“When Seattle artists Timothy Firth, Amy Hirayama and Aramis Hamer found out early this year that the wrecking ball was coming to the historic El Rey, they felt it was a call to action. 

The red brick, early 20th century building had been vacant and boarded up for more than four years. It stands next to Common AREA, a community art space in Belltown co-founded by Firth in 2015, now part of an arts organization called Common AREA Maintenance.”