Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 110 Cherry ST / Parcel ID 0939000235 / Inv #

Historic Name: Scheuerman Block/ Scheurman Block Common Name: 110 Cherry Street/ 700 1st Avenue Style: Queen Anne - Richardsonian Romanesque Neighborhood: Pioneer Square Built By: Year Built: 1890   Significance In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). King County Tax Assessor’s Records give this building a date of 1903, but photos that are part of the previous Pioneer Square Historic Inventory give a date of 1890. The combination of differing types of arches and cast-iron storefronts suggest that the building might well be from the earlier date, with perhaps modifications made in the early 1900s. It is typical of buildings erected in Pioneer Square right after the Fire of 1889. Other records make clear that this is a building designed by Elmer Fisher, designed in 1889 and completed in 1890 and associated over the years with the same name, spelt differently: “Sherman,” “Scheuerman,” and “Scheurman.” In fact, the Cherry Street entrance has tile flooring with "Scheuerman" clearly spelt out, so that the other spellings are simply incorrect. An item in an article entitled “The Spirit of the Time – New Buildings Additional to Those Already Announced” in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of June 19, 1889, describes a three story building, “of brick, iron, stone and terra cotta,” about to be constructed on the “northeast corner of Front and Cherry Streets.”( Front Street became First Avenue). It was commissioned by “Mr. Chris Sherman,” and the architect who was drawing up the plans was Elmer Fisher. The lower floor was to be divided into two stores. The corner store was to be occupied by Hirchberg and Co. clothiers and the “other store” by “Hasbrouck, the druggist.” The upper floors were to be designed for office space. The description fits very closely with the present building and a photo of the period shows the Hirchberg sign attached to the building, therefore, it is almost certain that an initial construction date of 1889-1890 is correct and that the architect was Elmer Fisher. The building is identified as the “Scheuerman Block” on a Baist’s Map from 1905 and clearly some version of that name has been attached to the building from 1890 to at least the 1960s. The building was owned by the “Scheurman Investment Company” in 1928, according to King County Tax Assessor’s Records. According to Henry Broderick, (as quoted in a 1969 Seattle Times article), during the early 1900s, the “Scheurman Block,” as it was called in the late 1960s, was “the major commercial building in Seattle” and housed the original office of Washington Mutual Savings Bank, now a leading banking establishment in Washington State, before Seattle’s downtown center moved north (from the present Pioneer Square Historic District). Around 1969, the building underwent a major restoration.   Appearance 110 Cherry Street/ 700 1st Avenue is a 3 story building, mainly clad in brick. It is located on the northeast corner of First Avenue and Cherry Street. It is rectangular in plan, with a flat roof and parapet. Its south elevation faces Cherry Street and its west elevation First Avenue. The building has a cast-iron storefront beginning at the two western bays of the Cherry Street elevation and continuing on along the First Avenue elevation. On both elevations, the second floor has segmental arched openings topped by rusticated sandstone trim, while the third floor has arched openings with rusticated stone trim following the arch of each opening. The spandrels directly above the third floor arches are filled with cast-stone. The south elevation along Cherry Street is divided into nine bays. The ninth bay, (from First Avenue and closest to Second Avenue), has a distinctive arched entry with stone trim over the arch and header bricks organized in a checkerboard-like pattern of square shapes. These square shapes are alternately inset, which creates a special pattern as well as texture, emphasizing the entry. The First Avenue façade is divided into five bays. The cast-iron storefront, which runs the length of the First Avenue elevation, includes pilasters ornamented with rosettes and acanthus shapes. A metal fire escape with gracefully curving rails is attached along the first two northern bays of this elevation.

Detail for 110 Cherry ST / Parcel ID 0939000235 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: NR, LR Cladding(s): Brick, Metal, Stone, Stone - Cast, Terra cotta Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Flat with Parapet Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition, Unknown Building Type: Commercial/Trade - Professional Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Masonry - Unreinforced No. of Stories: three Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Commerce Integrity Changes to Windows: Intact Changes to Plan: Intact Storefront: Slight Changes to Original Cladding: Slight Major Bibliographic References “Pioneer Square Preservation District Inventory, Department of Community Development,” June 1982: Item 4-5-8 (Note: “ Photographs show date of construction 1890.”) King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972. “Building Shows Its Age Proudly,” The Seattle Times, 23 March 1969, C7. 110 Cherry Group, “110 Cherry Street, Seattle, Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 1,” 1 December, 1978. Baist Maps of 1905, 1908 and 1912. “The Spirit of the Time – New Buildings Additional to Those Already Announced,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 19 June 1889, p 4 (?)

Photo collection for 110 Cherry ST / Parcel ID 0939000235 / Inv #

Photo taken Oct 26, 2004