| Historic Name: |
Jordan Building |
Common Name: |
Palace Kitchen |
| Style: |
Commercial |
Neighborhood: |
Downtown Urban Center |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1920 |
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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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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), Broderick Building (John Graham, Sr., 1922), Liberty Building (Nevins and Horrocks, 1924), Centennial Building (Henry Bittman, 1925), Mann Building/Embassy Theater (Henry Bittman, 1926) and the 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).
In order to create additional industrial land areas to the south of the commercial district, as well as opportunities for commercial expansion further northward, major regrading efforts began in 1895. Under the direction of City Engineer R.H. Thompson, various projects were initiated with the intention of reducing the steepest slopes and eliminating the obstructing hills and filling tidelands. In 1897, First Avenue was further regraded and paved north from Pike Street to Denny Way. This was followed in 1903 when Second Avenue began to be extended and paved northward. By 1908, the major task of removing all of Denny Hill began in earnest. It would take over twenty years to completely remove Denny Hill; in the process Fourth Avenue at Blanchard Street would be lowered in elevation by some 107 feet.
Most of Denny Hill to the west of Fifth Avenue had been removed by 1911; however, the lengthy civic debate over the Bogue Plan (that was ultimately rejected by voters in 1912) delayed real estate development in the vicinity. The anticipated major commercial development to the north of Stewart Street was slow to occur. With only a few exceptions, it was not until the early 1920s that sizable hotel, apartment and commercial construction occurred. With the adoption of a zoning code in 1923, several multi-story, store and loft buildings that could accommodate light manufacturing and publishing purposes were also constructed, as were numerous automobile-related businesses and parking facilities.
This building was constructed in 1920 for F.M. Jordan, a commercial real estate developer. The store and loft building was designed by architects Lawton & Moldenhour and cost approximately $40,000 to construct. Mr. Jordan appears to have had other real estate interests in the neighborhood; Carl Gould prepared a design for F.M. Jordan in 1917 for an apartment house to be constructed at a nearby site on Fifth Avenue between Lenora and Blanchard Streets, which does not appear to have been constructed. The subject building was purchased by D.F. Black in 1930. The original building tenants and uses are not known. By 1937, H.B. Lary was operating an auto repair shop that also provided brake relining and F.M. Sandusky provided (auto?) electrical services out of the same storefront space, which had been altered to accommodate these uses. The corner retail space was occupied by Brodie’s Bar Supplies, which sold a wide range of products including: glassware, mixers, fountain syrup, caps, corks, malt syrup, hops, glass jars and bottles. The storefront and interior were remodeled in 1995 to create a modern restaurant space.
George W. Lawton (1864-1928) and Herman A. Moldenhour (1864-1976) practiced in association and then partnership between c.1920 and 1928, during which time they designed several large apartment buildings, office buildings and institutional facilities including the Republic Building (1928), Masonic Temple (Egyptian Theater, 1922) and the Jordan Building (1920). One of their best known works is the Fourth and Pike Building/Liggett Building (1927). Lawton settled in Seattle from Wisconsin in 1889 and worked as a draftsman for the firm of Saunders and Houghton. Between 1898 and 1914 he was in partnership with Charles W. Saunders, one of the city's most prominent early architects. He practiced on his own from 1915 until c.1920, when he became associated with Herman Moldenhour. Moldenhour had worked as an office boy for Saunders and Lawton before beginning to practice as an architect. Lawton died in 1928; however, Moldenhour continued to practice for at least two more decades.
This building is a mostly intact example of a distinct downtown property type, a two-story, terra cotta decorated commercial block. It is a notable example of commercial block design executed in a modest Classical mode utilizing terra cotta panels and other terra cotta components, which remain visible and in generally sound condition. Furthermore, it is associated with the career of an important local architecture firm, Lawton and Moldenhour. This property was recently determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register by the SHPO and may potentially meet local landmark criteria.
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| Appearance |
| Located at the SE corner of Fifth Avenue and Lenora Street, this two-story building was designed and constructed to provide retail and office space. The upper floor is in commercial use and the first floor level houses a restaurant operation. It measures 60’ x 91’ and exhibits a two-part commercial block façade composition.
The ordinary brick masonry structure includes a concrete foundation and full basement and is clad with wire-cut brick. The Fifth Avenue façade is divided into three bays; at the upper floor level rectangular window openings are grouped symmetrically with three central windows flanked by sets of two and one window to each side. The outside windows are flanked by decorated gray color terra cotta panels. The north elevation has a similar fenestration pattern including the terra cotta panels. The upper floor level is further accentuated by a continuous watertable course around both elevations. The building is capped by a brick parapet (with metal coping) that is decorated by a terra cotta frieze running above the second floor windows and a narrow terminal cornice.
All of the upper floor level windows at both elevations appear to be original 6/1 double-hung wooden sash. The formal entrance vestibule to the upper floor is located at the south end of the storefront level directly below the southernmost window and terra cotta panel design element. The entry vestibule is trimmed by fluted terra cotta surrounds on granite plinths and surmounted by a cartouche, floral corner blocks and a narrow ornate cornice. The lintel is inscribed with “JORDAN BLDG.’ The remainder of the storefront level is composed of rectangular openings divided by brick piers. Mezzanine windows with integral awning boxes appear to be original. Display windows and bulkheads have been reconstructed and vary somewhat from the original design. The retail storefront design wraps around the corner to the first bay on the north elevation. The Lenora Street elevation is dominated at the lower level by a brick wall punctuated by mezzanine level square windows openings with brick sills
There do not appear to be any intact or architecturally significant interior building features, finishes or public spaces. |
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