Seattle Historical Sites

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.

In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the registration requirements established in the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Listing, Seattle Apartment Buildings, 1900–1957, for a low-rise apartment block.

This Modern style multiple family building known as Sheryl Court is in the Uptown neighborhood.

Building permit 434382 was issued in 1955 for construction of the apartment building. Construction costs were estimated at $33,000. Architect Harry Edwin Nordquist Jr. designed the building for Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Larson. The original drawings are on file at the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. The drawings are dated December 15, 1954. Rooms were specified to include mahogany trim and oak floors. Nordquist’s office was located at 4312 86th Avenue SE on Mercer Island. The building was listed in the Polk directories from 1959 through 1975.

Harry Edwin Nordquist Jr. (1910–1993) received his bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Washington in 1933. Nordquist established his firm in 1936. The majority of his early works were residential buildings, which transitioned to designs for larger housing developments following World War II. Nordquist designed multiple apartment buildings during the 1950s and 1960s, including the Parkside Apartments (1954) and apartments at 6011 California Avenue SW (1959).

The building retains excellent integrity and is a good example of a Modern style multiple family building in the neighborhood.

References:

City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.

Documentation and Conservation of the Modern Movement, Western WA. Architect Biographies, “Norquist, Harry E. Jr.” (Accessed July 19, 2018). http://docomomo-wewa.org/architects_detail.php?id=155

Jeffrey Karl Ochsner, ed., Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Guide to the Architects (Seattle, University of Washington Press: 2014), 2nd edition.

King County Property Record Card (c. 1938–1972), Washington State Archives.

Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890–1996.

Constructed in 1955 this multiple-family residential building is located at the southwest corner of Highland Drive and Sixth Avenue N. The front facade faces north onto Highland Drive. The two-story building features a T-shaped plan and has eight apartments. The site slopes down from west to east, with the height of the building stepping down as well, from two stories at the west end to a single story at the east end.

A clay tile clad hip roof with broad, enclosed soffits shelters interior spaces. V-groove board encloses the soffits. A pent roof extends along the east side of the two-story building portion. A gutter runs along the outer edge of the roof. An interior brick chimney services the building.

A plywood formed concrete foundation supports the platform frame structure. Roman brick veneer with a projecting cap forms a wainscot along the base of the walls of the one-story portion of the building with the cap doubling as the sill for windows. Painted horizontal lap siding with mitered outer corners clads the upper portion of the first story above the wainscot. This horizontal siding extends window sill level on the two-story building portion with vertical board siding above. The two-story west end of the building features Roman brick at the first story level to the window headers, with vertical board above and horizontal lap siding in the gable ends. The original drawings specified one-inch by six-inch tongue-and-groove vertical board cedar siding.

A variety of aluminum sash windows provide day lighting. These include units with a large central lite flanked by one or two narrow casement sash. Smaller 1:1 sash with an awning type upper and fixed lower provide day lighting and ventilation. Small awnings with a curved outer edge provide shading for windows on the south facade.

Entrances to individual apartments consist of concrete stairs with thin metal railings and a small stoop. Thin metal supports extend up to support a wood frame, corrugated fiberglass clad shed roof over the stoop. Flush panel wood doors provide access to interior spaces. Small single bulb walls scones are located adjacent each doorway.