Saturday, April 14, 2007

1927 Apartment Building To Make Way for Condo Complex


Photo & Text Copyright 2007 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.

We used to live in a 1908 vintage 3rd floor walk up in San Francisco, so I have a soft place for charm over convenience in living spaces. Construction of vintage apartment buildings in Seattle differs in details from SF, but doesn't lack its own charm. The brick and terra cotta facade apartment building on the far left of this photo is loaded with charm, although its not ornate or upscale. It's major appeal comes from period details and a convenient, attractive location on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill. It is directly across the street from where tour vans and wedding party limos let people out at Kerry Park to enjoy the unobstructed postcard-perfect views of Elliott Bay, the Space Needle and Downtown. If I'm not mistaken, doesn't the main character from TV's "Grey's Anatomy" supposedly live on Queen Anne?

I took this shot during a lovely sunset when these buildings seemed to be glowing with warmth. When I had finished taking some shots a woman who had lived in the far left building 40 years ago struck up a conversation with me about it's appointed demise. The lot to its left had been suddenly cleared of a beautiful old home last year, and neighbors became concerned about plans for a proposed high rise condo building. Click here for full details. And click my More Seattle Stuff page for a close-up view of the building's entrance details, taken in the rain the day before this shot. Seattle, taking the lead of Vancouver, BC before it, is embracing the value of density in urban planning. The city is awash in cranes and construction sites. This will become one of those, and in its place will come new units to house new generations of Seattlites. I wonder what a new building will look like in sunset light like this?

3 comments:

Dsole said...

you're right Kim and this is a charming place to live!
If I understood the text... you mean they're going to torn down this buildings to make up some new and high ones?
That would be a really shame!
Nice colour in your pic, have a great day :)

edwin s said...

I'm with you on this one.

Ryan said...

I love that building with all my heart, it makes me really sad. And you're right about Grey's Anatomy, you can see the house they used for exterior shots, it's about two blocks away from Kerry Park.