Seattle Historical Sites

In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance.

This Craftsman style, American Foursquare form building was built ca. 1906. The 1905 Sanborn Fire Insurance Company map shows a vacant lot at this site. King County Assessor records had 1905 as the estimated year built.

Polk directories listed John B. and Mary (Maria) N. Costa as residents by 1920; Maria Costa was listed as the owner in 1922. The Costas were not listed in previous city directories. John was listed as a laborer by 1922. By 1924, Edward L. Costa also lived at the house. Edward was a shipping clerk for Consumers Compressed Yeast Company. By 1926 Edward was still listed as a resident and worked as a driver; however, John and Maria had moved to 504 Aloha Street. By 1930 John and Mary had moved back in with Edward. By 1935 Edward was listed as a mechanic. By 1938 John had passed away. From 1939 through 1959, both Edward and Maria were listed at the house with John remaining in the house through 1961. Maria passed away in December of 1959. By 1962 through 1967, only Edward was listed at the house. In 1968 Helen M. Costa was first listed at the house with no listing for Edward. Helen was listed through 1975.

The 1930 census listed John and Mary Costa, and their son Eddie L. Costa, at this property. John was born in Italy ca. 1870 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1895; he worked as a gardener in 1930 at a private nursery. He and Mary owned the house in 1930. Mary was also born in Italy, ca. 1882, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1902. In 1930 Mary worked as a janitor in an office building. Eddie was born ca. 1906 and by 1930 worked as a taxi driver for a cab company.

The building retains good integrity and is a good example of a Craftsman style single family residence and associated with the Costa family since the 1920s through the 1970s.

Reference:

Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0408; FHL microfilm: 2342231

City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.

Jeffrey Karl Ochsner, ed., Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Guide to the Architects (Seattle, University of Washington Press: 2014), 2nd edition.

King County Property Record Card (c. 1938–1972), Washington State Archives.

Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890–1996.

‘Mrs. John Costa.’ Seattle Daily Times, December 04, 1959: 43.

Constructed ca. 1906 this single-family residential building is located along the west side of Sixth Avenue N, at the southwest corner of Prospect Street and Sixth Avenue N. The front facade faces east. The two-and-a-half-story building features a rectangular plan. The site slopes slightly downward from north to south. The grade level of Prospect Street rises above the site from east to west with a fence along the sidewalk at the elevated edge.

A hip roof with flared eaves (bellcast) shelters interior spaces. Hipped roof dormers project off the east and west sides of the roof. A hip roof extends off the rear of the building over the back porch. Small hip roofs project out over the canted bays on the north and south sides of the building at the first story level. All roofs feature broad open eaves with exposed, decoratively cut rafter ends and bead board sheathing. A decorative molding wraps along the outer edge of the roofline just above the exposed rafter ends.

A parged foundation supports the platform frame structure. Clapboard clads the building. A recessed porch spans the full front facade. The porch is just above grade level. Wood posts with decorative scroll brackets supports the second story. A prominent frieze wraps the overhanging portion of the second story with a bead board soffit extends along the underside. A solid, clapboard-clad railing extends along the perimeter of the porch. The front entrance consists of a single doorway flanked by leaded lites with exterior storms. The rear porch consists of wood posts with chamfered corners. An open baluster railing extends between the posts, with solid, clapboard-clad railing at the south end. A direct flight of stairs descends from this porch to the back yard. An open lattice screens the lower framing below the porch.

The predominate window configuration is a 1:1 double-hung sash with stile extensions. These occur as single windows, with a grouping of three on the front facade at the first story, and paired sash separated by a mullion at the dormers. Departures from this include a diamond-shaped fixed-sash window on the front facade at the middle of the second story; a narrow, horizontal leaded lite sash window at the east end of the north facade on the first story; and decorative muntins at the center upper sash on the north bay and the upper sash of a rear facade window. All window openings feature painted wood casings with prominent crowns and wood sills. The diamond-shaped window does not have a crown, just casings. Most of the window openings have exterior storms.

Alterations include a gutter along the main roofline attached to the outer face of the rafter ends via an added fascia board. The rear internal brick chimney was removed. There are vinyl replacement windows on the rear facade on either side of the back door (horizontal sliders) and at the second story on all facades. A contemporary shed is located to the rear of the site.