| Historic Name: |
Booth Fisheries(north bldg) & Puget Investment Company/ Skyway Luggage Company (both buildings) |
Common Name: |
Old Skyway Luggage Company |
| Style: |
Commercial |
Neighborhood: |
Downtown Urban Center |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1910 |
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| Significance |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
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Until very recently, this was considered to be the last remaining intact industrial complex of the many that once existed near the Belltown waterfront. Unfortunately, both buildings, but especially the southern building, have since lost character defining features. The southern building was originally designed in 1910 as a factory building for the Puget Investment Company. During the 1930s, it was occupied by the United States Radiator Corporation. It was remodeled in 1940 for what was then called the Seattle Luggage Corporation by William Bain (Senior). The building was officially bought by Henry L. Kotkins in 1943. The Kotkins’ family, owners of what later became known as Skyway Luggage, remained in this building until the 1990s. Until very recently, the family still owned the building. The building exterior was also modified fairly recently. Modern windows, which do not replicate the original paired, double-hung, four over four windows, have recently been installed. The original decorative cornice was removed sometime between 2004 and 2006.
The northern building was built in 1911. The building was a fish processing and smoking plant, operated by the Booth Fisheries Company. In fact, a diagram from the 1930s shows the plant’s interior plan, which included a row of smoke houses, storage space and a row of freezers. In addition, a photo from the 1930s clearly shows that there was an open metal skyway, which was attached at the second level of the western elevation and led toward the waterfront, presumably to the Booth Fisheries Pier (Pier 68). The building was also associated with neighboring buildings. The Belltown Cottages, often known as the “Cannery Cottages,” (2512-16 Elliott Avenue), were built in 1914. They are the last remaining houses, originally provided by the Booth Fisheries Company for its cannery workers. Eventually, in the 1960s, as the area’s industries continued to diversify, Skyway Luggage needed more room. In 1963, Henry L. Kotkins also purchased this building. Skyway Luggage remained in the building until the 1990s. Clark Design remodeled it in 2004 to house Vine Street Storage, the current tenant.
Although the buildings have lost physical integrity, they are historically significant as buildings which have housed a succession of industrial uses and were often physically connected to the waterfront. They also tie in with neighboring buildings, associated with similar uses. In addition to the Belltown Cottages, these include the former Ainsworth and Dunn Pier 14 (now Pier 70) and the former Ainsworth and Dunn Warehouse (2801 Elliott Avenue, now the Old Spaghetti Factory), both associated with fish storage and canning; although the warehouse then became associated with the I. F. Laucks Company, associated with the production of glue from soybeans and the Pacific Northwest plywood industry. The former American Can Company Warehouse (2601 Elliott Avenue, currently Real Networks), also had a skyway which led to Pier 13/69. It is located across Vine Street, directly north of the original Booth Fisheries building.
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| Appearance |
| 2501 Elliott Avenue consists of two buildings. The southern building is a four story building with brick exterior walls and trabeated window openings. A cornice, just below the parapet, and the historic windows, which were part of the building until a few years ago, have since been removed. The building has recently been painted a red-orange color. The lower, northern building is three stories in height and also has brick exterior walls. The basic plan of this building, like that of its neighbor, is a rectangle. Because of the change of height from east to west, the ground level is deeper on the west side of the building. This is reflected in the change in height in the building parapet, which corresponds roughly to the southwest quarter of the building. The building is also distinguished by corbelling, which emphasizes the parapet, at whatever height it is. The building was designed with trabeated openings. In a recent remodel, some of these have been retained, and others filled in, but so that the original openings are still visible. Other openings have been modified, based on a new design. Despite these changes, the northern building retains the general sense and character of its original design, although it has lost some integrity. |
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