Historic Name: |
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Common Name: |
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Style: |
Modern |
Neighborhood: |
North Rainier Valley |
Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1959 |
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Significance |
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Begun in 1958 and completed in 1959, this building was designed by Doug Vicary and owned by Kena Jensen. The contractor was Rudy Simone. By 1961 through 1968, the Polk directory lists four units for the apartment building.
The North Rainier Valley consists of a depression created by glaciation between the ridges of Beacon Hill and Mount Baker. The valley derives its name from Mount Rainier because of stunning views of the mountain. The area’s growth followed the early streetcar line, which was completed to Columbia City in 1890. The North Rainier Valley includes the area north of Columbia City and contained many early vegetable farms. Commercial development followed along the streetcar line, with housing built nearby.
During the first decades of the 20th century, the area between Massachusetts and Atlantic Streets was home to Seattle’s largest Italian enclave, “Garlic Gulch.” Dugdale Ball Park opened on the corner of Rainier Avenue and McClellan Street in 1913, and was succeeded by Sick’s Stadium in 1938. World War II precipitated a surge in housing development, including the public housing project, Rainier Vista, in 1943. Following the war, the area attracted a mix of African-Americans, Asians, and Filipinos. Today this diverse, low-to-middle income neighborhood is unique within Seattle with its long narrow form focused on the Rainier Avenue transportation corridor.
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Appearance |
Built in 1959, this modest, Modern style apartment building stands on a rectangular lot. The building is oriented to the west with a view out over the North Rainier Valley on a sloping site at street level. This 3086 square foot, two-story apartment building features an L-shaped plan, measuring approximately 55’ by 33’. A poured concrete foundation supports the wood frame, brick- and ceramic tile-clad superstructure. A flat roof with projecting eaves shelters the building. Large metal sash windows provide day lighting for the individual units. An exterior stairway with concrete carriages and metal railings provides access to the second floor. The ceramic tile detailing and overall composition set this building apart as unique within the North Rainier Valley neighborhood. |
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Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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Cladding(s): |
Brick - Roman, Ceramic tile |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
Roof Type(s): |
Flat with Eaves |
Roof Material(s): |
Unknown |
Building Type: |
Domestic - Multiple Family |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
Structural System: |
Other |
No. of Stories: |
two |
Unit Theme(s): |
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Integrity |
Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Major Bibliographic References |
City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
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King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives.
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Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
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City of Seattle. Survey of City-Owned Historic Resources. Prepared by Cathy Wickwire, Seattle, 2001. Forms for Ravenna Park structures.
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Tobin, Caroline. (2004) "North Rainier Valley Historic Context Statement."
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