| Historic Name: |
Gibson Manufacturing Company |
Common Name: |
Rejuvenation |
| Style: |
Commercial |
Neighborhood: |
Duwamish |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1909 |
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| Significance |
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The main façade of the building includes many replicated elements and new versions of original elements. In fact, this building façade has been extensively altered to accommodate the space’s present tenant. The façade is far from intact. On the other hand, the interior heavy timber structure, which is mostly exposed, is still impressive. Based on the King County Tax Assessor’s Record Card, the building was initially built as a warehouse in 1909, most likely for a rail car manufacturer. By 1938, the building housed the Gibson Manufacturing Company, a machine shop. A sign, which ran the length of the façade, advertised this and the company’s specialties: work on “Gas Speeders,” “Rail Cars,” as well as “Tractor Parts, Repairing.” By 1956 and at least to the mid-1960s, the building housed the Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, and by 1970, Northwest Automatic Door Controls Inc., as well as Store Fronts Incorporated. By 1980, Argo International was listed as the main occupant of the building; but by the end of the 1980s, resident companies were the American Elevator Company and Entrance Control, Incorporated, which specialized in key cards and electronic gate control. Since 2004, the building has housed Rejuvenation, a lighting store, which specializes in historical and replica light fixtures.
Additional Source:
Rejuvenation, Classic American Lighting and Houseparts, website at: http://www.rejuvenation.com/company/seattle/index.html, accessed June 6, 2010.
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| Appearance |
| This building is located not far from the southeast corner of First Avenue South and Forest St. This is a two-story building with a flat roof and parapet. The plan is rectangular, approximately 60 feet by 100 feet. Exterior walls are of concrete, with a stucco finish and trim, at least on the main façade. The interior structure is of heavy timber post and beam construction. Based on historical photos, the building has been lovingly restored, to resemble its appearance as shown in a photo from the late 1930s. On the other hand, there are some real deviations from the appearance of the façade, as shown in the photo. The second level of the façade features seven large rectangular windows. The three central windows are slightly narrower than the outer windows. All of the windows feature two horizontal rows of three panes each, separated by thin muntins. Above the windows, at the top of the parapet, there is a continuous dentil band in stucco trim. All of this is in keeping with the photo from the late 1930s. At the ground level, the new central entry is recessed. It replaced what appears to have been a partially glazed service door. To each side of the entrance, there is a narrow, rectangular window, topped by a corresponding transom. At least in the case of the southern opening, the window and transom replaced a partially glazed wooden door, topped by another window divided into four panes. To each side of this, there were two large rectangular window openings, featuring three horizontal rows of three panes each. Presently, there are two rectangular openings of the same width as the original openings in the same location as the original windows; however, the present windows present two horizontal rows of three panes each, topped by a transom. At the southern portion of the façade, the design is in keeping with the original elements, but clearly new. There is slightly recessed area, which includes a narrower window without a transom, followed by a partially glazed door with sidelight. The sidelight, which is set over a wooden base, echoes the design of the door. . |
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