| Historic Name: |
Heiden Building |
Common Name: |
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| Style: |
Commercial |
Neighborhood: |
Downtown Urban Center |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1914 |
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| Significance |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. |
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This property is directly associated with the initial period (1902-1920) of downtown commercial expansion that occurred due to local economic prosperity after the Klondike Gold Rush and in tandem with explosive population growth and suburban residential development. During this era, modern urban architectural scale began with the construction of the earliest steel-frame highrise buildings and the establishment of a concentration of banking enterprises and department stores along Second Avenue from Cherry Street to Pike Street. The initial regrading of Denny Hill and the commercial redevelopment of the former University Grounds (University/Metropolitan Tract) were major factors that facilitated northward and eastward commercial expansion. In 1914, the owners of the Frederick and Nelson Department Store purchased property with the intention of building a large, five-story store at Fifth Avenue and Pine Street, thus solidifying the location of the future downtown retail core. A significant number of extant commercial properties dating from this era remain within the downtown commercial core, including: numerous hotels, banks, business blocks and early highrise commercial buildings, as well as some specialty and department stores, clubhouses, apartment houses and theaters.
In order to create additional industrial land areas to the south of the commercial district, as well as opportunities for commercial expansion further northward, major regrading efforts began in 1895. Under the direction of City Engineer R.H. Thompson, various projects were initiated with the intention of reducing the steepest slopes and eliminating the obstructing hills and filling tidelands. In 1897, First Avenue was further regraded and paved north from Pike Street to Denny Way. This was followed in 1903 when Second Avenue began to be extended and paved northward. By 1908, the major task of removing all of Denny Hill began in earnest. It would take over twenty years to completely remove Denny Hill; in the process Fourth Avenue at Blanchard Street would be lowered in elevation by some 107 feet.
Most of Denny Hill to the west of Fifth Avenue had been removed by 1911; however, the lengthy civic debate over the Bogue Plan (that was ultimately rejected by voters in 1912) delayed real estate development in the vicinity. The anticipated major commercial development to the north of Stewart Street was slow to occur. With only a few exceptions, it was not until the early 1920s that sizable hotel, apartment and commercial construction occurred. With the adoption of a zoning code in 1923, several multi-story, store and loft buildings that could accommodate light manufacturing and publishing purposes were also constructed, as were numerous automobile-related businesses and parking facilities.
This three-story store and loft building appears to have been constructed in 1914, however building permit records have not been uncovered and the circumstances around its design and construction are uncertain. It appears to have been specifically designed to accommodate three retails stores with two levels of loft space above for related manufacturing and/or storage purposes. A separate upper floor level entry was not provided; thus, the upper floors do not appear to have been designed or intended for separate/independent office of commercial uses. A permit was issued in 1920 for a store and assembly hall for the Rhodes Co. designed by Victor Voorhees to be constructed at this address; however, it is uncertain whether this is the permitted design. If the tax record construction date of 1914 is correct, this is among the oldest intact retail buildings in this portion of the Denny Regrade area. In 1931, the building was owned by the new World Life Insurance Company. By 1937, it was known as the Heiden building and housed Heiden’s Mailing Bureau and a café.
This building is a well-preserved example of a distinct downtown property type, a three-story, retail commercial block. It is a notable example of commercial block design executed in a modest design mode utilizing cast stone panels and ornament, which remain visible and in generally sound condition. This property apears to meet local landmark criteria as part of a cohesive group of four generally intact commercial buildings situated on the west side of the 1900 block of Third Avenue including: the Donahoe Garage (1916), White Garage (1928), Kelley-Gorham Building (1910) and Heiden Building (c.1914).
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| Appearance |
| Located mid-block on the west side of Third Avenue between Stewart and Virginia Streets, this three-story building was designed and constructed for retail and commercial uses, purposes for which it continues to be used. It measures 60’ x 108’ and exhibits a two-part commercial block façade composition with modest cast stone ornamentation.
The ordinary masonry structure with concrete foundation is clad with cast stone that has been painted white. The façade is divided into three uniform bays with wide storefront openings that distinguish the base. Each bay is divided by three window openings at the upper two floor levels. Intact original sets of multi-pane casement windows appear to remain in place at all of the window openings. A simple cast stone intermediate cornice and terminal cornice distinguish the base and the cap. The parapet is articulated at the structural piers and includes a simple central stepped pediment. The storefront level is distinguished by intact original storefront construction with recessed entry vestibules, multi-pane tripartite mezzanine level windows, and intact display window assemblages with low bulkheads. There do not appear to be any intact or architecturally significant interior building features, finishes or public spaces. |
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