It’s the drive through for a bank. The bank used to go to all the elementary schools in Mountlake Terrace and have them set up savings accounts, give them a passbook for deposits etc. I had my first account at that bank. Too bad downtown has gone to seed. There used to be a big pharmacy, a department store, Dan & Joe’s, a laundromat, a tavern and DD is the only things left.
Is it in the town center? Between the post office building and the Archery/Chinese Restaurant? If so, I think it was an old bank at some point, but it’s been closed for years.
I concur with the bank (or other finance-type) drawer setup, I’ve seen a rare moment of it open and occasional storage-room for current occupants.
But I’ve been around since the ’80s and it’s been empty of finance use since the library moved to the spot next to the police station. As a pedestrian, it’s an occasional “alley” shortcut home I just hadn’t used before then, so I’m not sure when it stopped being used that way.
It explains the parking lot on the 58th/232nd corner that is now the “back” of units that must have been the front of the bank back in the day; I see most cars drive through it the “wrong way” these days.
This is the old drive through window at a bank next to the Sears mailorder store. As kids, we spent a lot of time in the little store on the other end of that building trying to decide which penny candy to buy with our nickels and dimes. I’m so sad to see the Terrace in such a delapidated condition. My family’s been there since 1950 (some are still there) and it’s gone from a nice place to live to somewhat of a slum. I almost hate to visit when I come back on vacation.
Thanks Mark, I love hearing stories like that from people who lived in MLT back then.
Where as it is sad that many parts of Mountlake Terrace are dilapidated, the City has done a great job the past few years of getting people to clean up their properties, which has improved the city’s image. It will take some significant investment from private developers to get MLT to the place that many of us hope for.
Well, they finally got my neighbor to clean up his dumpy yard. It was a real blight on the neighborhood and I’m sure I would have had a tough time selling my house since his dump is next door. It still needs work, but it’s a lot better than it’s been before he started to clean it up.
There are still a lot of properties where people simply let their places go to pot. Lots who use the front end of their houses for storing their junk.
Someone told me the city didn’t have the resources to cite people. I don’t know. It wouldn’t take much to drive around and cite people on a once a month basis until they got their acts together.
I’m all about leaving other people alone and I’m definitely not for covenants or turning other people in. However, when you wince at some people’s yards, it’s hard to not want things to change for the better.
I hope someday they knock down those buildings and put up something more
of a actual town center with more
businesses.
It’s the drive through for a bank. The bank used to go to all the elementary schools in Mountlake Terrace and have them set up savings accounts, give them a passbook for deposits etc. I had my first account at that bank. Too bad downtown has gone to seed. There used to be a big pharmacy, a department store, Dan & Joe’s, a laundromat, a tavern and DD is the only things left.
Is it in the town center? Between the post office building and the Archery/Chinese Restaurant? If so, I think it was an old bank at some point, but it’s been closed for years.
Yup, that’s exactly where it is. I assumed it was a bank or something at one point as well.
I concur with the bank (or other finance-type) drawer setup, I’ve seen a rare moment of it open and occasional storage-room for current occupants.
But I’ve been around since the ’80s and it’s been empty of finance use since the library moved to the spot next to the police station. As a pedestrian, it’s an occasional “alley” shortcut home I just hadn’t used before then, so I’m not sure when it stopped being used that way.
It explains the parking lot on the 58th/232nd corner that is now the “back” of units that must have been the front of the bank back in the day; I see most cars drive through it the “wrong way” these days.
This is the old drive through window at a bank next to the Sears mailorder store. As kids, we spent a lot of time in the little store on the other end of that building trying to decide which penny candy to buy with our nickels and dimes. I’m so sad to see the Terrace in such a delapidated condition. My family’s been there since 1950 (some are still there) and it’s gone from a nice place to live to somewhat of a slum. I almost hate to visit when I come back on vacation.
Thanks Mark, I love hearing stories like that from people who lived in MLT back then.
Where as it is sad that many parts of Mountlake Terrace are dilapidated, the City has done a great job the past few years of getting people to clean up their properties, which has improved the city’s image. It will take some significant investment from private developers to get MLT to the place that many of us hope for.
Well, they finally got my neighbor to clean up his dumpy yard. It was a real blight on the neighborhood and I’m sure I would have had a tough time selling my house since his dump is next door. It still needs work, but it’s a lot better than it’s been before he started to clean it up.
There are still a lot of properties where people simply let their places go to pot. Lots who use the front end of their houses for storing their junk.
Someone told me the city didn’t have the resources to cite people. I don’t know. It wouldn’t take much to drive around and cite people on a once a month basis until they got their acts together.
I’m all about leaving other people alone and I’m definitely not for covenants or turning other people in. However, when you wince at some people’s yards, it’s hard to not want things to change for the better.