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 Neo Expressionism style, A-frame form St. Paul’s Chapel is in the Uptown neighborhood. The existing building consists of two parts from different time periods, both architect designed.
The first St Paul’s Chapel was built in 1903. The St. Paul’s Church had started as a mission in 1892. The 1903 church was one story with a basement, and bell tower at northeast corner. The building stood at the current chapel location, fronting Roy Street.
In 1938, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church undertook a major remodel. They remodeled the 1903 church to make it two stories and constructed a large rectangular two-story addition to the rear (permit 3273347). This rear addition is what remains today. Architects Richard Lytel and La Monte J. Shorett designed the addition and remodel. Richard Lytel stamped the drawings, dated to March of 1938.
By 1957, planning was underway for new a church with a total capacity of 900 people, and to have a Social Hall and a Sunday School. The church hired architects Steinhart, Theriault and Anderson to design the new church. Design drawings were dated to September of 1962 with construction completed in 1963. Woodlam Inc. of Tacoma fabricated the woodlam (glue laminated) wood structural members for the church, with their fabrication drawings dated to September of 1962. The permit (498299) to remove the 1903 church was issued in 1962 and the permit (499030) to construct the new church was issued in 1962. The 1938 addition was retained and serves as the rear portion of the new 1963 church. The estimated value of the new construction was $150,000. In 1962 a permit (499048) was also issued to constructed a marquee along Roy Street on the new church.
Arden C. Steinhart (1906–1994) graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 1950. After graduating, he returned to work with architects Roy C. Stanley and William Jones where he had worked as a draftsman since 1937. Steinhart was made a partner and the firm name changed to Jones, Stanley and Steinhart. In 1952 Robert D. Theriault (1922–2005) was hired, and in 1955, after Jones retired Theriault was made a partner and the firm was renamed Steinhart, Theriault, and Anderson. Theriault graduated from the University of Washington with an architectural degree in 1950 and initially worked for the engineering office of E. G. Putnam. The firm designed multiple churches, community buildings, and schools. Religious projects include Calvary Lutheran Church (1963), John Knox Presbyterian Church (ca. 1965) in Normandy Park, and the Glendale Evangelical Lutheran Church (1967) in Burien. Anderson died suddenly in 1970 at the age of 45. The firm continued on under the name of Steinhart, Theriault and Associates.
This building retains high integrity and is a notable example of Neo Expressionism in the city.
References:
City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
Documentation and Conservation of the Modern Movement, Western WA. Architect Biographies, “Steinhart, Arden C., Robert D. Theriault” (Accessed July 19, 2018). http://docomomo-wewa.org/architects_detail.php?id=186
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.
Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0186; FHL microfilm: 2342235