Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 1929 9th AVE / Parcel ID 0660000915 / Inv #

Historic Name: Pande Cameron Store Common Name: Style: Commercial Neighborhood: Downtown Urban Center Built By: Year Built: 1928   Significance This property is directly associated with the early twentieth century developmental era (1920-1930) when a significant number of commercial buildings were constructed and the modern downtown commercial district was fully established. In 1923, Seattle adopted its first ordinance that regulated specific geographic areas for specified uses; it allowed the most densely concentrated commercial development to occur in the downtown core. The economic prosperity of the 1920s stimulated the development of numerous major highrise commercial buildings, as well as smaller-scale bank and commercial buildings, major hotels and apartment hotels, club buildings and entertainment facilities, which were all typically designed by leading Seattle architects. During this era, the original residential district was entirely absorbed by commercial and other real estate development. By 1930, virtually all of the old residential properties - as well as many of the immediate post-fire era commercial buildings outside of Pioneer Square - had been demolished or removed. This building is one of a collection of extant two-story commercial block buildings (mostly dating from the 1920s) that share similar building form, scale, exterior cladding and ornate architectural treatment. Like commercial highrise construction of this era, they are typically located at a prominent corner of a downtown block with matching facades at each elevation; however, mid-block locations with a single façade were also commonly constructed. Their most distinctive features are glazed terra cotta cladding and/or other terra cotta components that both reveal the underlying structural system and allowed architects to utilize a wide range of eclectic architecture styles that were particularly popular during this era. In this case the details are drawn from the Classical design mode, which was heavily used in terra cotta design during the 1910s; whereas, in the 1920s a wider range of popular revival styles were designed and constructed. During this era, neighborhood commercial districts also flourished with similar building types. Other extant terra cotta clad two-story, commercial block buildings that are located downtown and fit within this category include: the Ames Building (Charles Bebb, 1914), Liberty Building (Nevins & Horrocks, 1922), Old National Bank Building (Henry H. James, 1922), Broderick Building (John Graham, Sr., 1922), Centennial Building (Henry Bittman, 1925), Mann Building/Embassy Theater (Henry Bittman, 1926) and this much altered/partly demolished Pande Cameron Building (Henry Bittman, 1928). Similar extant two-story, commercial block buildings that are partially clad or decorated with terra cotta ornament include: the S.J. Holmes Building (J. Lister Holmes, 1924); Jordan Building (Lawton & Moldenhour, 1920) and Colony Club ((John Creutzer, 1928). This building was reportedly constructed in 1928 for the Pine Street Properties Co., believed to be a commercial real estate development firm. It was designed by noted Seattle architect Henry W. Bittman and intended for retail and loft and office use. It may have been designed to accommodate additional future floor levels, as was the case with other Bittman projects. Henry W. Bittman (1882-1953) and his firm were responsible for the design of numerous highly distinctive terra cotta clad buildings in Seattle, including several constructed in downtown Seattle during the 1920s. Prior to May 2006, the storefront levels of both major elevations had been significantly altered; however, the distinctive glazed terra cotta cladding and other terra cotta components remain visible and in generally sound condition. Since that date, all of the terra cotta cladding and other terra cotta components have been entirely removed. This building is now considered to be an extremely altered example of a distinct downtown property type, a two-story, former terra cotta clad commercial block. It was a previously considered to be a notable example of commercial block design executed in the Classical mode and valuable for its association with the career of a significant local architect, Henry Bittman.   Appearance [This property has been partially demolished since it was documented during field examination. All of the terra cotta panels have been removed and it is likely that the remainder of the structure will be removed from the site in the near future.] Located at the NE corner of Ninth Avenue and Pine Street, this two-story commercial block is a reinforced concrete structure (formerly) clad at the second floor level with distinctive glazed terra cotta panels and ornament. The original ground floor/storefront level was previously altered when all original rectangular mezzanine and display window openings and sash members were removed and replaced with segmental arched openings and large plate glass windows. The east and north elevations at the second floor level were richly embellished by terra cotta ornament including a wide horizontal tile band between the two floor levels decorated with urns and floral patterns sculpted in low relief and tripartite window bays divided by structural piers decorated with foliated pilasters with Corinthian caps and crowned by triple tympana adorned with sculpted shields and garlands. The building cap was decorated with a highly distinctive repeated finial cresting above a narrow cornice. Second floor level tripartite windows with upper transoms appear to have been part of original design/construction.

Detail for 1929 9th AVE / Parcel ID 0660000915 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Terra cotta Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Flat with Parapet Roof Material(s): Unknown Building Type: Commercial/Trade - Business Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Concrete - Poured No. of Stories: two Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Commerce Integrity Changes to Original Cladding: Extensive Storefront: Extensive Changes to Windows: Extensive Changes to Plan: Intact Changes to Interior: Extensive Major Bibliographic References King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives. Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, ed. Shaping Seattle Architecture, A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994. Courtois, Shirley L. METRO Downtown Seattle Transit Project FEIS Inventory Form, 1984. Aldredge, Lydia. Impressions of Imagination: Terra Cotta Seattle, Allied Arts of Seattle, 1986.

Photo collection for 1929 9th AVE / Parcel ID 0660000915 / Inv #

Photo taken May 17, 2006