Seattle Public Utilities released the statement below on the landmark-nominated Beacon Reservoir Gatehouse at Jefferson Park.

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) has determined, through rigorous business case analysis, that the most cost-effective solution for the Beacon Hill Reservoir Gatehouse is to mothball the building and perform routine maintenance as required in its mothballed condition.

The mothballing approach preserves the opportunity for making future improvements to the gatehouse. It mainly consists of safe removal of dangerous lead-containing coating on the exterior walls and applying a new application of aesthetic paints around the gatehouse.

SPU will review the gatehouse mothball status as part of its routine three-year maintenance planning cycle.

Mothballing tasks will begin in early 2011, in coordination with the Parks Department Jefferson Park project team.