| Historic Name: |
First Security Bank |
Common Name: |
Pho 900 |
| Style: |
Beaux Arts - Neoclassical |
Neighborhood: |
Capitol Hill |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1928 |
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| Significance |
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This building was constructed in 1928 for the First Security Bank, whose name is still incised on the parapet. Its terra cotta-clad vault form is very typical for a bank of the period, with the material and massive arch conveying the elegance and solidity suitable for a financial institution. It was altered in 1958 for retaiul use and has been altered several times since then,
This vicinity on Broadway was one of the first sections of Capitol Hill to develop. It was platted by David T. Denny, the trustee for the estate of John Nagle, who filed the donation claim for the area. In 1891 a streetcar line was extended from James Street, running north on Broadway (one block east of this site) to the city limits at E. Lynn Street, with direct service to downtown added on Pike Street in 1901. Another major impetus to local development was the 1903 completion of Seattle (later Broadway) High School, the city’s first modern high school, which was located at the corner of Broadway and E. Pine Street. Students came from throughout Seattle and even from across Lake Washington to attend. Broadway, already an important street, flourished with new businesses, especially those catering to students, such as sandwich shops. By 1910 the area was largely developed, with small commercial buildings, numerous apartment buildings and single family homes. This building was constructed in the 1920s, a period of strong apartment and commercial development, when the Broadway district boomed to become one of the city’s premier shopping venues. The elegance of its original facade reflects that standing.
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| Appearance |
This building is rectangular in plan and of masonry construction. It has intact terra cotta on the upper portion, where the center of the flat parapet rises above the cornice, with the words "First Security Bank" incised. Above the inscription is egg-and-dart molding, with a row of anthemions below the inscription. Below this is a large deeply recessed arch. The storefronts on the lower half have been completely modernized, with black slate cladding and a center entry with modern aluminum doors and windows. The interior has been opened up into a mall space. The rear has a large addition of modern concrete block with a total of four entries. There are entries on the first and second stories, with a steel staircase to the upper one. Toward the north end of the building is a recessed entry to the first floor and one to the basement. The second story has two windows with newer sash. |
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