This is what Dane Johnson and Kathy Justin’s house – knocked off its bulkhead by a powerful storm – looked like on Nov. 24, 2010.

Story & Video by Scott Schaefer
“Aside from losing a child, this has to be one of the toughest things to go through,” Dane Johnson told me as he watched the waterfront house in Burien’s Three Tree Point neighborhood that he and Kathy Justin lived in get demolished last Wednesday.
Many of our Readers may recall that back on Nov. 23, 2010, The B-Town Blog posted a call for help for neighbors to assist Dane and Kathy in saving their belongings from their small home on Three Tree Point, severely damaged from an overnight windstorm and high tides that broke the bulkhead.
Now, over two and a half years later – and much anguish over failed home insurance issues and lawsuits – the couple watched last Wednesday (April 24) as a barge pulled up, parked on the beach and demolished their home in one day.
The home, located right over the beach in the 16700 block of Maplewild Ave SW, had also served as a residence for many other Burienites, and we know it was sad to see it be destroyed.
Here’s some background on Dane and Kathy’s experience from their Facebook Page:

After 2-1/2 years of trauma the beach house will finally be demo’d this Wednesday. The bank refused to pay the City to do it so they are forcing us to do it. Which means we are project managing the whole thing, from permits to sitting on the neighbors deck for the 4 days and making sure it all happens right. It should be done on Saturday which is my birthday. Thank you to everyone who has been so supported of us through everything and through all the phases of our grief. We could not have made it through this w/o you letting us vent every time we saw you. After this we only have to continue the suit against the bank to make sure they pay the attorneys. Thank you again for being our friends through this incredibly rough time.
This Friday marks the second anniversary of our House disaster. To make a long story short, because we were the only primary damage in that storm there was no ability for the City of Burien to ask for Federal help. We were also denied any and all coverage from our insure Allstate. Kathy and I were also unable to raise the funds that would have been needed to stabilize and save the house in time. The house is currently condemned and we are being assessed a fine of $250 a day until we can tear it down. We do not have that kind of money either.

Kathy and I did take Allstate all the way to Federal Court and won (yaaa) but we could only collect the extent of our policy. That is not enough to pay our lawyers, pay our mortgage and demo the house. The lawsuit cost us everything we had and has created a pot of money to be able to take the house down but Citimortgage is also listed as a payee on the check and so far has refused to even meet with us. 

So there it is, we won the battle and are so far losing the war. We had very much hoped that after two years we could have been in a position to restart our lives, but alas we are not. At least not yet…

– Dane Johnson and Kathy Justin

Here’s a video from our time lapse Plantcam, showing a full day of demolition condensed to just 1:23 (best viewed at 720p full-screen):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTVnJvVjYJY[/youtube]
Read more of our extensive coverage of Dane and Kathy’s plight here.]]>

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6 replies on “VIDEO: Time lapse demolition of Three Tree Point home of Burien Artists”

  1. Whoahhh, never realized that was your cute, lil’ house on the beach and I am sooo sorry to read about that tragedy. I know now you live somewhere just around the corner from me, so come on by for a cold beverage on my deck anytime, when the sun’s out I am mostly running around the yard with the chicken.

  2. Yep, that is the insurance company that I know and don’t love. Lots of commercials but when their customers need help, they fight you all the way.
    Sorry you had to go through this.

  3. Another tragic example of Insurance Company incompetence and Federal regulatory red tape. I am so sorry to hear this news. I pray that you land well, and that all of your financial needs are met from unexpected sources.

    1. It is not insurance company incompetence, it is insurance company deliberate practice. When I had trouble getting insurance for my business the state insurance commissioner, who was quite helpful, told me that typically 60% of the insurance company legal costs are spent on litigation against their clients, 40% in defending them. They would rather fight with their clients than for them.
      As one celebrity Allstate customer said after trying to get a claim covered, “I may be in good hands, but all I got was a finger”.

  4. Wow!!!! and we think we have troubles….Hope one day you can look back and laugh….or at least not cry….Things have to get better for you…Onward………Thinking of you….

  5. Insurance companies are like condoms. You feel protected while you are getting screwed. The existing bulkhead looks qyuiteIt a bit less robust than the neighbor’s bulkhead. I believe that it is more expensvie to demolish a structure by barging in a crane and barging out the remains. Was it possible to truck in a crane and have a big dumpswter there?

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