In a unanimous decision, the Issaquah Landmarks Commission recently designated the William Conrardy House as a City of Issaquah landmark.
The home, located in Squak Mountain's Mountain Park Estates neighborhood, is an excellent intact example of a single-family home built in the Mid-Twentieth Century style.
Mountain Park Estates was developed largely by George Rowley Sr., who became a prominent residential developer. From 1956-76, Rowley designed and constructed more than 300 homes in various subdivisions on the north side of Squak Mountain.
The landmark home was built in 1962 by Rowley for William Conrardy, a naval aviator who worked for the U.S. General Accounting Office.
Conrardy was concerned with the potential for a nuclear attack on Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base, located about 40 miles southwest of Issaquah. He chose Mountain Park Estates as the location for his home because of the natural protection of Squak Mountain in the event of a nuclear detonation at one of the military installations.
The house also contains a bomb shelter in the basement — a relatively rare amenity for most houses built during the period.
The property is landscaped with several large conifer trees, including one that extends through the house’s south deck of the house. Conrardy himself prepared the landscape plan.
The current property owners nominated the Conrardy House for landmark designation.