Holyoke Building
Encyclopedia
The Holyoke Building is a historic building located in downtown Seattle, Washington
. It is a substantial five story brick structure with stone trimmings. Construction began at the corner of First Avenue and Spring Streets just before the Great Seattle fire
of 1889. Completed in early 1890, it was the first permanent building completed and ready for occupancy in downtown Seattle following the fire. Today the Holyoke Building is one of the very few such buildings still standing in Seattle outside of the Pioneer Square district and is a historic remnant of the northward expansion of Seattle's business district between the time of the great fire and the Yukon Gold Rush in 1897.
The Holyoke Building housed many social and artistic clubs and organizations throughout its history. As early as 1895 it housed the Conservatory of Arts on the top floor. Later in the 1920s the Seattle Musical Club brought many local artists and musicians together in the building and other private and social clubs shared the building with toiletry manufactures and offices.
The Holyoke Building is a subdued example of the Victorian
Commercial style with elements of Romanesque
style and remains almost completely intact from when it was built even down to the storefronts, which had been altered over time but have now been restored. Following this restoration in 1975 by the building's owner Harbor Properties, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976 and became a City of Seattle Landmark in 1978.
) in Seattle, which would become one of the region's biggest banks in the 20th century.
Construction began on Holyoke's new business block in late spring of 1889. The building was designed by Seattle architects Thomas G. Bird and George W. Dornbach who worked together briefly in the late 1880s. At the time of the fire, excavation on the site was underway and the large pit acted as a fire stop and helped keep the fire from advancing further north. Construction progressed and the building was soon being called by local papers, "one of the largest buildings in town." The ground floor, with 16' high ceilings was divided into two storefronts facing First Avenue. Following the slope of the site, a third storefront was located at the rear of the building facing Spring Street along with the building's main entrance. The upper floors, designed for offices, including those of the co-architect Bird himself: each had 13' ceilings. Some of the building's earliest tenants included the Conservatory of Music and a carpet store that occupied the corner of the first and most of the second floor.
Suffering financial reversals as a result of the Panic of 1893
, Holyoke divested himself of all his Seattle property including the Holyoke Building. He moved to Skagit County where he operated a farm in the early 1900s. He moved to Bellingham
in 1906 where remained until his death at the age of 70.
In November 1900, the building was purchased by Anton Stander, who had struck it rich during the Yukon Gold Rush. Stander's wife, who had convinced him to buy the property, would sue him for the building in 1906 during the couple's scandalous and highly publicized divorce in 1906. Unable to fill all of the building's office space, subsequent owners leased entire floors as lofts or to light manufacturing firms. The Northwest Fixture & Electric Company, who during the gold rush supplied miners with electric motors and generators for mining and lighting, occupied the upper floors between 1894 and 1900 and had their name prominently painted across the building's facade. J. Kobi & Company manufactured toiletries on the fifth floor until moving to their own building in 1923.
In the 1920s the Holyoke became a gathering place for Seattle musicians and artists. The Robert Morris Social Club held regular dances in the building. The Seattle Musical Club gathered in the building and suites on the building's second floor were used for practice runs and discussions. Among the musicians who gathered there were Vaughn Arthur, violinist, Rose and Frank Egan, founders of the Egan School in Los Angeles, and Nellie Cornish
, who later founded her own arts school in Seattle. Other social clubs opened up in the building including the Lonesome Club that advertised, "Strangers and lonely people welcome."
Following its induction into the National Register in 1975, the Holyoke Building's owner's, Harbor Properties, owned by prominent Seattleite Stimson Bullit, proposed a nearly $1 million renovation that would convert the then mostly vacant building into a vibrant mix of air-conditioned offices and shops. Architects Olsen/Walker Associates, who had also designed the restoration of the Maynard Building in Pioneer Square, proposed to cut the inside of the building in half with a large interior landscaped courtyard. For Harbor Properties, who were better known for demolishing historic buildings such as the Arlington Hotel, this project was a first.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. It is a substantial five story brick structure with stone trimmings. Construction began at the corner of First Avenue and Spring Streets just before the Great Seattle fire
Great Seattle Fire
The Great Seattle Fire was a fire that destroyed the entire central business district of Seattle, Washington, USA, on June 6, 1889.-Early Seattle:In the fall of 1851, the Denny Party arrived at Alki Point in what is now the state of Washington...
of 1889. Completed in early 1890, it was the first permanent building completed and ready for occupancy in downtown Seattle following the fire. Today the Holyoke Building is one of the very few such buildings still standing in Seattle outside of the Pioneer Square district and is a historic remnant of the northward expansion of Seattle's business district between the time of the great fire and the Yukon Gold Rush in 1897.
The Holyoke Building housed many social and artistic clubs and organizations throughout its history. As early as 1895 it housed the Conservatory of Arts on the top floor. Later in the 1920s the Seattle Musical Club brought many local artists and musicians together in the building and other private and social clubs shared the building with toiletry manufactures and offices.
