Seattle.gov Home Page
Link to Seattle Department of Neighborhoods home page

Seattle Historical Sites

New Search

Summary for 920 6TH AVE / Parcel ID 2249500045 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: Myllymaki Apartments Common Name:
Style: Modern Neighborhood: Queen Anne
Built By: Year Built: 1959
 
Significance

In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places.

In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance.

This Modern style multi-family residence is in the Uptown neighborhood. The original drawings are on file with the City Department of Construction and Inspections. Building permit 476386 was issued on May 12, 1959 to construct it. The original owner was William Bleckov. Architect Evvian Willis designed the one- and two-bedroom apartment building that had views of Lake Union and the city. Bleckov sold the building in 1961 to Lorne G. Townsend for $98,000.

By 1968 through 1975, the building was listed as the Myllymaki Apartments.

William Bleckov worked as an apartment builder/developer. He built the apartments at 319 Olympic Place, which he sold to David Morgan in 1956 for $98,000. He also built the apartments at 415 Summit Avenue E in 1962, and another at the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue N and Highland Drive (1200 Fifth Avenue N, built in 1958). Evvian Willis designed this building and it was reported as the 11th project undertaken by Bleckov with financing from the Seattle Mortgage Company. Bleckov also worked with William S. Kelton, who designed and was the structural engineer for a five-unit apartment building for Bleckov at 10th Avenue S and Oregon Street in 1957.

Evvian Willis worked with Bleckov on several apartment building designs. Willis also designed the building at 570 Ward Street (The building at 570–578 Sixth Avenue N), which features nearly an identical design, but has altered windows, and was built in 1960. The open house for this 11-unit building was held on October 2, 1960. Properties designed by Willis include a house at 1908 31st Ave W in 1964, a tiltup concrete building for the Moss Fiberglass Sales company at 5718 Empire Way S in 1968, and the Shirley Ann court apartments at 6201 24th Avenue NW in 1958. His work included collaboration with contractor D. H. Noonan to building homes on steep slopes along Magnolia Boulevard.

The building retains excellent integrity and is a good representative example of a mid-20th century multiple-family building.

References:

Seattle Daily Times, May 17, 1964: 26.

Seattle Daily Times, July 21, 1968: 109.

Seattle Daily Times, September 20, 1964: 91.

Seattle Daily Times, October 22, 1961: 36.

Seattle Daily Times, January 01, 1956: 7.

Seattle Daily Times, January 28, 1962: 121.

Seattle Daily Times, October 02, 1960: 37.

Seattle Daily Times, May 19, 1957: 39.

 
Appearance

Constructed in 1959, this building stands at the southeast corner of the intersection of Ward Street and Sixth Avenue N. The two-story, multi-family apartment building features a U-shaped footprint and a daylight basement at the west end. There are a few access points to to individual units: via the north side within the “U” through at-grade doors, by an exterior concrete and steel stairway and walkway servicing the second story units (the only access point for second story units) and from a basement-level doorway on the west side.

The site slopes steeply downward from west to east, downward from north to south, and from along the building down to the perimeter sidewalks. A paved driveway, accessed off Sixth Avenue N, wraps along the rear south side of the building and connects with paved parking at the east end of the building. A second driveway, accessed off Ward Street, provides access to the building’s basement parking garage. A sidewalk extends out from the front entrance to the corner of Sixth Avenue N and Ward Street. Low shrubs extend along the west and north sides of the building. A light standard and two wall sconces within the “U” provide lighting at night.

A flat roof with enclosed soffits shelters interior spaces and extends out to cover the exterior walkway along the north side of the building. A broad fascia board runs along the outer edge of the soffit. Rolled composition roofing covers the roof.

A concrete foundation supports the platform frame structure. Brick veneer clads the building. The red brick has a white wash applied as part of the firing process, resulting in variegated coloring across the facades. The property record card referred to the brick as “Monterey.” Painted, horizontal lap siding occurs at the northeast, southeast, and southwest corners.

Windows consist of aluminum sash units with limestone slip sills. Most windows feature a larger fixed lite with a flanking casement sash. The larger windows within the “U” consist of picture windows with lower hoppers and openings with two equally sized lites.

Entrances consist of flush panel wood doors with wood frames at the doorways. A thin profile concrete walkway with a rounded outer edge, serviced by two concrete stairs provides access to the second story units. The stairs and walkways feature slender metal railings with widely spaced metal balusters and an inner rectangular band spanning between the balusters. Painted, steel columns support the concrete walkway. A stairway at the west end of the “U” descends to the basement storage area. A second walkway extends from the “U” across the top of the parking garage to provide access to the east portion of the building site. Painted steel columns support the walkway mid-span with the same metal railing along the walkway. Two small cantilevered balconies project off the second story of the east facade; each features the same metal railing with an aluminum sash sliding door providing access to the balcony from each unit. A doorway with a canopy provides access to the basement on the west side of the building.

Two garage doors provide access to the basement parking garage.

Alterations include the addition of plywood panels (painted cream) at the second story walkway level, to close off the lower portion of the railing for safety while keeping the original metal detailing visible. An aluminum sash window has been replaced with vinyl on the west side of the building.

Detail for 920 6TH AVE / Parcel ID 2249500045 / Inv # 0

Status: Yes - Inventory
Classication: Building District Status:
Cladding(s): Brick, Wood - Clapboard Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured
Roof Type(s): Flat Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition-Rolled
Building Type: Domestic - Multiple Family Plan: U-Shape
Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: two
Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture
Integrity
Changes to Plan: Intact
Changes to Windows: Slight
Changes to Original Cladding: Intact
Major Bibliographic References

Photo collection for 920 6TH AVE / Parcel ID 2249500045 / Inv # 0


Photo taken Feb 27, 2018

Photo taken Feb 27, 2018

Photo taken Feb 27, 2018

Photo taken Feb 27, 2018

Photo taken Feb 27, 2018

Photo taken Feb 27, 2018

Photo taken Jan 01, 1900
App v2.0.1.0