Seattle Historical Sites

This building was designed as a machine shop for the H. Amick Sheet Metal Works in 1941. Few original construction drawings seem to be available and pertinent information on original permit records is mostly illegible. The building, particularly its side elevations, is not intact. Nevertheless, the building is a representative example of utilitarian buildings in Seattle’s Industrial District. Although in somewhat run-down condition, the main facade stands out because of the relatively intact condition of its steel sash glazing and its general appearance. The main interior space with its original wood bow trusses is also a characteristic architectural element. The existing craneway was replaced in 1953. Based on a photo from the 1940s, the appearance of the main façade and the building’s overall appearance have changed relatively little.

On the other hand, side elevations, facing north and south, appear to have been originally clad in galvanized sheet metal over the wood frame walls. The galvanized metal is mostly gone, with the south elevation presenting exposed wood frame and cladding and window openings filled with sheet metal. In addition, original steel sash on the north elevation has been replaced. While some sheet metal remains at the back of the elevation, the north elevation has been partially covered with stucco. Amick Metal Fabricators Incorporated still owns and operates the building for its original purpose.

The main portion of this building is rectangular in plan, roughly 75 feet by 180 feet. There is also an attached office, which has a much smaller footprint and is square in plan. Exterior walls are of wood frame and sometimes covered with additional materials. For instance, the main façade, including the façade of the small office, has a stucco finish. Although designed with two levels of fenestration, on the interior, the larger structure is one uninterrupted height to accommodate a craneway. The tall interior space is topped by repeated wood bow trusses, which create a striking interior.

On the exterior, the curvature of the roof is visible over the building parapet. The main elevation of the larger structure includes large rectangular openings with original multi-pane steel sash. The rectangular window openings are organized in a symmetrical composition around a central service door at the ground level. At the ground level, there is a large window opening to each side of the service door, filled with steel sash. Three corresponding openings, which are lower in height than those below, occur at the second floor. This portion of the elevation segues into that of the office wing. Windows in the office wing have been mostly replaced.