Seattle Historical Sites

This building was designed by the Austin Associates Engineers for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, based on drawings from February 1959. The building was designed to include office space, as well as warehouse space. This is well represented in the design of the main east façade. The southern half of the façade presents itself as more typical of an office building, while the northern portion of the building seems more utilitarian. The southern half of the building is also a good example of International Modernism. At the same time, the interior structure, formed by the two sets of repeated bow trusses, is well expressed in the overall form of the building.

Changes to the building appear to be minor. Much like 1919 6^th Avenue South, this is a good example of the fusion of International Modernism with more typical industrial elements. Interior changes, such as the addition of an interior office space around 1987 and a seismic upgrade around 2001-2002 seem to have had little effect on the exterior appearance of the building, at least from the street. Changes to the main façade seem to be minor.

This building is located on the west side of 6^th Avenue South, mid-block between Walker and Bayview Streets. Built of a combination of concrete tilt up walls, concrete block in addition to other materials, the structure also includes two rows of repeated wooden bow trusses, which sit side by side. The building almost presents itself as two separate buildings.

This is reflected in the main façade along 6^th Avenue South. The southern portion of the façade, symmetrically composed, presents a more typical International Modernist office wing. The northern part of the façade is more utilitarian with several large service entries and a loading dock. In fact, the exterior walls of the northern wing of the building are of tilt-up concrete construction.

In contrast, in the façade of the southern wing, eight rectangular window bays, marked by doubled aluminum vertical elements, are set to each side of a central entry. The window area consists of a larger fixed pane glass, framed in aluminum, which sits above a lower window, also framed in the same material and which may be operable. Below and above each window, there is a solid area, now painted, also bordered by a thin aluminum band. The overall effect is to create a grid pattern across the façade of the southern wing. The central doorway, composed of aluminum frame and glass, is recessed slightly. The entire south portion of the façade is also recessed within a projecting frame, currently painted blue. The side walls of the frame are of concrete block, while the “roof” of the frame is made of wood.  The “WESCO” sign that sits above this frame is original. Behind this main façade and set somewhat back, is a curved roof, which suggests that the structure underneath may be a set of bow trusses. This is, in fact, the case.

The northern portion of the building also has an interior structure, which also includes similar repeated trusses. In this case, the trusses are not set back from the façade along 6^th Avenue South.

In general, changes to the main façade appear to be minor.