| Historic Name: |
Fleur de Lis, The |
Common Name: |
Fleur de Lis, The |
| Style: |
French - French Eclectic |
Neighborhood: |
Central Area |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1928 |
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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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In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
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The Fleur de Lis is one of a unique collection of eight ca. 1929 apartment buildings located in the 1100 block of 17th Avenue, several of which were by Samuel Anderson, a local developer and builder. They appear to have been designed either by Anderson himself or by unidentified designers on his staff. The Fleur de Lis is notable for its unusual romanticized French Eclectic detailing. This grouping is in vivid contrast to the more typical brick-clad buildings with Tudor- or Gothic inspired terra cotta ornament.
Anderson (1884-1959) was primarily a builder of single-family homes who entered the apartment field in the late 1920s. Anderson came to Seattle from Wisconsin in 1906 and became very active in the home building industry as an organizer and official of the Seattle Master Builders Association and related national organizations. In 1928-29 he developed several apartment buildings, notable for their vivid interpretations of a wide variety of styles. They are all basic three-story rectangular forms with central entrances and accommodating 14 to 16 units ranging from 660 to 900 square feet in size. The applied ornament and architectural detailing on the facades is very striking and expressive, drawing from the Art Deco, Colonial, Mediterranean Revival, French Provincial and Tudor Revival styles. Each building has its own individualized landscaping.
These buildings, all built within one year, are good examples of the major construction Seattle experienced during the 1920s. The city's population had increased dramatically in previous decades, and prosperity 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. This neighborhood, known as Renton Hill, had been the site of many fine homes early in the century. By the late 1920s many of those houses were becoming multifamily, and apartment buildings were being built. The area was especially attractive for its views and the convenient Madison Street car line to both downtown and Lake Washington.
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| Appearance |
| This is one of the city's more unusual apartment building, with numerous characteristics of a Parisian townhouse. It has stucco cladding with red brick at the corner, and a slate-clad mansard roof. The center bay projects, emphasizing its verticality. This entry bay is clad with brown tiles, with an arched entryway topped by shields and leaded glass sidelights flanking the door. The second and third floors each have a group of three elaborate art glass windows, with a small round window at the top. Windows elsewhere on the front façade are diamond-paned casement sash with fleur de lis patterns. The third-floor windows have small wrought-iron window boxes. The mansard roof has four narrow dormers with art glass windows. Each side also has a tall chimney. The side and rear elevations are clad with common red brick. |
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