| Historic Name: |
Metropolitan Press |
Common Name: |
Rite-Aid Drugs |
| Style: |
Art Deco - Zig Zag |
Neighborhood: |
Belltown |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1931 |
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| Significance |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. |
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This is one of the Belltown's finest Art Deco buildings, and an unusual Seattle example of the style with extensive use of the chevron motif, a common Art Deco feature, and the Art Deco stained glass windows near the entry. It was built in 1931 for the Metropolitan Printing Press Company. The owner was the Nagle Investment Company, and the contractor Howard S. Wright. This was one of many printing companies that chose to locate in Belltown, where less expensive land allowed companies to have larger facilites with easier truck access, while still being close to downtown customers. This was Metropolitan's second facility, apparently used to print the Seattle Shopping News. They also had one a few blocks away at 2107 3rd Avenue, where they printed the Daily Racing Form. The building has been a drug store for some time, and the original industrial steel sash have been replaced by display windows. However, this does not affect the distinctive Art Deco characteristics.
This was one of many Belltown structures designed by George Wellington Stoddard, for the Dakota Advertising Agency. Stoddard (1896-1967) entered into partnership with his father, Lewis M. Stoddard, following his graduation from the University of Illinois. Following his father’s death in 1929, he practiced alone until 1955, and then practiced in partnership with Francis Huggard. He designed larger homes, as well as apartment buildings, clinics, banks and other commercial structures. His best known works are Memorial Stadium at Seattle Center (1947) and the Green Lake Aqua Theater (1950).
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| Appearance |
| This two-story reinforced concrete building has fluted concrete pilasters at the corners and between each window bay, providing strong vertical elements. Above each pilaster is a plaque with stylized geometric ornamentation, also in concrete. A strong horizontal element comes from a cast concrete band at the cornice (painted light blue), with a zig zag chevron motif. The main entrance is in the center of the Third Avenue façade, with a large steel-framed stained glass window with a chevron motif in red, blue and deep yellow. The entry and window are flanked by pilasters and topped by a zigzag band. Both floors have extensive glazing, which originally had steel industrial sash to give light to the printing floor. These have been replaced with more modern display windows. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Concrete |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Flat with Parapet |
Roof Material(s): |
Unknown |
| Building Type: |
Industry/Processing/Extraction - Communications |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
| Structural System: |
Concrete - Poured |
No. of Stories: |
two |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Manufacturing/Industry |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Windows: |
Moderate |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
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Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
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| Major Bibliographic References |
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Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects. Jeffrey Karl Ochsner, ed. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.
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King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972.
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City of Seattle, Department of Planning and Development, Microfilm Records.
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