The Seattle Org is currently looking to buy a new building in order to become an "ideal org." They are currently holding raffles, auctions and rummage sales to get extra money. They have the building picked out.

They are also actively recruiting new staff.

don't care, interesting that they are holding fund raisers like that when L. Ron Hubbard wrote policy on not doing that. Something like give valuable service and you wouldn't need those things anyway. Guess they aren't giving valuable service.

In the orgs I've been in, they usually held fund raisers as a last resort to get money to pay the electric bill or the rent and would always lie and say it was for a new building.

If no one is there (I'm assuming because that is the reality at most orgs), why do they need a new building anyway.

Can you let us know how many people are doing any services there?

What building have they picked out? I'd love to know. I'd actually go drive by and see it. They have a building fund; however, the amount therein is probably enough only for a fairly decent down payment. They've been wanting to buy their own building for years. One of the two Portland Orgs is owned, rather than leased, although I'm sure it's mortgaged.

A small mediumish commercial building in or near downtown Seattle will go about 3-4 million, give or take.

As to staff- they are ALWAYS recruiting new staff. I've never seen them put that in abeyance.

Where they are now doesn't have such good access. It's right on a major commercial street but you can't just turn right in, you have to kind of turn and loop around. Kind of weird. But it does have a parking lot.

Prior to that they were on 3rd Ave in a nice little building (with NO parking) in an area that's partly gentrified and partly junkie-ridden, and previously to that, down the street from there, and previously to that, on Westlake. They once were leasing a very nice space on Mercer near the Opera House but I think they got priced out of there. 'Course parking was a nightmare there, as well.

Whenever I drive by there, there are not many cars in the parking lot. And the whole time I was on lines there, they barely tread water. They'd get new people in, then others would leave. Either to go to AOs or to dump Scn completely.

Sometimes they'd get a bit of a spike upwards in membership,but it generally would settle down. I remember there being maybe about 10-20 parttime students on Foundation and whenever I came in during the day, it was very very quiet. Less people.

Ball of Fluff, thanks for that data. It just reinforces what I've thought all along. I bet all the orgs and missions are all alike, treading water and not expanding at all but actually shrinking.

I think so, too, but I also think it's been like that for a lot longer than some may think. Like decades.

I don't know anybody, no matter how long ago they were in, who really reports much of a burgeoning scene there.

I still hope to find out where Seattle Org's projected new digs would be.

I've worked with banking and foreclosures, etc, for years and could maybe get a little info on it if I had the address...and I am curious...

So how 'bout it, "Don't Care"?

Ball of Fluff:

I think I've seen the Seattle Org off of Auroa Ave.

I try to avoid Auroa when I visit Seattle because I always seem to get stuck on it driving 10 miles out of my way with a big SUV on my tail at 70 mph

You'd probably need OT intention beams to prevent getting in an accident while turning into the org.

Yes, I know where that is. I've been in it- before I got hacked off and left.

It's not the best location although it does now have a BBQ joint adjacent to it, which I'm sure people who are trying to grab a quick bite at lunch or before course or whatnot will appreciate.

Crappy access, though, if coming from south of there.

I'm trying to figure out, though, what building it is that they're hoping to buy. That one? Some other one?

Don't Care thingie person didn't come back and say...

I contacted a friend who sells stuff on the road and they have been to every org when they are near it. Seattle was empty of public on a saturday afternoon.

I will post about the other orgs and mission under their subjects.

I drive by there regularly since it faces a major route through the city. There're usually some cars in the parking lot. I was on lines there for some years and saw the Academy and Basic Course rooms pretty sparsely populated -like a couple students only or so-but never empty.

I have even gone in there during business days and Xmas eve to make up time and never was the only student there though I sure came close a couple times.

Has your informant been IN those courserooms?
The Org is on buslines and people do carpool there.

B of F, This was a report I got from a friend and I confirmed it today.

When they were there, it was empty of public.

What I'm curious about is were they actually in the building where they could peek into the Academy, KTL courseroom or basic course rooms? Or were they driving by looking at the parking lot?

They said they went in because these are still on-line scientologists.

Thanks for the report Free at last, on
Seattle's incredible shrinking CoS...

HM, you are welcome, and I bet if I could get people I know to actually report the truth, I'd say that all the orgs are in this same boat.

I've called people I know in other cities but some of them still give the PR bullshit and when I ask for actual numbers, they change the subject.

Which to me is an indication they are doing badly, because if they had hundreds of students and people getting counseling, they'd want to brag about it.

I know they keep statistics on everything, so they should very easily be able to tell me the "Bodies in the Shop" number.