Client
Washington Park QOZ, LLC
Architect
BuildingWork
Location
Seattle, WA
Space
42,000 SF
Pair of commercial spaces
Offices
Penthouse
Exterior Deck
Market
Historic Restorations, Nonprofit
Features
Historic Seattle Best Preservation Project Award Winner
Washington Park is a 134-year-old historic building in Downtown Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood. The building includes an existing basement with an areaway, as well as three existing floors. Originally developed in 1890, Washington Park was damaged in the 1949 earthquake, with modifications in 1955, including the removal of its entire cornice and partial removal of its parapet. W.G. Clark repaired the original parapet, extending it as well so that a new, matching, historic cornice could be installed. This new cornice was designed using historic pictures of Washington Park to recreate its original likeness.
W.G. Clark’s renovation work also incorporated an added penthouse, an exterior deck with a panoramic view of the Puget Sound and Seattle waterfront, as well as new midlevel mezzanines on all above-ground floors covering one-third of each floor. Washington Park’s entry level is split into two separate commercial areas. One includes a grand staircase made from steel and wood connecting the entry and lower levels, while the other is intended for retail or restaurant use. The rest of the building is designated as office space.
An enormous amount of effort went into maneuvering around the building and completing the structural steel package, MEP systems, and finish work – including over 20,000 SF of solid hardwood throughout the building. Throughout this project, W.G. Clark came up with creative solutions for challenges presented by the historic building renovation, resulting in a unique space ready to serve the Pioneer Square community and Seattle Waterfront.