| Historic Name: |
American Radiator |
Common Name: |
Queen Anne Window & Door |
| Style: |
Vernacular |
Neighborhood: |
Pioneer Square |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1931 |
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| Significance |
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An “addition for Jessman Realty Company,”
designed by Henry Bittman in 1930,
a wholesale remodel, essentially replaced a previous one-story building
with the present two-story building. The two-story version of the building was
completed in 1931. Henry Bittman had also previously designed the one-story
building at this site, also for Jessman Realty Company in 1928. Based on extant
drawings, bay divisions and the central raised parapet, were similar to
elements found in the present main façade, but, in particular, the façade was
completely rebuilt.
Based on original drawings, the present
building has retained its original cladding and shape and the most important
character defining elements of its exterior. Fenestration, although mainly
replaced, is mostly replacement in kind, (although the muntins are of the fake,
flat variety). Subsequent changes for American Radiator in 1941 include what
appear to be changes to the interior, particularly at the second floor level
along First Avenue South, as well as changes along the back of the building,
which faces Occidental Avenue. At that time, the building was also known as the
American Radiator Building. Although not intact, the building remains a good
example of modest, but well-designed buildings of its period (1920s-1930s), which
are often found in Seattle’s historic commercial districts.
During the late 1980s, Henry Bittman’s
successors, his nephew, architect Herbert Bittman and associate, architect
Gerald L. Vammen, were responsible for interior tenant improvements, as well as
possible exterior changes to the central bay at the ground level. Complete
drawings concerning these changes do not seem to be available.
By 2001, the building’s main tenant was
Budget Sales, Used Restaurant and Deli Equipment. By 2005, Queen Anne Window
and Door occupied the building. (KML)
Additional Sources “Washington State Major League Baseball Stadium Project, Vol. 3: Specialized Technical Information,” Seattle, WA: Washington State Major League Baseball Stadium Public Facilities District. August, 1996.
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| Appearance |
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This is a two-story building with a
basement, located on the east side of First Avenue South, mid-block between S.
Atlantic and S. Massachusetts Streets. It has a rectangular footprint, with the
main façade measuring roughly 120 feet in length. The original interior
structure includes a regular grid of columns, spaced roughly at 12’-0”
(north-south direction) to 12’-3” (east-west direction). Visible walls are
primarily clad in buff brick with cast stone coping, as well as a cast stone or
concrete base on the main facade.
The main west façade is divided into five bays, marked by shallow pilasters,
topped by simple cast stone caps, which each end in an angled shape. Each of
these cast stone elements is also marked by a shield motif. Cast stone coping
ties together the tops of the pilasters, which rise above the main parapet
level, as well as the angled raised parapet of the central bay.
At the second level, end bays each have
four separate trabeated openings, filled with a double-hung multi-pane
replacement window (with fake, flat muntins). The second level central bay, as
well as the two flanking bays, each feature three similar windows. Based on
original drawings, the original design of the building featured also
double-hung windows. All windows openings feature cast stone sills.
At the first level, the central bay now
features a service entry, with a garage door, with a grid design, currently
painted dark brown. Based on original drawings and later drawings, at least by
the 1980s, this appears to have replaced a storefront. The two north bays each
have large rectangular openings, with original multi-pane steel sash. At the
other end of the façade, the southern bay features a similar large rectangular
opening, but with new replacement multi-pane sash. A storefront in the bay to
the north of this end bay features a central glazed doorway, flanked to each
side by storefront glazing, and topped by additional glazing, (some of it false
multi-pane sash). The top of the entire opening lines up with the openings of
the façade, as it did in Henry Bittman’s original design. Also, the central door, flanked by
storefront, which sits on a base that is elevated from the ground, is a
configuration that shows up in the original drawings for the façade. Although
the storefront has replacement glazing, many original elements have been
replicated in the replacement glazing. (KML)
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