| Historic Name: |
Bering, The |
Common Name: |
Bering, The |
| Style: |
Beaux Arts - Neoclassical, Tudor |
Neighborhood: |
Capitol Hill |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1930 |
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| Significance |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. |
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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 Bering is a good and intact example of the numerous apartment buildings constructed in Seattle during the 1920s. It was designed in 1929-30 by Max A. Van House for an otherwise unidentified company called the Ideal Investment Company (permit #292787). The Bering, now a condominium, has 28 units, averaging 809 square feet. It received fire code upgrades, primarily new fire doors, in 1973.
The 15th Avenue district was one of the most popular areas for apartment development as the 1920s progressed, as it had good streetcar service to downtown and more available land than western Capitol Hill. The city's population has increased dramatically in the first two decades of the century, and the prosperity of the 1920s encouraged developers to meet the pent-up demand for housing. Apartments, ranging from basic housing to luxury units, were a significant factor in meeting this need, and became a major element of the streetscape in many Seattle neighborhoods. This is a fine example of the design attention paid to many of these buildings, where detailing and materials were used to reduce the impact of larger structures.
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| Appearance |
| The 4-story Bering appears rectangular in plan, but has a light well on the rear to give it a U-shape. It is of wood frame construction clad with red brick, with extensive cast stone ornamentation. The entry, in the center of the west façade, has original oak and glass doors with sidelights, sheltered by a newer arched fabric awning. The entry surrounds of cast stone with simple motifs inlcuding torches and square floral medallions. The cast stone in the entry bay extends up to the top story, piercing the roofline to form a gabled parapet. A similar treatment, with ornate cast stone spandrels and gabled parapet, is seen in alternate bays on the other street-facing façade, on the south. Other cast stone ornamentation includes quoins, window sills, coping on the stepped parapet between the gables, belt courses above and below the top story windows and a water table. Major windows are in three parts with 6-over-1 wood sash flanking the center picture window. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Brick, Stone - Cast |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Flat with Parapet |
Roof Material(s): |
Unknown |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Multiple Family |
Plan: |
T-Shape |
| Structural System: |
Balloon Frame/Platform Frame |
No. of Stories: |
four |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
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Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
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| Major Bibliographic References |
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Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
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King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972.
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City of Seattle, Department of Planning and Development, Microfilm Records.
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