| Historic Name: |
Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority |
Common Name: |
Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority |
| Style: |
French - French Eclectic |
Neighborhood: |
University |
| Built By: |
|
Year Built: |
1929 |
| |
| Significance |
|
In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
|
This unique sorority house was designed by Seattle architect Arthur Loveless for the Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority in 1929. It is in a French Eclectic style, and Loveless was known for his work in a variety of eclectic styles.
Prominent Seattle architect Arthur L. Loveless (1873-1971) is best known as an eclectic designer of houses between about 1908 and 1942. He did a considerable amount of work in the Tudor Revival style. He designed more Greek Row buildings than any other architect, including Beta Theta Pi (1922), Alpha Gamma Delta (1923), and Zeta Psi (1927). Loveless came to Seattle in 1907 and worked with Clayton Wilson and briefly later with Daniel Huntington. Other award-winning projects by Loveless included his own residence, his office, and the Darrah Corbet residence. His best-known work is the Studio Building (1930-33) on Capitol Hill at 711 Broadway East, which included his office. In the University District, he also designed the Seattle Repertory Playhouse (now the Glen Hughes Playhouse Theater) at 4045 University Way NE.
Based on field work conducted in October 2014, this historic property retains its relationship to the streetscape, historic building form and a sufficient amount of exterior historic building fabric (design features, cladding and/or window sash/openings) to contribute to the distinct character of the University Park neighborhood.
This is a particularly well-preserved historic property that appears to possess architectural and/or historic significance.
|
|
| |
| Appearance |
| This two-and-one-half story French Eclectic style sorority house is an example of a unique style within the University District. Despite the massive three-story 1989 addition, the building retains much of its original character. It is a whitewashed brick clad structure, with a hipped roof with a cross-hipped roof. It has hipped roof dormer windows on the south, east and north elevations. It has prominent chimneys on the east and west elevations. The building has brick quoins and multi-paned casement windows with shutters. It also has a "Juliet" balcony on the east elevation. The asymmetrical arched, cast-stone entrance is also an important feature.
Alterations to the building were made in 1948, 1950, and 1955. The third floor was enlarged in the 1950s. In 1955, the rear porch was enclosed. Further alterations were made in 1965 and in 1973, 1975 and 1976, when stairs were added and enclosed. A major three-story addition to the north, designed by David Nordfors Architects, was built in 1989 and includes a new dining area and additional rooms. Changes to the entrance were likely made as part of the 1989 addition. |
|
|
| Status: |
Yes - Hold |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
|
| Cladding(s): |
Brick |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Hip |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Institutional Housing |
Plan: |
Irregular |
| Structural System: |
Balloon Frame/Platform Frame |
No. of Stories: |
two & ½ |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Social Movements & Organizations |
| Integrity |
|
Changes to Plan: |
Moderate |
|
Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
|
Changes to Windows: |
Moderate |
|
| Major Bibliographic References |
|
City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
|
|
King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives.
|
|
Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, ed. Shaping Seattle Architecture, A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.
|
|
Johnston, Norman, "Where the Greeks Came Marching In: Their 'Row' at the University of Washington." Unpublished manuscript for Columbia Magazine. Forthcoming 2002.
|
|
Divoky, Andrea. Notes on University of Washington Fraternities and Sororities, compiled in 1997 and updated in 2002.
|
|
|