The Holyoke Building is a subdued example of the Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
Commercial style with elements of Romanesque
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
style and remains almost completely intact from when it was built even down to the storefronts, which had been altered over time but have now been restored. Following this restoration in 1975 by the building's owner Harbor Properties, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976 and became a City of Seattle Landmark in 1978.
Early history: 1889 - 1930
The Holyoke Building takes its name from Richard Holyoke (1836–1905), a native of New Brunswick, Canada who immigrated to Seattle in 1860 to gain a foothold in the growing lumber industry. His venture was a success and he began purchasing large amounts of Seattle property to show his faith in the area's future. Holyoke became a prominent community figure and a major booster for local lumber. He established and became the first president of the National Bank of Commerce (later Rainier BankRainier Bancorp
Rainier Bancorp was the Seattle-based parent corporation of Rainier National Bank, a Washington state-based bank with branches throughout the state. Rainier traced its roots back to the National Bank of Commerce, which was founded by Richard Holyoke in 1889. The name Rainier National Bank was...
) in Seattle, which would become one of the region's biggest banks in the 20th century.
Construction began on Holyoke's new business block in late spring of 1889. The building was designed by Seattle architects Thomas G. Bird and George W. Dornbach who worked together briefly in the late 1880s. At the time of the fire, excavation on the site was underway and the large pit acted as a fire stop and helped keep the fire from advancing further north. Construction progressed and the building was soon being called by local papers, "one of the largest buildings in town." The ground floor, with 16' high ceilings was divided into two storefronts facing First Avenue. Following the slope of the site, a third storefront was located at the rear of the building facing Spring Street along with the building's main entrance. The upper floors, designed for offices, including those of the co-architect Bird himself: each had 13' ceilings. Some of the building's earliest tenants included the Conservatory of Music and a carpet store that occupied the corner of the first and most of the second floor.
Suffering financial reversals as a result of the Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
, Holyoke divested himself of all his Seattle property including the Holyoke Building. He moved to Skagit County where he operated a farm in the early 1900s. He moved to Bellingham
Bellingham
- Places :Australia:* Bellingham, Tasmania, coastal hamlet in Northern TasmaniaEngland:* Bellingham, London, neighbourhood and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham* Bellingham, Northumberland, villageUnited States:* Bellingham, Washington...
in 1906 where remained until his death at the age of 70.
In November 1900, the building was purchased by Anton Stander, who had struck it rich during the Yukon Gold Rush. Stander's wife, who had convinced him to buy the property, would sue him for the building in 1906 during the couple's scandalous and highly publicized divorce in 1906. Unable to fill all of the building's office space, subsequent owners leased entire floors as lofts or to light manufacturing firms. The Northwest Fixture & Electric Company, who during the gold rush supplied miners with electric motors and generators for mining and lighting, occupied the upper floors between 1894 and 1900 and had their name prominently painted across the building's facade. J. Kobi & Company manufactured toiletries on the fifth floor until moving to their own building in 1923.
In the 1920s the Holyoke became a gathering place for Seattle musicians and artists. The Robert Morris Social Club held regular dances in the building. The Seattle Musical Club gathered in the building and suites on the building's second floor were used for practice runs and discussions. Among the musicians who gathered there were Vaughn Arthur, violinist, Rose and Frank Egan, founders of the Egan School in Los Angeles, and Nellie Cornish
Nellie Cornish
Nellie Centennial Cornish was a pianist, teacher, writer, and founder of the Cornish School in Seattle, Washington. She was influenced by the pedagogical ideas of Maria Montessori as well as Calvin Brainerd Cady's ideas about teaching broader values through music education...
, who later founded her own arts school in Seattle. Other social clubs opened up in the building including the Lonesome Club that advertised, "Strangers and lonely people welcome."
Restoration to the current day
Over the years little had been done to alter the building's facade. The storefronts were modernized and a fire escape was added to the north facade, all of which have since been undone. Most likely as a result of an earthquake in 1949, most of the granite that originally finished the building's brick cornice was removed.Following its induction into the National Register in 1975, the Holyoke Building's owner's, Harbor Properties, owned by prominent Seattleite Stimson Bullit, proposed a nearly $1 million renovation that would convert the then mostly vacant building into a vibrant mix of air-conditioned offices and shops. Architects Olsen/Walker Associates, who had also designed the restoration of the Maynard Building in Pioneer Square, proposed to cut the inside of the building in half with a large interior landscaped courtyard. For Harbor Properties, who were better known for demolishing historic buildings such as the Arlington Hotel, this project was a first.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in King County, Washington#Seattle
- List of landmarks in Seattle
External links
- "Holyoke Building, Spring St. southeast corner of 1st Ave., n.d." - University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
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