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Summary for 3103 12TH AVE / Parcel ID 3076500505 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: Common Name:
Style: Ranch Neighborhood: Beacon Hill
Built By: Year Built: 1952
 
Significance
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance.
Built in 1952, this building was owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Merlino by 1953 through 1989. D. Donofrio was the contractor and A. Mahoney was the structural engineer. Beacon Hill is a long north-south tending ridge located southeast of downtown Seattle and stands 350 feet at its highest point. The hill’s steep topography deterred substantial Euro-American settlement through the early 1880s. Then, development of the area was stimulated by the introduction of streetcar lines in the 1890s, its proximity to Seattle’s main industrial area to the west, and the regrading of the hill’s north end in the early 1900s. Originally acquired by the City in 1898, Jefferson Park was integrated into Seattle’s Olmsted system of parks, and the Olmsted Brothers prepared a plan for the park in 1912. The first public golf course west of the Mississippi opened at Jefferson Park in 1915. Jefferson Park has exerted a profound positive influence on the development of the Beacon Hill neighborhood. Because of its proximity to the International District, Japanese and Chinese families moved to Beacon Hill starting in the 1920s. World War I and II stimulated a surge in housing development associated with wartime industry. The construction of Interstate 5 in the 1960s and Interstate 90 in the 1980s sliced through the neighborhoods and contributed to Beacon Hill’s relative isolation. Today, Beacon Hill is an ethnically diverse working class community, which has a mixed Asian, Chicano, African American, and Caucasian population.
 
Appearance
Built in 1952, this compact, Ranch style, single-family dwelling stands on a rectangular lot. The building is oriented to Twelfth Avenue South and the level site at grade. This 1659 square foot, single-story house with a full daylight basement features an irregular plan with an inset front entrance. A poured concrete foundation supports the wood frame, Roman brick-clad superstructure. Clay tile covers the hip roof. Broad closed eave overhangs define the roofline. Metal sash windows with glass block accents provide day lighting. An integrated front garage provides off street parking. One internal and one exterior brick chimney service the building.

Detail for 3103 12TH AVE / Parcel ID 3076500505 / Inv # 0

Status: Yes - Inventory
Classication: Building District Status:
Cladding(s): Brick - Roman Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured
Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Clay Tile
Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Irregular
Structural System: Unknown No. of Stories: one
Unit Theme(s):
Integrity
Changes to Original Cladding: Intact
Changes to Plan: Intact
Changes to Windows: Intact
Major Bibliographic References
City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives.
Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
City of Seattle. Survey of City-Owned Historic Resources. Prepared by Cathy Wickwire, Seattle, 2001. Forms for Ravenna Park structures.
Tobin, Caroline. (2004) "Beacon Hill Historic Context Statement."

Photo collection for 3103 12TH AVE / Parcel ID 3076500505 / Inv # 0


Photo taken Dec 19, 2003

Photo taken Dec 19, 2003

Photo taken Dec 19, 2003
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