A historic Coupeville cottage may be approaching its final days.

The small, blue house most recently known as the “Cottage on the Cove” served as a bed-and-breakfast from the late 1990s until seven years ago, when surveyors found a number of safety hazards and non-compliance issues with town code, making some serious renovations imperative.

The cottage’s current owner, Mukilteo resident Kirsten Larson, is looking to sell the property to someone who can take on the renovations and preserve the historic building — or else it may be demolished.

The cottage was built just after the turn of the last century, originally as two separate buildings, according to the Historical Marker Database. The eastern half was the law office of James Zylstra. The western half was added later, and the building became a medical office.

Larson purchased the building in 1980 after her parents, who lived across the street at the time, suggested the investment. She made many renovations to the building over the years, including expanding the back deck, replacing windows and refurbishing the lower floor.

In 1998, Coupeville residents Barry Burton and Mike Williams began renting the cottage from Larson. The two remodeled the cottage and turned it into a bed and breakfast, which it remained until seven years ago, when surveyors found much of the building’s foundation had washed away and deemed it unsafe to stay in.

Like many of the historic buildings on Front Street, the cottage sits on a steep incline overlooking Penn Cove. Currently, massive concrete blocks and steel cables keep the building upright, but replacing the foundation is imperative if the building will ever be used again.

The cottage also encroaches upon Coupeville’s street easement and must be moved back 8 feet to comply with town code. Other internal remodeling, including rewiring the entire building, would also be necessary.

Frank Shields, a contractor from Excavators Northwest, said the most recent cost estimate for all the necessary remodeling was $700,000, though with rising construction costs, that amount may be closer to $800,000 now.

Larson said the cost of renovating the structure is far more than she expected. While she was prepared to foot a large bill for the renovations, the estimated price tag still exceeded her budget by a wide margin.

She explored many options to finance the project, including historic preservation grants, but has been unable to find an organization or obtain a grant to fund the work.

With no means of paying for the renovation herself, and no promise of a “miracle donor” appearing from the woodwork, she said her last hope is to sell the property to someone with the funds and motivation to complete the project and save the cottage.

If a buyer does not come through, Larson said her only option will be to apply for demolition.

Still, the building is one with historical significance in Coupeville, and Larson said she has loved owning it and would hate to see it destroyed.

“It’s a historic building — it’s the Zylstra law office. We’d like to see it saved,” Larson said. “It’s a matter of finding someone who would be willing and able financially to take on the project.”

Larson said she is willing to sell it for around $15,000 to an individual or organization that is committed to performing the required renovations, including moving the cottage back from the road, installing a new foundation and rewiring the building. In August 2021, Windermere Real Estate Whidbey estimated that the property could be sold for around $900,000 after renovations.