| Historic Name: |
Cornelius Apartments |
Common Name: |
Cornelius Apartments |
| Style: |
Commercial |
Neighborhood: |
Belltown |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1925 |
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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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The Cornelius is one of the largest of the apartment buildings that proliferated in Belltown before 1930. The 9-story building has 138 apartments, averaging 520 square feet. It was designed in 1925 as an apartment hotel by architect Frank Fowler for owner Carroll Cornelius. Although the individual units are modest in size, when the building was constructed it was very modern, of reinforced concrete construction with a sprinkler system, an enclosed fire escape and an elegant lobby with marble wainscoting. It is notable for the pink tile cladding on the first two stories. The entry was modernized with new doors in 1952 by architect Bjarne Moe. The building was renovated in 1985 by Downey/Monson Architects and further interior alterations were made in 1991 for the current owner.
This apartment building is typical of those built in Belltown between the world wars to provide housing for the city’s booming population. In only twenty years, Seattle’s population had exploded from 80,671 (1900) to 315,312 (1920). After the regrading of Denny Hill between 1898 and 1911 opened this area up for development, developers soon constructed apartment buildings to meet the acute housing need. These buildings provided modest but comfortable accommodations that were affordable for the sales clerks, clerical staff and other workers in downtown businesses. They remain a very important part of the historic character of Belltown.
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| Appearance |
| The 9-story Cornelius is of reinforced concrete construction with tile and terra cotta ornamentation. It has a typical three-part form, with the first two stories clad in rose pink tile. The shaft is clad with red scored brick, with a prominent cornice of beige terra cotta, ornately adorned with wreaths and floral motifs. The recessed entry, on the south elevation, is relatively modest, with pink tile and polished black granite. The original three-part double-hung wood window sash have been replaced with black metal sliding windows, in the original wooden frames. |
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