Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 3722 S Hudson ST S / Parcel ID 1702901795 / Inv #

Historic Name: Columbia Precinct Common Name: Southeast Youth and Family Services Style: Spanish - Mission, Vernacular Neighborhood: Columbia City Built By: Year Built: 1926   Significance The northwest corner of Rainier Avenue S. and S. Hudson Street has long been the location of local government offices and agencies. The building that now stands at this location is the second building on the site. The two-story reinforced concrete building with brick trim and a tile roof that stands on the site was constructed by the City of Seattle in 1926. It was designed by architect Borden G. Erickson and constructed by contractor Clair Prescott. The police department continued its use of the building until a new precinct station was opened in Georgetown in 1960. The first building was the town of Columbia’s City Hall. It was a frame building with a tower at the northeast corner, a set of wide entry stairs, a recessed veranda and ingress through double doors. Attached to the southeast corner was the town firehouse. The town hall was built circa 1892 and originally located farther south along Rainier Avenue. It was moved to the northwest corner of Rainier and Hudson circa 1893. The first public school classes were held in the building, while the Columbia School was being erected. Upon the annexation of Columbia City in 1907, the need for a town hall ceased and the building was used as a branch library. The library was moved to the newly constructed Carnegie Library building at 4721 Rainier Avenue S. in 1915 and Columbia Precinct #5 of the Seattle Police Department took over the building, moving from 4906-08 Rainier Avenue South. Circa 1924-26, the old Columbia City Town Hall building was again moved, to a location one block west, on Hudson Street. The frame town hall building still stands, greatly altered and in use as a residence. The subject building is significant as an architect designed building and a circa mid-1920s building designed as a police station. Although it has been altered, it retains elements of its Spanish Revival style. Its location, at the northwest corner of Rainier Avenue S. and S. Hudson Street was significant in Columbia City as the location of town government and governmental authority from the founding of the town in 1892 through the removal of the police precinct in 1960.   Appearance This intact one and a half story building was originally built for use as a police station. The building is of reinforced concrete construction and is supported by a concrete foundation. The building has an irregular rectangular plan and a cross gable roof form with a parapet on the north side elevation. A polygonal bay with a tent roof is located on the southeast corner of the building. The building is clad in concrete and brick trim. The main entrance is located on the south side elevation and is covered by a bracketed shed roof. The fenestration on the main elevation consists of 12 pane casement windows with four-pane upper sashes. Arched multi-pane casement windows are located on the south gable roof end. Four arched windows on the south elevation have been covered with concrete cladding. The building originally had a terra cotta tile roof, which has since been replace with composition shingles.

Detail for 3722 S Hudson ST S / Parcel ID 1702901795 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: NR, LR Cladding(s): Stucco Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition Building Type: Government - Government office Plan: Irregular Structural System: Concrete - Poured No. of Stories: two Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Commerce Integrity Changes to Windows: Slight Changes to Plan: Intact Storefront: Intact Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Major Bibliographic References City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records. King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives. Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996. Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, ed. Shaping Seattle Architecture, A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994. Anderson, Buzz. “Old Columbia City,” Beacon Hill News/South District Journal, 5/26/1998. Centennial History, Columbia City, Rainier Valley, 1853-1991, Pioneers of Columbia City. Seattle, Washington, 1992.

Photo collection for 3722 S Hudson ST S / Parcel ID 1702901795 / Inv #

Photo taken Mar 22, 2004