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 be within and potentially contributing to a potential National Register of Historic Places historic district.

In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance.

This Italian Renaissance Revival style school is in the Uptown neighborhood and known as the Sacred Heart School.

Architect William L. Smith designed the building. Ground was broken for construction in 1927. The building served as both a chapel and a school. The congregation moved into this building from their former location at Sixth Avenue and Bell Street. The building was dedicated in 1928 by Bishop O’Dea. The Sisters of the Holy Names staffed the school until it closed in 1969.

This building retains good integrity and is a good example of an Italian Renaissance Revival style building. The building’s design and brick coloring set the precedent for the rest of the campus buildings (convent, rectory, and church).

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.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish website. “Church History.” https://www.sacredheartseattle.com/79. Accessed July 19, 2018.

Constructed in 1928, this two-story school building features a H-shaped plan. A single-story wing extends north off the east end of the building’s north facade. Located at the northeast corner of John Street and Warren Avenue N, this building faces west overlooking Warren Avenue N. An alley abuts the east side of the building. The site slopes steeply downward from east to west. Narrow lawns abut the south, west and north sides of the building. There are several deciduous trees along the west and south sides of the building. A concrete stairway with a metal pipe railing wraps around the southeast corner of the building to navigate the difference in grade between the alley and entrances along the south facade.

A hip roof clad in clay tile shelters interior spaces. A prominent terra cotta cornice with projecting dentils wraps the roofline. The cornice rises in an elliptical arch at the middle of the front west facade creating a narrow tympanum with “Sacred Heart School” in raised lettering within. An external brick chimney services the building’s heating system. A shed roof on the north side of the building covers an exterior stairway descending to the building’s basement. The chimney features a terra cotta cap and decorative terra cotta detailing.

A concrete foundation supports the building’s concrete structure and serves as a projecting base element. Brick veneer composed of varying shades of tan and buff colored brick clad the building. Soldier course brick define raised panels on the south side of the building and outline second story window openings. A terra cotta belt course marks the first to second story transition with another terra cotta course at the first story level.

Windows consist of 6:6 double hung wood sash units with brick moldings. These occur as single, paired, and groupings of five. Wood mullions separate openings in the groupings. Second story windows feature flat headers. First story window openings feature decorative round arched headers comprised of solider course brick with terra cotta keystones. A recessed brick panel within the arch with a central square tile span the flat window header. Several windows feature textured glass. First story windows have either terra cotta sills (upper stories) and concrete sills, depending on location.

The main west entrance consists of a broad flight of concrete stairs with metal railings leading up to a pair of multiple lite, stained glass wood sash doors. A terra cotta surround with projecting pilasters wraps around the doorway and extends up to the second story. A round arched window is located at directly above the entrance doorway. The pilasters continue up to a projecting entablature at the second story level. Flanking brick pilasters continue up to the cornice of the main roofline and feature terra cotta capitols with decorative cartouches.

The east entrance opens to the alley with a prominent landing having direct flights off its north and south sides. Three large bays open under the landing with a pair of wood panel doors remaining in the south bay. Brick clads the landing and newels with a terra cotta railing spanning between. A single large doorway opens at the second story level.

South entrances consist of single personnel doors with a six lite transom providing access to the interior at the east end of the building. This doorway has the same header as first story windows. An exterior concrete stairway with brick clad newels and terra cotta railing ascends to a second story entrance. Below this stairway, at the first story level, a pair of doors with tall glass lites and a nine lite transom provide access to the building interior. Entrances on the north consist of a basement level entry accessed via an exterior concrete stairway with metal railings and a second similar entrance in the north wing.

Alterations include replacement of several windows on the south facade with contemporary sash.