Historic Name: |
Pioneer Sand and Gravel Company?/ Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company |
Common Name: |
Kaufer's Christian Books and Gifts and Real Tine PR |
Style: |
Other - Industrial, Spanish - Mission |
Neighborhood: |
South Lake Union |
Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1927 |
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Significance |
In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
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The building was originally erected in 1927, with a known remodel made in 1938. It was designed by the Austin Company to house an office and warehouse, possibly for Pioneer Sand and Gravel, who was listed as “fee owner” in 1925. According to Polk’s directory, by 1942 and into the late 1940s, the building housed the “distribution plant department” for Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company.
While no original construction drawings were available, a diagram on the King County Tax Assessor’s Record Card and observation suggest that the northern rectangle probably dates from 1927 and housed office space, while the L-shaped structure, to the south of it, may date from slightly later, possibly from the 1938 remodel. The diagram indicates the rectangular portion of L-shape, parallel to the northern wing, was built to house a garage.
The northern wing of the building, in particular, represents an early and one of a kind industrial building. It retains its original fenestration and cladding, with only very minor changes occurring at the main entry: The blind arches to each side of the doorway had small rectangular window openings with steel sash, which have since been covered over. In addition, the more utilitarian L-shaped addition has changed little, at least since the 1930s.
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Appearance |
901 Harrison St is located on the southwest corner of 9th Avenue North and Harrison Street. Its overall footprint is an irregular L-shape, composed of what appears to be an original one-story building with a rectangular footprint with a main, north facade along Harrison Street and a secondary, east facade along 9th Avenue North façade. To the south, there is a more utilitarian L-shaped, two-story addition, which probably dates from 1938, although it is possible that the south leg of the L may have been added subsequently. Both these parts of the building complex have exterior walls of reinforced concrete, with stucco finish in a few places. A recent two-story structure, which has a smaller square footprint, has since been built between the two arms of the L, but because of its smaller size, does not detract significantly from the general appearance of the historical structures.
Most distinctive is the long, northern Harrison Street facade. Divided overall into ten bays, it has an entry bay with a low, raised gabled parapet, below which are three blind arches, with a rectangular shaped doorway set within the central blind arch. To each side of this entry bay is a series of large repeated window openings, with one window one per bay. The shape of the opening is a rectangle with the top two corners filled in by a soft curve - a shallow ogee shape - topped by a flat band in section. Since the windows are closely spaced, the remaining spaces between them create a new set of shapes that resemble flat columns with wide, but flat capitals. Each window sits above a low, recessed wall with an extruded band at the sill level. Divided at its center by a thick vertical bar, the window has original steel multi-pane sash. On the east side of the main, west elevation, there are six identical bays, each with this type of window and detailing, while at the other side of the main entry bay, there are four. The same design is used for three bays along 9th Avenue.
To the south is the slightly taller, L-shaped addition. This is two-story building with a parapet. Elevations, particularly to the west and south, have large rectilinear punched window openings, filled with industrial sash. |
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