Seattle Historical Sites

This trio of 3-story Roman brick-clad apartment buildings were constructed between 1947 and 1948, according to the 1949 King County Assessor property card, in the Uptown neighborhood. The buildings are known as Fourth Avenue West Apartments. They were advertised as 1-bedroom apartments and were rented as furnished or unfurnished. During the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair the apartment buildings were heavily advertised in The Seattle Times for their proximity to the fairgrounds as it was located just 5 blocks away. A Mr. and Mrs. Plummer ran the buildings and offered maid service for the units.

Constructed in 1947-48, this trio of apartment buildings is located midblock on the west side of Fourth Avenue W between W Mercer and W Republican streets. Each building is 3 stories with a daylight basement. They have a rectangular plan and stand on a poured concrete foundation with a parged finish. The buildings have flat roofs with parapets. They are clad in Roman brick veneer and simulated stone. The buildings feature metal windows in fixed and casement configurations as well as glass block windows on their side elevations. The windows wrap the building corners and are encircled with brick soldier courses. The buildings are nearly identical buildings constructed on one parcel; they share a large lawn and the center building is set back from the other two.  

The buildings retain integrity and are an excellent example of a large-scale post-WWII apartment building.