| Historic Name: |
E. O Graves Building |
Common Name: |
F & O Inc. |
| Style: |
Beaux Arts - Neoclassical, Commercial, Gothic - Late Gothic revival |
Neighborhood: |
Pioneer Square |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1908 |
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| Significance |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
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This substantial masonry and concrete warehouse was built for E. O. Graves in 1908 and designed by architect James Blackwell. The contractor was Adkinson Construction Company. Its main façade is well-composed and like the former Backus Warehouse to the north, also designed by Blackwell, uses a variety of brick detailing to achieve many of its decorative effects. In fact, the buildings are very similar to each other, but here, both the storefront level and upper levels are relatively intact. It was built in the period from 1900 to 1910, when the commercial center of Seattle experienced explosive economic and physical growth, as well as railroad and port expansion. During this time, First Avenue South, south of King Street was developed and the neighboring tideflats were filled.
E. O. Graves, along with M. F. Backus, who built the warehouse immediately to the north, established the Washington National Bank, which became the National Bank of Commerce in 1906 and then Rainier National Bank (Backus served as President of the bank until 1932). E. O. Graves was also influential in securing federal backing for a number of important public projects, including Fort Lawton, the Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Puget Sound Shipyard. This is tied to Graves’ previous position, before his move to Seattle, as the Chief of the U.S. Treasury Bureau of Engraving and Printing under President Grover Cleveland.
James E. Blackwell, an architect and consulting engineer, is credited and best known for his western addition to Elmer Fisher and Emil DeNeuf’s Mutual Life Building. In 1912, as part of the firm of Blackwell and Baker, he was also associated with the addition of the top two floors to the Washington Shoe Building (formerly the Frink Building) in the Pioneer Square Historic District. He served as President of the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects and was active in city planning.
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| Appearance |
| This is four story building, with exterior walls of brick and of concrete and with an original interior structure of heavy timber post and beam. It has a full basement in concrete and a concrete foundation. Its footprint is 56 feet facing the street by 150 feet. Like most of the buildings in the Boundary Extension to the district, its main façade, which is in buff or light gray brick, is on First Avenue South. The façade has a two-part composition and is divided into three bays. The storefronts at the ground level are relatively intact. Featured are Carpenter Gothic detailed transoms, based on triangular and rectangular shapes and rusticated brick piers, currently painted white, set between storefronts. Above a classical belt-course, the three story vertical bays are separated by three story piers with bases and simple capitals. Between the capitals, the bays are terminated by corbelling, resembling repeated arch forms, which rise slightly over the tops of the capitals. These are surmounted by a cornice and what appears to be a reconstructed parapet. At each of the upper floors, each recessed bay consists of one wide opening, usually with three double-hung windows in a wood frame. The second floor windows also have transoms which have a pattern based on triangles and rectangles and somewhat similar to the transoms of the storefront level. The back elevation has a two-part composition similar to that of the First Avenue South façade. Above the ground floor, which has a variety of service entrances, each bay consists of three separate, segmental openings per floor. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
NR, LR |
| Cladding(s): |
Brick, Concrete |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Flat with Parapet |
Roof Material(s): |
Unknown |
| Building Type: |
Commercial/Trade - Warehouse |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
| Structural System: |
Mixed |
No. of Stories: |
four |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Commerce, Manufacturing/Industry |
| Integrity |
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Storefront: |
Slight |
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Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Slight |
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| Major Bibliographic References |
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King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972.
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City of Seattle, Department of Planning and Development, Microfilm Records.
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Krafft, Katheryn Hills. “Pioneer Square – Skid Road Historic District (Boundary Increase).” submitted 15 December, 1987 and approved 6 May, 1988.
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E. O. Graves. Obituary. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 10 February 1909, p 1.
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Seattle Public Library Biography File, M. F. Backus File.
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