Historic Name: |
none |
Common Name: |
Bean Collection |
Style: |
Spanish - Eclectic |
Neighborhood: |
First Hill |
Built By: |
unknown |
Year Built: |
1930 |
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Significance |
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. |
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This building and its neighbors occupy the important block at Madison and Boren streets, in the heart of First Hill. Another terra cotta-clad building is just east of this, with a 1940 concrete building north of it on Boren Street. They are virtually the only remainders of the small-scale shops that met the needs of this vibrant residential community. All are on the same parcel and are similar in scale. As a group, they establish a style and scale important to the character of the First Hill neighborhood, which has now become primarily large institutional buildings.
The tenants over the years have been a variety of small businesses, including a drugstore, a deli, a beauty shop, a lending library and a florist. The current tenants are similar, including a coffee shop, shoe repair and an antique store. The building has notably ornate terra cotta ornament, reflecting the elegance the neighborhood.
At the rear, on Terry Avenue, is a very small simple addition that is actually considered a separate building; it was evidently built at the same time as the larger building, and was once a post office. In the 1944 it was incorporated into the main building, to enlarge the restaurant space. It appears to be used for storage.
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Appearance |
This one-story commercial building is distinguished by its extraordinary terra cotta ornamentation. The cornice is capped with a finial between each bay, connected by garlands of scrolls and a variety of types of seashells. Below each finial is a large shield medallion; these are connected by garlands. The pilasters and bulkheads are also clad with terra cotta. The storefronts, with large plate glass display windows are largely intact, with some modern doors. The terra cotta has been painted a light grey. |
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