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159 Western Avenue West, Suite 486
Seattle, Washington 98119
office 206 775-8668
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Washington Park
the building’s large, double-hung original wood windows will be restored and the missing historic cornice will be reconstructed
Washington Park
once hidden by the Alaskan Way Viaduct, an elevated highway that was demolished in 2019, the Washington Park building is now visible along Seattle’s waterfront
Washington Park
on the corner of Alaskan Way and S Washington Street, the Washington Park building connects the historic Pioneer Square District to Seattle’s reclaimed waterfront
Washington Park
the Washington Park building was constructed in 1890 as a printing press and bindery plant
Washington Park
our design blends contemporary use with the building’s historic architecture
Washington Park
new mezzanines increase tenant space and serve as mid-floor structural support for the building’s URM walls
Washington Park
the new top floor penthouse provides expansive views to the Port of Seattle and Elliott Bay
Washington Park
the new rooftop penthouse is a refined, modern structure with sliding glass walls that open to a large rooftop terrace

Location Seattle, WA

Client Unico and Lake Union Partners

Washington Park

Originally built as a printing press plant for the Lowman & Hanford Stationery and Printing Company in 1890, the historic Washington Park Building is one of ten buildings BuildingWork is renovating in the Pioneer Square Preservation District. Located where South Washington Street meets Puget Sound, for decades the building’s front door opened under the Alaskan Way Viaduct, an elevated highway. The demolition of the viaduct in 2019 has greatly increased the appeal of the building, opening it up to views of a historic boat launch and dramatically increased natural light.

Our design blends contemporary functionality to the building’s historic architecture. The new rooftop penthouse — a refined, modern structure with sliding glass walls capturing views of Puget Sound — is set back from street-facing facades to minimize visual impact from the street. To qualify for the Federal Historic Tax Credit program, specific elements of the building’s facade will be carefully rehabilitated, including the large, double-hung original wood windows and a replica of the building’s original five-foot-high decorative cornice, destroyed in the 1949 earthquake.

We will complete a full seismic retrofit including steel braced frames and concrete shear walls, along with new mezzanines serving double duty as both additional tenant space and mid-floor support for the unreinforced masonry walls.

This ambitious preservation and adaptive reuse of one of Seattle’s most recognizable historic buildings is an exciting first step toward reclaiming the waterfront.

A BuildingWork project. Contemporary photos © BuildingWork. Renderings © Feature Graphics.