The secret will not be nailed in the closet any longer:
Hundreds of Magnolia residential facilities have been built by one man, James Paul Jones, former architect and developer in the Magnolia-Queen Anne area. Jones, 85, began his work in 1950, largely contributing to the Magnolia mini-metropolis known to thousands of residents and visitors.
“I’ve been very successful and have had a good life,” Jones said.
Jones built over 300 homes, 50 apartments and many condominiums during his near 60-year career. In Magnolia alone he built over 150 houses. Jones estimated that approximately 10 percent of the residential structures in Magnolia were built by him.
An evolving industry
Since starting his work in 1950, Jones said the dynamic of the labor industry changed.
“Originally, when I built a 50-unit apartment building in Queen Anne, I’d have 15 men working for me on my payroll. After that I started having contractors,” he said.
The demographics of his construction workers also altered. Originally, Jones hired young, American-born men to work for him. Over the years, this population pursued other careers and immigrants became Jones’ primary employee source.
Additionally, in the 1960s Jones quit his union in order to afford paying his workers well, he said.
The cost of construction in Magnolia also changed as the decades rolled on.
“The first project I developed in 1950 had six houses on six lots. The lots cost $320 – they were on unpaved streets with no sidewalks. I sold the building for $13,000,” he said.
“After 10 years and the land became less available, you’d have to pay five to $600 for a lot. Now, if you find a vacant piece of property, you’d pay $250,000 for a residential lot.”
Recession woes
The economic downturn of 2007-08 forced Jones to quit. Shortly prior to the recession, he had two projects going but was suddenly unable to get money from the banks. After losing $1.6 million, he called an end to his career.
“I would take it up in the future, but it’s almost impossible to get money now. The construction I did – small residential apartments – is almost dead. A house I would build today would cost seven to $800,000 to build but you couldn’t sell it for $600,000.”
“Until the inventory of facilities that was built is used up, I don’t think you’re going to see the kind of business I was in around here,” he said.
Jones noted that construction is vital to a healthy economy. “This type of work keeps an awful lot of people busy,” he said, referencing the builders, electricians, plumbers, painters and other workers needed to build a facility. “I don’t see it getting better for three or four more years,” he added.
Doing ‘quality work’
Jones began his construction in his early 20s after graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in architecture.
After building apartments and houses, Jones found that building condominiums — which became popular about 25 years were — was a boon for his industry.
“When condominiums came in I immediately switched. If you build a condo you get all your money out right away. If you build an apartment, it takes many, many years.”
But even with the end of his architecture, Jones still comes into his office in Magnolia every day to paint. Lately his paintings echo the work of Paul Horiuchi, Japanese/Pacific Northwest painter.
Jones still has four commercial condominiums he operates which are doing well, he reported.
“I always try to do quality work,” he said regarding his career in architecture. Conversely, “I can show you stuff on the backside of Magnolia that’s not quality. I wouldn’t put my name on it.”