Seattle Historical Sites

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 appears to meet the registration requirements established in the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Listing, Seattle Apartment Buildings, 1900-1957, for a low-rise apartment block.

This Tudor Revival style multi-family building is in the Uptown neighborhood and known as Queen’s Court.

The construction permit was issued in 1930, (permit 90834) to construct the building. The estimated cost was $164,000 to build the apartment building. A second permit was issued related to the basement level garage construction (permit 90835, 97035) issued in 1930, and estimated to cost $2,000. The garage originally provided parking for 25 cars in the basement. The building was built for Benjamin Blackwood, who was based in Bremerton. Architect W. H. Whiteley designed the building. H. R. Powell was the structural engineer.

Renovations in 1944 were designed by architect Howard H. Riley. This work installed kitchen chases in existing apartments. Riley (1890-1950) studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Victoria, B.C. Riley moved to Seattle in 1914 and worked for a year for architect B. Marcus Priteca. Riley then worked with Edwin Ivey from 1918 to 1921 before starting his own practice. His later works included multiple apartment buildings (1924-1926), several mill houses in Port Townsend (1928), and the Fremont Baptist church (1924).

Polk directories first listed the building in 1938 as the Queen’s Court Apartments. They remained under this listing through 1975.

W. H. Whiteley was active within Seattle by 1925 through the 1960s. His work included a range of single family residences, small markets, as well as apartment buildings. In 1932 he served on the architects Committee to represent the Washington chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Washington State Society of Architects, along with James Taylor, George Wellington Stoddard, and J. Lister Holmes.

Seattle Daily Times project announcements from 1925 through 1961 illustrate a range of projects designed by Whiteley. In 1930, Whiteley designed at least five wood frame, brick veneer apartment buildings, which included work for developers Gratias, Herman Johnson, F. N. McHolland, Victor Sandberg, and Frank B. Taylor. Most were three-story buildings, which included: 19 Ward Street; 427 Bellevue Avenue; 201 Roy Street; 2328 Yale Avenue N; 1127 Olympic Way; and 517 Ninth Avenue. Whiteley also designed multiple single-family houses, including a large home for B. H. Whiting of Cincinnati, Ohio in Des Moines in 1931, a 1939 home for Thomas Gillespieto at 5150 Latimer Place; a house in 1954 at 3615 81st Avenue SE, as well as ranch style homes.

References:

City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.

Jeffrey Karl Ochsner, ed., Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Guide to the Architects (Seattle, University of Washington Press: 2014), 2nd edition.

King County Property Record Card (c. 1938–1972), Washington State Archives.

Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890–1996.

Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Architect Biographies. “Howard H. Riley.” (Accessed July 19, 2018). https://dahp.wa.gov/historic-preservation/research-and-technical-preservation-guidance/architect-biographies/bio-for-howard-h-riley

Constructed in 1930, this four-story building has a U-shaped plan. The building stands on the east side of Warren Avenue N and faces west. An alley abuts the east facade. The site slopes steeply down from east to west. The site features a narrow garden court along the east side of the building with trees, lawn and small shrubs, recessed down below the alley grade level. The west side of the building features a garden court within the U of the building plan. A winding pathway leads through this west garden court to the building’s front entrance. There are several deciduous street trees along the Warren Avenue N. Low shrubs and foundation plantings extend along the west side of the building. Curb cuts along Warren Avenue N provide driveway access to the basement level garage within the building. Slight plan projections on the north and south ends of the building create narrow light wells off the north and south sides of the building for perimeter living units.

A flat roof with rolled roofing and perimeter parapets shelters interior spaces. The parapets feature terra cotta coping and step up in a peak over the west entrance as well as over the middles of the west ends of the west facade. A terra cotta cartouche is set in the parapet at these locations.

A concrete foundation supports the building’s hollow clay tile masonry structure. The original drawings called for eight-inch interlocking tiles as the structural core for the building with four-inch veneer brick. The basement level consists of parged concrete. Brick are laid up in a common bond with headers every seventh course. It is not known if these headers are decorative, or if they tie back into the interlocking tiles, or if the building was built with a brick structure instead of the interlocking tiles. Brick consist of red and high fired dark red bricks. Projecting quoins at the outer west building corners consist of dark clinker bricks. A terra cotta belt course wraps the building at the basement to first story transition. The parapet features an expanded diamond pattern comprised of darker brick on the lighter field brick with lighter colored terra cotta squares set within the pattern along the middle of the parapet.

All window openings have rowlock brick sills and wood brick moldings. Most window openings have flat arched soldier course headers and occur as pairs or single units with some triple units on the east facade. At the third story the windows feature a continuous header, which also serves as a border along the lower edge of the parapet. The second story window above the main entrance features a round-arched terra cotta header.

At the first story, windows within the recessed garden court feature load bearing round arched headers highlighted by two courses of rowlock bricks. A pair of leaded glass multiple lite double hung sash with round arch upper sash set within the overall opening. Above the windows is a recessed stucco panel with a central cartouche and garlands.

The front entrance features a prominent terra cotta surround with gothic inspired detailing. Leaded side lites flank the entrance door, which features a single large lite. A multi lite transom spans the doorway and site lites. The entry frame consists of stained oak. Decorative wall sconces with textured yellow lenses project off the west side of the building. A garage door on the west facade provides access to basement level parking. A rear entrance provides access to the rear garden court.

Alterations include the replacement of most windows with vinyl sash (originally 8:1, leaded sash). The work retained interior casings and exterior brick moldings and conversion of the building to condominiums. In 1943 permit 856364 for installing kitchen chases within existing apartments. Designed by architect Howard H. Riley and completed by Eckart Brothers Incorporated contractors. In 1959 the hot water boiler was altered (permit 11087). In 1963 the hot water storage tank was altered (permit B19944).