| Historic Name: |
Lowell-Emerson Apartments |
Common Name: |
Lowell-Emerson Apartments |
| Style: |
Gothic - Late Gothic revival |
Neighborhood: |
First Hill |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1928 |
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| Significance |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. |
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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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In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
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The Lowell and the adjacent Emerson were built by John S. Hudson in 1928, and designed by his brother Harry Hudson. The Lowell followed in the footsteps of a number of elegant residential hotels purpose-built on First Hill in the first quarter of the 20th century, such as the Hotel Perry on Madison Street and Boren Avenue (1906-07, demolished), and the Baroness Apartments on Terry Avenue and Spring Street (1930). These hotels provided apartment living—studio and one bedroom available furnished or not, at weekly and monthly rates. But they had the added convenience of restaurant service in the hotel. The Lowell Dining Room was in a separate one story wing adjacent to the Lowell, making it easily accessible to the general public. The elegant neo-Classical room with decorative plaster moldings, fabric paneled walls, crystal chandelier, and white linen cloths, reamins a popular gathering place.
John S. Hudson (b. 1879) developed apartments primarily on Capitol Hill and First Hill between 1923 and 1928. He came to Seattle in 1903 from his native Minnesota. He began studying architecture in 1910 and obtained his architecture license in 1921, but he worked primarily as a developer. He is known to have been involved with at least a dozen buildings, many with names derived from New England—the John Alden, Paul Revere, John Winthrop, Hudson Arms, Lexington-Concord, Faneuil Hall, Lowell and Emerson. Others are the Hudson Arms, Chasselton, Northcliffe, Miramar, Loleta, Roxbury, Rhododendron and Ruth Court (now Unity Court).
Harry E. Hudson primarily did designs for his brother, John Hudson, one of the major apartment developers in the Capitol Hill/First Hill area. The Hudsons were from the Northeast, and named their buildings after the heroes of New England history and literature. Not coincidentally, the name of the contractor was Colonial Investment Company. Hudson’s major works are the adjacent high-rise buildings on First Hill, the Lowell and the Emerson (1928). Nearby are the Paul Revere (1924), the John Alden (1924), the John Winthrop (1925), and Faneuil Hall (1928). In Belltown is the twin Lexington-Concord building. He also designed a house for James A. Gibbs, his brother’s development partner in the firm Gibbs and Hudson. The terra cotta-clad house, a Seattle historic landmark located on Queen Anne hill, was reportedly modeled after the Albert Rhodes mansion on Capitol Hill, designed by A. W. Gould.
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| Appearance |
| This complex is two apartment buildings constructed by the same owner at the same time and connected on the first floor. The 11-story Lowell is L-shaped, of reinforced concrete construction, housing about 158 apartments. The 10-story Emerson is rectangular, of steel and masonry construction, with 37 apartments. Each has an elaborate lobby with terrazzo floor, mahogany wainscoting, plaster cornice and, in the case of the Emerson, a fireplace. Cladding is buff brick, with extensive terra cotta on the base and top floors. The buildings follow the Italian palazzo form, with highly ornamented bases and top floors, with little ornament in between. The first floor is clad with terra cotta, and each building entry is highly ornamented. A small one-story building recessed between the two larger structures houses a restaurant. The top floors are highly ornamented with Late Gothic Revival detailing, including blue terra cotta panels. The buildings are highly intact, except that a penthouse has been added to the Emerson. |
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