Seattle Historical Sites

Architect Donald Dwight Williams designed these buildings for the NW Auto Parts Corporation. Construction was begun in 1948, but initial completion of the north wing apparently occurred as late as 1951. George Runciman, the engineer, was also associated with the initial design of the buildings. Although the north elevation and building have been significantly altered, the southern elevation and building have retained many unusual design elements, as well as their integrity. The southern building is also a good example of International Style Modernism. By 1965, the Allied Transmission Company was housed in the buildings and by 1970, Pacific Northwest Industries, which remained until at least the mid-1970s. By the late 1980s, B & W Auto Parts was listed at this address.

The southern building is still occupied by an auto related business, Brake & Clutch Supply. Its name is written in large letters on the awning set over the large rectangle/entry.

2922-30 6^th Avenue South is located on the east side of 6^th Ave South, mid-block between Forest and Hanford Streets. The Modernist steel and concrete buildings were originally created with two linked facades, set along 6^th Avenue South. Nevertheless, one is two stories in height and the other one story in height. Both were designed as part of an even larger complex, which was irregular in plan. The northern two-story facade has been considerably altered over time, while the one-story southern façade has retained many of its architectural features and is therefore significant.

The southern, one-story façade presents a central rectangular area, probably glazed, which rises to about twice the height of the storefronts set to each side of it. The storefronts sit on bases clad in Roman brick, now painted white. The lower part of the central rectangle is also framed by vertical sections of wall, also clad in Roman brick. A thick aluminum frame tops the storefronts and then rises over the upper half of the taller entry. Above this aluminum frame, the rest of the elevation is almost exclusively glass block wall. There is a thin coping, painted white, above the glass block wall. An original drawing from 1948 shows virtually the same elevation, although with some changes. The original central rectangle is now an entry, with double doors and relatively new hardware. There was also a minor door set in the northern part of the storefront. This has been removed and the storefront redivided into four sections, while the storefront to the south (right) is divided into two, as shown in the drawing.

The historical drawing showed that an additional panel of glass block, at the same height and width as the glass block on the lower building, was to extend for one bay onto the taller building. Then the glass block extended up toward the top of the higher elevation. The upper two thirds of the two-story elevation were covered almost entirely in glass block, save for three windows toward the top of the elevation. An aluminum frame, similar to the one now attached to the lower façade, wrapped itself around the upper part of the taller elevation. There was also an aluminum band at the bottom of the glass block – creating a sort of aluminum rectangular frame. Below this, above a base clad in Roman brick, there was a double door, placed toward the south side of the elevation and what appears to have been plate glass storefront.

Very little of the north building and elevation remains. Instead, the elevation is divided into two levels of regular and large trabeated openings, with four at each level. All, including the ground level storefront, located at the second bay from the south, are filled with glazing.