Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 427 Bellevue AVE / Parcel ID 6847700355 / Inv #

Historic Name: Martha Lee Apartments Common Name: Martha Lee Apartments Style: Colonial - Colonial Revival Neighborhood: Capitol Hill Built By: Year Built: 1930   Significance In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). This distinctive building was designed in 1930 by architect William Whiteley for developer Henry E. Pettijohn, the secretary-treasurer of the Boundary Silver Lead Company. The two worked together on several apartment buildings in this vicinity, including the Catalina. Whiteley is best known for the many buildings he designed for Frederick Anhalt, the best known Seattle apartment developer of the 1920. This building differs from most of those, which were in Mediterranean Revival styles. The Martha Anne shows more of a Colonial Revival influence, with a columned portico and arched windows. It is an elegant building with notable art glass and 24 2- and 3-room apartments with such features as oak floors and, originally, built-in radios and central refrigeration. This is a typical example of the many apartment buildings constructed in the 1920s, when Seattle experienced a major construction boom. 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. Capitol Hill had easy streetcar access to downtown and the street was lined with small apartment buildings, often using fine materials and detailing to reduce the impact of their size in the basically residential area.   Appearance The Martha Lee is generally rectangular in plan but with a slight T-shape because the front section is four feet wider than the bulk of the building to the rear. It is of frame construction with dark red brick veneer cladding. The entry, at the center of the east façade, has an original oak door with leaded sidelights and transom. The second and third stories above the entry have pairs of leaded casement windows with decorative wrought iron Juliet balconies; the third story windows are arched. A notable pair of large arched leaded windows is to the west of the entry, with art glass inserts. The arches have cornerstones with a fleur de lis motif. Other cast stone ornamentation includes a large cartouche with swags at the top of the entry bay and a coping on the gabled parapet. Other windows are three-part windows with 10-over-one sash flanked by 6-over-1, or pairs of 8-over-1 sash.

Detail for 427 Bellevue AVE / Parcel ID 6847700355 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Brick Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Flat with Parapet Roof Material(s): Unknown Building Type: Domestic - Multiple Family Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: three Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture Integrity Changes to Windows: Intact Changes to Plan: Intact Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Major Bibliographic References Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996. Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects. Jeffrey Karl Ochsner, ed. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994. King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972. City of Seattle, Department of Planning and Development, Microfilm Records.

Photo collection for 427 Bellevue AVE / Parcel ID 6847700355 / Inv #

Photo taken Mar 30, 2006 Photo taken Mar 30, 2006