Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 4255 LINDEN AVE / Parcel ID 2645900000 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: Linden Crest Apartments Common Name: Fremont Crest Condominium Style: Spanish - Eclectic Neighborhood: Fremont Built By: Year Built: 1928   Significance The Linden Crest Apartment Building is a distinctive and well-preserved small apartment house. It is one of a group of extant similar scale apartment buildings constructed in Fremont during the late 1920s. It was designed by A. B. Cornelius and exhibits a distinctive mix of Spanish Eclectic design elements. Mr. Cornelius prepared five sheets of drawings entitled “Brick Veneer Apartment Bldg for Mr. Eliason (sic)” dated 3-29-28. Cornelius also appears to have designed the adjacent garage building, which was constructed under a separate permit issued April 13, 1928. Olaf Eliasen (born ca. 1878) appears to have purchased the property on 3-2-1928. He was a Norwegian immigrant who came directly to Seattle in 1910. His obituary (dated July 17, 1966) described him as a retired commercial fisherman. After the construction of the Linden Crest Apartments, he and his wife Rekka resided in Apt#1 until c.1955 when they moved to 341 N. 71st St. A. B. Cornelius (believed to be Albert B. Cornelius) is known to have designed two other apartment buildings in Seattle: one at an unknown address on Capitol Hill (noted in Seattle Daily Bulletin 6/29/1916) and one at an unknown address in Ravenna (noted in DJC 12/27/1923). A.B. Cornelius was listed in the Seattle Polk’s City Directory (1927-1929) as an architect & engineer with offices in the Thompson Building [621 Fourth Ave.] – the 1927 listing indicated that he provided architectural and mechanical drafting services. He was listed in the 1920 US census as a 36 year old “building architect” (born in Missouri) residing at 7419 California Ave., where he appears to have resided with his wife Mae E. until at least 1930. No additional biographical information has been obtained.   Appearance Located at the NW corner of the intersection of Linden Ave. N and 42nd Ave. N with the façade oriented to the east. Well-preserved, two-story, brick masonry veneer clad, five-unit apartment house that has been converted to a five-unit condominium complex. Measures approx. 44’ x 35’ with a concrete foundation and full basement level. Symmetrical form with central (concrete) entry porch and flat roof. Exhibits distinctive mix of Spanish Eclectic design elements: central raised segmental-arched parapet above entry bay accentuated by cast stone spiral ornament and ornate tile panel; small wood-bracketed Spanish tile roofs at the parapet line above windows bays; ornate tile panels above the second window headers; decorative cast stone surrounds at the entry porch and second floor window unit above; variegated brick veneer treatment and wrought iron guard and handrails at the entry porch. Six and eight-panel leaded glass upper sash members at original double hung windows on all elevations remain in place. Original entry door with sidelights remains in place. Concrete daylight basement level at base of building. An intact detached one-story, three-car garage designed in character with the apartment house is located adjacent to the north side of the complex. Small entry vestibule and central stairwell at interior entrance. The character and condition of the interior is not known.

Detail for 4255 LINDEN AVE / Parcel ID 2645900000 / Inv # 0

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Brick - Common Bond Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Flat with Parapet Roof Material(s): Unknown Building Type: Domestic - Multiple Family Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: two Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture Integrity Changes to Windows: Intact Changes to Plan: Intact Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Changes to Interior: Unknown Other: Intact Major Bibliographic References Architects file cards, Seattle Department of Neighborhood, Historic Preservation Program. King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972. City of Seattle DPD Microfilm Records. Polk’s Seattle Directories 1920-1926

Photo collection for 4255 LINDEN AVE / Parcel ID 2645900000 / Inv # 0

Photo taken Apr 15, 2009