Historic Name: |
Avalon Dance Hall/ Welders’ Local # 541/ Boilermakers Local 104 |
Common Name: |
Boilermakers Local 104 Union Hall & The Washington Dance Club |
Style: |
Art Deco |
Neighborhood: |
Denny Triangle |
Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1924 |
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Significance |
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This building, probably completed in 1924, but possibly as late as 1931, historically housed the Avalon Dance Hall on its second floor. Historically, it has also housed the Boilermakers Union # 104, although it is not clear for how long. By 1955, the building housed Welders’ Local # 541, but not apparently the Boilermakers’ Union. At least from 1938, there has been a tavern or bar in the storefront facing Stewart Street. There are no available records of original drawings and the only photos date from 1970. By that time, storefronts along Boren had already been altered and there was still a bar or tavern on the Boren/ Stewart corner, with a main storefront facing Stewart Street. The building is now the home of the Washington Dance Club and of the Boilermakers’ Union.
Notes and an extant photo suggest that, aside from the windows, the cladding and Art Deco ornament on the second level of the Boren and Stewart St elevations are original. These typical Art Deco elements are significant and constitute the building’s main architectural interest. The first level of the elevation appears to have been altered, although how much, is not entirely clear. It seems likely that the fluted decoration is original and of significance, but while notes indicate “granite veneer,” some of the veneer seems to be applied well after 1931, possibly as a second layer over other cladding. The building appears to have lost a fair amount of its integrity at the ground level, but retains elements of architectural and decorative significance at the second level.
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Appearance |
This is a two story building with a rectangular footprint, 61 feet x 112 feet. The roof rises very slightly but visibly over the parapet level. The building’s two street facing elevations, along Stewart St and Boren St, have a two part composition. The lower level is clad in granite. Above the storefront openings, there is continuous band of fluted ornamentation, probably in terra cotta, which steps down the granite clad piers, creating a distinctive pattern. Storefront glazing and hardware appears mostly to be more recent and probably dates from around 1970, although there are vestiges of older transom lites, particularly along Stewart St. The second story has what appears to be concrete cladding, with control joints or false joints, to represent masonry joints. Window openings are virtually square and punched, with windows, which also probably date from around 1970. The top of the parapet wall of both elevations is decorated with two, thin decorative bands: a continuous and slightly projecting ornamental band, consisting of repeated interlocking triangles, which creates a three-dimensional pattern. Below this and contrasting with it, is another band, consisting of repeated fluted shapes, which are semi-circular at the top. Set between these bands and the height of the top of the window are repeated, stylized floral ornaments. These occur at intervals, between the bays created by the second floor window openings. Within a recessed hexagonal shape, is a symmetrical and stylized Art Deco motif: There is a central and stylized anthemion, with, behind it, three rows of stylized leaves, which each increase in size, with each layer. To each side of the central leaf ensemble, are stylized flower motifs, as well as pairs of scrolled leaves, a bigger and a smaller one to each side. These ornaments and the texture of the second level are the most distinctive details of the facades, which otherwise appear to have been altered in appearance. |
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Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
INV |
Cladding(s): |
Brick, Concrete, Stone, Terra cotta |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
Roof Type(s): |
Other |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition |
Building Type: |
Recreation and Culture - Sports Facility |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
Structural System: |
Mixed |
No. of Stories: |
two |
Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Social Movements & Organizations |
Integrity |
Storefront: |
Extensive |
Changes to Original Cladding: |
Slight |
Changes to Windows: |
Moderate |
Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
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Major Bibliographic References |
Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
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King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972.
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King County Assessor Property Characteristics Report, database at http://www5.metrokc.gov/ --parcel locator.
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