| Historic Name: |
Dunlap Apartments |
Common Name: |
Emerald Arms |
| Style: |
Spanish - Mediterranean |
Neighborhood: |
Capitol Hill |
| Built By: |
|
Year Built: |
1926 |
| |
| Significance |
|
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. |
|
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. |
|
In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
|
|
The Emerald Arms was originally known as the Dunlap Apartments for its original owner, Mrs. A. C. Dunlap, who had purchased the property with her husband in 1918 and had the apartment building constructed in 1926. It was of quality construction, of solid concrete with a sprinkler system, central refrigeration, an elegant lobby with tile floors and terra cotta trim, and a garage beneath. Although the original plans are not available, it appears to have been built with 56 units, including 40 1-bedroom units, five 2-bedrooms, and nine studios (called "sleeping rooms"), three of which did not have a private bath. It still has 56 units, averaging 410 square feet.
This is a typical example of the many apartment buildings constructed in the 1920s, when Seattle experienced a major construction boom. The city's population had increased dramatically in previous decades, and prosperity encouraged developers to meet the pent-up demand for housing. Apartments, ranging from basic housing to luxury units, were a significant factor in meeting this need, and became a major element of the streetscape in many Seattle neighborhoods. Capitol Hill had easy streetcar access to downtown and the street was lined with small apartment buildings, often using fine materials and detailing to reduce the impact of their size in the basically residential area.
|
|
| |
| Appearance |
| The Emerald Arms is a six-story building of reinforced concrete faced with multicolored brick in shades of red and brown (the south façade has been painted). Its extensive terra cotta ornamentation includes a dramatic entry surround with a split pediment, flanked by urns, above a Baroque composition of curves and shield and shell motifs. Similar ornament is found on the parapet, extending across the two outer bays. The entry itself, slightly recessed, has tile stairs and a wood door with sidelights and a large transom window. Other terra cotta includes the windows sills and a narrow belt course below the top story windows, delineating the top of the building. The main façade has three-part windows with three-over-one sash flanking larger six over-one windows. One unusual feature is the Boston ivy, which covers much of the north side and the upper portion of the main façade. |
|
|
