Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 705 N 46TH ST N / Parcel ID 9521100895 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: Kennett Apartment House Common Name: Style: Tudor - Cottage Neighborhood: Fremont Built By: Year Built: 1928   Significance This small apartment house is a relatively well-preserved example of residential scale apartment house design executed in a Tudor/English cottage and French/Normandy farmhouse inspired design mode that was particularly popular during the 1920s. According to Seattle building permit records the permit to construct this apartment house was issued to L.D. Knettle on February 28, 1928. The anticipated construction cost was stated to be $14,000. A separate permit for the construction of the three-car garage was issued on March 23, 1928. Thee contractor for both projects was C.A. Steele. The architect for both projects was W.H. Whiteley. The architectural plan and design of this apartment house is essentially the same as two other small adjacent apartment buildings designed by William Whiteley for a different developer at 4903 and 4915 Linden Avenue. The apartment houses at 4903 and 4915 Linden Avenue were developed by Jerome Hardcastle in late 1927. Hardcastle and Frederick Anhalt [who subsequently developed highly distinctive apartment buildings with Wm. Whiteley] were business partners during this era. However, there does not appear to be any relationship between the subject building, Mr. Knettle and the Hardcastle-Anhalt partnership, other than the role of Whiteley and the similarity in design. At the time of this project L.D. Knettle was a realtor involved in mortgage loans, investments and insurance. Chas. A. Steele was a well-established contractor during this era. L.D. Knettle did not reside at this building and appears to have left Seattle by 1932. John J. Kennett, a Seattle Attorney, and his wife appear to have been among the earliest tenants. By 1936, the building was known as the Kennett Apartments indicating that it had been purchased by John J. Kennett, possibly by 1931. Wm. Whitely is known to have designed the Anderson’s Bakery (Banks & Mock’s Bakery) on Queen Anne constructed in 1926 and other small market buildings in Ballard, Greenwood and West Seattle for the Hardcastle-Anhalt partnership [Western Building & Leasing Company – a real estate development company]. Whitely also designed that firm’s earliest bungalow courts developed c.1926, which included English Cottage style with brick and half-timbered accents. The firm is also known to have developed several Mediterranean-style courtyard apartments also designed by Whiteley including the Seville Court (1927). Whitely appears to have reused the design he created for the Hardcastle apartment houses on Linden Ave. for Mr. Knettle’s project.   Appearance Located at the SE corner of the intersection of N. 46th St. and Fremont Ave. N. with front elevation oriented to the north. Two story, brick veneer and wood-frame, 4-unit apartment house. Exhibits distinctive gable-wing residential design with design elements/features drawn from Tudor/English cottage and French/Normandy farmhouse designs. Measures approx. 36’ x 46’ with concrete foundation and basement level. Despite the asymmetrical exterior building form of the building, the interior is divided symmetrically with two matching apartment units at the main and upper floor levels that flank a central entry vestibule and stairwell. The entrance porch is within the main high-pitched front gable and is protected by a smaller high-pitched front gable roof. The exterior walls are primarily clad with ornate variegated brick veneer laid with a skintled diamond pattern evocative of traditional half-timbered treatments. The shed dormers at the north and east elevations are clad with stucco and exhibit a faux half timber treatment. The gable end at the west elevation also includes this treatment. The dormer at the east elevation exhibits an evocative bellcast roof form. The fenestration pattern includes multi-pane double-hung and casement sash members; some with leaded glass glazing that may be original. The gable-end façade is distinguished at the first floor level by a three-part shallow window bay with a coffered roof and brick sills at the other windows that are set in groups of three. A three-car garage designed in character with the apartment house remains in place.

Detail for 705 N 46TH ST N / Parcel ID 9521100895 / Inv # 0

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Brick, Stucco Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition-Shingle 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 Plan: Intact Changes to Windows: Intact Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Changes to Interior: Unknown Major Bibliographic References U.S. Census Records (1880-1920) Seattle Public Library – Biographical Index File King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives. Architects file cards, Seattle Department of Neighborhood, Historic Preservation Program. City of Seattle DPD Microfilm Records. Polk's Seattle Directories, 1910-1940.

Photo collection for 705 N 46TH ST N / Parcel ID 9521100895 / Inv # 0

Photo taken Apr 13, 2009 Photo taken Apr 13, 2009