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Summary for this site is under review and the displayed data may not be fully up to date. If you need additional info, please call (206) 684-0464

Historic Name: Peerless Yeast Comany & Acme Breweries Common Name: Lake Union Wellness
Style: Modern Neighborhood: South Lake Union
Built By: Year Built: 1947
 
Significance

This commercial building was designed by the architectural firm Collins & Delaney and built in 1947. Acme Breweries and Peerless Yeast Company originally occupied the building along with General Paint Company (Polk 1948-49, 1951, 1953). In 1957 the brewery was gone, but Peerless Yeast continued to occupy the building in the 1950s and 1960s, along with four other general commercial businesses, including Porter-Cable Machine Company (Polk 1957, 1959, 1965).  Hofbrau Tavern occupied the building in 1970 (Polk 1970).

This building was constructed during the post-World War II era, which was an important period of industrial, commercial and warehouse development in the South Lake Union area.  It displays characteristics of the Mid-Century Modern or simply Modern style. The Modern style grew out of construction techniques and materials technologies that developed during and immediately after World War II in response to the need to build economical and easily assembled structures.  While these techniques were initially used in the construction of military and mass housing structures, they quickly spread to other building types. Characteristics of Modern commercial vernacular buildings during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s include modular building systems with cladding materials that could be pre-fabricated and assembled on-site. Common cladding materials included brick (frequently Roman brick), formed concrete, simulated stone, aluminum, Vitrolite (opaque glass), glass block, and small mosaic tile. Modern commercial storefronts often featured an “open front” design, which celebrated the display window as the most prominent storefront element in contrast to earlier storefront designs which placed more emphasis on the wall that framed the windows.  Windows were typically plate glass with narrow aluminum frames.  Plate glass afforded large, uninterrupted expanses of windows that could extend from floor to ceiling, ideal for displaying merchandise. Storefront bulkheads and enframements were commonly clad in brick, stone, or tile.

This building featured the following characteristics of the Modern style: an “open front” storefront design with large plate glass windows with thin aluminum sash, Roman brick cladding, and a broad flat soffit above the storefront on which prominent business signage was displayed.  The building has been extensively altered: original aluminum sash storefront windows have been replaced with modern windows with pained steel sash; the bulkhead has been clad in new tile, and the brick cladding has been painted. It does not retain sufficient historic building fabric or features to convey its history or potential significance. 

Bibliographical References:

R.L. Polk Company, “Polk’s City of Seattle Directory,” 1948-49, 1951, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1965, 1970.

King County Property Record Card (1937-1972), Washington State Archives

Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Property Inventory Card, 2004

Jackson, Mike, FAIA. “Storefronts of Tomorrow.” Preserving the Recent Past 2. Eds. Deborah Slaton and William G. Foulks. Washington DC: Historic Preservation Education Foundation, National Park Service, Association for Preservation Technology, 200. 57-65. 

 
Appearance

This one-story commercial building has a concrete block structural system, a flat roof with parapets, and painted Roman brick cladding. It is situated on a corner site.  The storefronts windows are newer, with painted metal sash and a low tiled bulkhead. The storefront wraps the northeast corner. On the north facade, a large business sign is located above the corner window, otherwise, the facade is blank.  The south facade is blank. The west facade fronts a surface parking strip along the alley and features a large glass block window, secondary business entrances, and mounted mechanical equipment.

Detail for this site is under review and the displayed data may not be fully up to date. If you need additional info, please call (206) 684-0464

Status:
Classication: District Status:
Cladding(s): Brick - Roman, Ceramic tile Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured
Roof Type(s): Flat with Parapet Roof Material(s): Unknown
Building Type: Commercial/Trade - Business Plan: Rectangular
Structural System: Concrete - Block No. of Stories: one
Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture
Integrity
Changes to Plan: Intact
Changes to Windows: Extensive
Changes to Original Cladding: Moderate
Changes to Interior: Unknown
Storefront: Extensive
Major Bibliographic References

Photo collection for this site is under review and the displayed data may not be fully up to date. If you need additional info, please call (206) 684-0464


Photo taken Aug 25, 2014

Photo taken Aug 25, 2014
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