Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 4703 21st AVE / Parcel ID 0925049279 / Inv # UD085

Historic Name: Zeta Psi Fraternity Common Name: Zeta Psi Fraternity Style: Tudor Neighborhood: University Built By: Arthur L. Loveless, architect; Johnson Brothers, builder Year Built: 1927   Significance In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). Arthur Loveless received an American Institute of Architects Honor Award in 1927 for this Tudor Revival style fraternity house. The original building resembles an English Tudor style hunting lodge. The Zeta Psi chapter was established at the University of Washington in 1920. Prominent Seattle architect Arthur L. Loveless (1873-1971) is best known as an eclectic designer of houses between about 1908 and 1942. He did a considerable amount of work in the Tudor Revival style. He designed more Greek Row buildings than any other architect, including Beta Theta Pi (1922), Alpha Gamma Delta (1923), and Zeta Tau Alpha (1929). Loveless came to Seattle in 1907 and worked with Clayton Wilson and briefly later with Daniel Huntington. Other award-winning projects by Loveless included his own residence, his office, and the Darrah Corbet residence. His best-known work is the Studio Building (1930-33) on Capitol Hill at 711 Broadway East, which included his office. In the University District, he also designed the Seattle Repertory Playhouse (now the Glen Hughes Playhouse Theater) at 4045 University Way NE. The incompatible 1965 addition to the west of the main structure was designed by architect Harold K. Wilson. This building is included in the inventory because of its award-winning design by well-known Seattle architect Arthur Loveless.   Appearance This Tudor Revival style fraternity house has an intimate quality, particularly on the east elevation and courtyard area, and has been described as resembling an English Tudor style hunting lodge. The building is clad in brick at the lower level and on the gable ends, and the second floor of the east elevation has stucco and half-timbering. The gabled roof has hipped-roof dormers clad with wood shingles. The original building has a U-shaped plan that creates a courtyard, which is surrounded by a brick wall along the street. The main entrance is through a gabled covered porch off the courtyard. There is a large chimney on the north gable end of the east elevation. The windows have been replaced throughout the main building. The 1965 three-story marblecrete-clad western addition on NE 47th Street is totally incompatible with the original structure. It has a flat roof and bay windows with gabled dormers that are intended to match the main building. There is also some imitation half-timbering on the south elevation of the new addition. The addition resembles the box-like apartment buildings of the 1960s and detracts some from the far superior main building. A swimming pool was also added in 1965. In 1987, a roof dormer was added on the third floor designed by Cardwell/Thomas Associates. In 2001, fire damage repairs were made to the building.

Detail for 4703 21st AVE / Parcel ID 0925049279 / Inv # UD085

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Brick, Stucco Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition Building Type: Domestic - Institutional Housing Plan: Irregular Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: two & ½ Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Social Movements & Organizations Integrity Changes to Plan: Moderate Changes to Windows: Slight Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Major Bibliographic References City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records. King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives. Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, ed. Shaping Seattle Architecture, A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994. Johnston, Norman, "Where the Greeks Came Marching In: Their 'Row' at the University of Washington." Unpublished manuscript for Columbia Magazine. Forthcoming 2002. Divoky, Andrea. Notes on University of Washington Fraternities and Sororities, compiled in 1997 and updated in 2002.

Photo collection for 4703 21st AVE / Parcel ID 0925049279 / Inv # UD085

Photo taken Jan 26, 2002