Seattle Historical Sites

Architect: Stanley Mar
 

Although somewhat altered, this is a good example of a Modernist office building that was also part of a larger  transfer storage warehouse site. The main elevation has retained much of its original appearance, despite changes, which have mainly occurred at the fourth level. The office building appears to have been initially built between 1950 and 1951. This also seems to be true of the very altered warehouse to the north, which is often given the address of 615 S Holgate Street and now houses Moe’s Home Furnishings. Although the earliest original drawings did not seem to be available, subsequent drawings, first from 1959 and then from 1961, indicate that a third floor was added to the office building, followed by a fourth floor two years later. Both additions were done by the T. M. Carstensen Company, Commercial and Industrial Consultants, with Stanley W. Mar as architect, for the Taylor Edwards Warehouse Transfer Company. Although there is no record of this, Stanley Mar may also have been the architect of the original office building. Additions were completely consistent with the design of the original two floors, as shown in a final west elevation among the 1961 drawings. By 1970, Taylor Edwards shared the building with a number of businesses, including Hormel and Hershey. By the late 1980s, the building was listed as an office building with a number of occupants, including Taylor Edwards.

Taylor Edwards and other warehouse transfer companies, such as the Eyres Transfer Company, have a noticeable presence in Seattle’s Industrial District. The warehouses played a very important role in the shipping and transportation industry. Taylor Edwards was definitely also present in the Industrial District, since, for a time, from 1928 to at least 1937, it owned and was housed in the former Frederick and Nelson Warehouse at 1518 1^st Avenue South.

 Additional Sources

“Summary for 1518 1^st Ave S,” Historical Sites Database, City of Seattle, Department of Neighborhoods database available through

 <http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/historicalsite/Default.aspx>, accessed April 7, 2010

1930 6^th Ave South is located on the east side of 6^th Avenue South between Holgate and Walker Streets. It adjoins a large warehouse, considerably altered, to the north. The building is now four-stories in height with a flat roof and parapet. The structure was originally only two stories in height. Floors were apparently added over the following decade. The original concrete and concrete block structure also included pre-cast concrete tilt-up panels, at least on the south and the back east elevations, as well as pumice concrete block walls, and a portion of wall built in wood frame with brick cladding. In plan, there is also a regular grid of square columns, which define the six bays along the main west façade and the three bays of the north and south elevations.

The most significant architectural feature is the main west façade. Consistent with the construction of the building itself, the main west elevation was augmented over about a ten-year span, but mostly with the same architectural elements. It presents six bays, which are further emphasized by slightly protruding pilasters, which run the full height of the facade. The four central bays are similar, while the end bays have a more individual design.

Based on early drawings, on the first three floors, each of the four central bays presented a long horizontal window opening. Each opening included two central fixed windows, flanked on each side by a one over one window, with an operable awning window at the top. At these central bays, at the first three levels, the present configuration of the windows and related elements is consistent with early drawings, (although the windows may be replacements in kind). Originally, the configuration of the fourth floor windows at the four central bays was similar. Here the original windows have been clearly replaced by a series of vertical single panes, some of which may now be operable casement windows.

At the top level, the cladding of the four bays, as well as the end bay to the north, has been covered with metal cladding. This cladding also obscures the thin horizontal band at the top of the third level windows. Typically, similar horizontal bands, set above and below the windows, run the face of the elevation, but stop at the entry bay to the south.

At each of the first three floors, the north end bay included paired windows, one fixed and the other a one over one, with an awning window at the top. This is also consistent with the present appearance of the north bay. At the fourth level, consistent with the changes already noted at the four central bays, the paired windows have been replaced by two single pane windows.

The south end bay, which includes a tall, recessed and glazed-wall entry portal, is also distinguished by its brick cladding. Construction drawings suggest that the original construction of this portion of the main facade was of wood, with brick cladding attached, (with metal gauge ties). A concrete lintel, currently painted dark brown, is set above the glazed portal opening. The present appearance of the southern portion of the façade is almost consistent with early drawings. As in the drawings, there are thin brick sills below the openings at both the third and fourth levels. The two fourth floor openings are each one pane of glass. This design is consistent with what is shown in early drawings.

The south elevation is the only other elevation, which is visible from the street. The early drawings show no openings. The original cladding was pumice block and, as today, the elevation had concrete vertical elements that marked the interior bays. Most of the original cladding is now covered with an additional layer of metal cladding.

 The adjoining altered warehouse to the north is basically rectangular in plan with a large curved roof set over bow trusses. Although its general form remains, its exterior has been considerably altered.