org considered developing one or more of our owner of the property—and would, of Office Hours three parking lots into residential rental course, hire an experienced developer to do Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. housing, with underground parking for our this on our behalf. This option would Board of Directors members’ use during Club events. The original provide the most cash flow to the Club over President Gary Sund Past President Paul Heneghan impetus was to develop a funding stream for the long term, serving as a healthy ongoing Vice President Janice Bogren maintaining and improving our building. source of operating funds. Under this Secretary Vi Reno Treasurer Judith Peterick We invited members to help us set the scenario, the Swedish Club investors would Directors: Patrick Dolan, Mary Emerson, goals of such development, which evolved into receive their annual interest payments and Mary Hillman, Monica Grafstrom Hinckley, Chris Jones, Larry Omdal, Don Wahlquist our mantra: “Save our building; save our views; the entire principal back in year 10. Swedish Club Foundation save our parking and don’t sell off property.” Options 3 and 4 would provide the most President Bob Blair With these goals in mind, the Club’s Board income to the Club over a longer period. VP/Treasurer Leif Eie Secretary Berit Lehner engaged real estate developer Maria Barrientos Club Operations of Barrientos Ryan LLC to evaluate the redevel- On the east and south Dexter parking Executive Director Kristine Leander opment potential of our lots. lots, Barrientos and her team showed what Rentals/Facil. Mgr. Doug Newlands Office/Vol. Coord. Eva Larson In previous Board meetings, Barrientos and income might come to the Club under the Rentals Coord. Court Potter Links reported that it is more cost effective to following scenarios: Staff Accountant Sue Johnson Nominating Committee Chair plan for members’ parking on the east and south 1. Identify the value of the land compared to Jan Sullivan lots, but not the west lot. Developing the west the cost of building new below-grade Club Historian lot would require a contract rezone from LR3 to parking to replace the Club’s current parking Aina Oscarsson NC3, but the east and south lots would not need stalls. (Note: the cost of constructing Swedish Club Guild Vice President Carol Graves to be rezoned. (For a description of these zones, below-grade parking mandates that we Secretary Jan Sullivan see the February 2018 Swedish Club News.) charge for parking, except for exempted Treasurers Judy Nilsen Cooper Parliamentarian Jean Wirch The Feb. 21 Board presentation was about times for Club members’ use.) Swedish Singers of Seattle potential financing for this potential project. 2. Derive income from leasing parking stalls. [email protected] What follows is a summary. (Over two decades, the total could be over swedishsingersofseattle.org $5 million.) Swedish Club News Editor: Kristine Leander On the west Dexter parking lot, the Barrientos 3. Invite Swedish Club members to invest in Copy Editor: Martin Stillion team showed what income might come to the the project and receive 5 percent or possibly Club under the following scenarios: 6 percent interest on their investment, 1. Sell the property outright. The Club could thereby providing the equity to develop the expect to receive $2.25 million if the project and the needed parking. This is the Swedish Club News (USPS 533-750) is published monthly as part of property were sold. same scenario as 4 above, in which the yearly membership dues at $15 per 2. Lease the property to a developer that would Swedish Club would remain the owner of person, per year, by the Swedish Club, 1920 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle, then develop it. This would produce an the property and hire an experienced WA 98109-2795. Telephone is annual income of approximately $135,000 at developer. This option maximizes cash flow 206-283-1090. Periodicals post- age paid at Seattle, Washington. year 1, with annual increases of about to the Club and would provide a source of Postmaster: send address changes $5,000 per year up to approximately operating funds. Investors would receive to Swedish Club News, 1920 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109-2795. $169,344 per year in year 10. annual interest payments and the entire Deadline for material for the 3. Contribute the property into a Joint Venture principal back in year 10. next issue is Mar. 15. Partnership, with income at year 1 of Option 3 would provide the most income Bring articles into the office or fax to 206-283-2970. You may also $136,000 and increasing at about $20,000 to the Club over a longer period. e-mail articles to per year. (This means that the Club would All scenarios include the concept of taking a [email protected]. lose sole control of the land but would have bank loan of $20–22 million during construction. 2 march 2018 SC Announces After the housing developments are fully next few months. Board meetings are open to News about, or in the interest occupied, we’d obtain a permanent loan that regular (blue card) members. The next two is secured by the property itself. Board meetings are Mar. 21 and Apr. 4. of our members... The decision to develop—or not—is the The Swedish Club announces 1,326 Board’s to make. The Board will discuss the KRISTINE LEANDER, Executive Director possibilities of property development for the [email protected] member households, including 81 Lifetime members and 144 Social President’s Message members. Our members’ names visited recently with my daughter-in-law’s read as follows. What do you think—should I appear in boldface in Swedish Isister, Deepa, who worked for the State try to get invited to the next sauna happy hour? Club News.