| Historic Name: |
Northwest Furniture Sales Company, Beebe and Runyon Furniture |
Common Name: |
Yuen Lui Production Facility, Beebe and Runyon Furniture |
| Style: |
Commercial |
Neighborhood: |
Denny Triangle |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1910 |
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| Significance |
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From 9th Avenue, this appears as a three-story concrete structure, with an elongated rectangular plan. It mainly has a flat roof and parapet; but there is also to a penthouse or mechanical level at the fourth level, which is visible from the south, but sufficiently set back from the main elevation that it is not visible along the main facade. The main, west façade along 9th Avenue is set along the short end of the rectangle. The building itself is located mid-block on the east side of 9th Avenue. The west façade is clad in concrete and has a tripartite composition. At the ground level, the facade is divided into three bays, each with a large segmental arch. The ground level is separated from the upper levels by a protruding belt course in concrete, with below that, a continuous band of delicate egg-and-dart. This is currently the only delicate detailing in the façade.
The top two stories each consist of three simple bays, separated by shallow engaged piers, with slightly protruding bases. The outer bays present two sets of paired double hung windows. The central window bay at the second and third levels consists of a wider central double-hung window, flanked by single standard width double-hung windows.
Presently, at the ground level, the segmental arches are filled with a variety of assemblies/ uses, including what appears to be original storefrontage in the north bay and possibly in the central bays; however transom lights, if they exist, are currently boarded over. The southern bay presents a metal garage door, as well as a recessed wall with an added door.
Of note, on the concrete south elevation, which has no openings or windows, is the painted signage for “Beebe and Runyon Furniture Northwest.” The north elevation also presents a poured concrete wall with no openings, but has no signage.
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| Appearance |
| King County records date this building from 1910. By 1936, the building remained a simple warehouse building. The detailing of the ground floor storefronts and an overhanging classical cornice, which are now lost, were important elements of the building exterior; so, some integrity has been lost. By 1936 at least until 1955, the building housed the Northwestern Furniture Sales Company and, subsequently, was the home of Beebe and Runyon Furniture. The building still bears a painted sign for this furniture company on its south elevation. Extant drawing files at the City of Seattle show that B. Marcus Priteca designed and detailed a new hung plasterboard ceiling for the building in 1952. By 1978, the building’s use was re-established as a factory, for the manufacture of ski clothing. In 1998 (according to the FEIS) and currently, the building houses Yuen Lui’s photographic laboratory. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Hold |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
INV |
| Cladding(s): |
Concrete |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Flat with Parapet |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition |
| Building Type: |
Commercial/Trade - Warehouse |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
| Structural System: |
Concrete - Poured |
No. of Stories: |
three |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Commerce |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Storefront: |
Moderate |
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Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Extensive |
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| Major Bibliographic References |
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City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
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King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972.
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“Final Environmental Impact Statement for the New Federal Courthouse, Seattle, King County, Washington,” U.S. General Services Administration (Region 10), March 27, 1998, p 56-77.
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