Daniels Recital Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First United Methodist Church
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First United Methodist Church (later Daniels Recital Hall), 2006
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 Location in Seattle WA Downtown
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| Location | 801 5th Ave., Seattle, Washington |
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| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | Schack and Huntington |
| Architectural style | Beaux arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 10001105 |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 2011 |
The Daniels Recital Hall is a special building in Seattle, Washington. It used to be a church called the First United Methodist Church. Today, it's also known as The Sanctuary. This historic building was saved and turned into a place where concerts and performances are held.
It was built way back in 1908. The hall is famous for its great sound, which is perfect for music. A company called Nitze-Stagen & Co. now owns the hall. They helped save the building after a long effort to protect it.
Contents
Building Design and Features
A Unique Architectural Style
The Daniels Recital Hall was designed by architects Schack and Huntington. It's built in a style called Beaux-Arts architecture. This was a new and modern style for churches in Seattle at the time. Before this, many churches looked like old castles, in a style called Gothic Revival architecture.
The Beaux-Arts style of this building shows a shift towards a simpler, yet still elegant, look. You can see this in the smooth, cream-colored terracotta decorations on the outside. Everything works together to create a beautiful and balanced building.
Size and Shape of the Hall
The building's base is about 114 feet (35 meters) wide and 165 feet (50 meters) long. It stands about 66 feet (20 meters) tall from the street. The building has a unique shape, like a central tower with four sections sticking out.
The outside walls are made of large beige bricks with light cream-colored terracotta trim. There are beautiful stained glass windows on three sides of the building. One section holds a large pipe organ and a stage, which was once the church's altar.
Inside the Main Auditorium
Above the main part of the building, there's a round section with more stained glass windows. These windows let light into the center of the building. On top of that is a large dome, about 64 feet (20 meters) across, covered in red terracotta tiles.
The main room inside is a huge auditorium. It's three stories tall, reaching 66 feet (20 meters) up to the dome. The ground floor has seats for over 1,200 people. There are also three upper balconies with seats for another 600 people.
The building also has a basement. This area used to have classrooms, a room for the pastor (church leader), a lounge, a banquet hall, a kitchen, and other small rooms. The stained glass windows in the building are very artistic and were made by the Povey Brothers Glass Company.
History of the Building
Early Years and Changes
Work on the church began in 1907, and it opened its doors in 1908. The congregation, then known as First Methodist Episcopal Church, moved from an older building to this new, grander location.
In 1950, an education wing was added to the south side of the church. This part was two to four stories tall. It provided more space for community activities and religious classes. At the same time, the front entrance on 5th Avenue was rebuilt. This changed how people entered the main hall.
Efforts to Save the Church
In 1984, people tried to get the church listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect important buildings. However, the church itself didn't want this at first. They needed to sell the property to move to a new location.
For many years, there was a disagreement between the church, the city, and groups who wanted to save the building. Finally, in 2007, a deal was made. The church was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 3, 2011.
One interesting change happened in 1990. A fancy decorative edge, called a cornice, was removed from the top of the building. This change still affects how the building looks today.
New Developments and Concerts
In 2004, there were plans to build a tall skyscraper on the site. Many people who wanted to save the church were against this idea. The plan was never carried out.
In 2007, Daniels Development took over the land. As part of the deal, the education wing that was added in 1950 was torn down in 2008.
In 2009, the Daniels Recital Hall started hosting free lunchtime concerts. These concerts continued for six years, with many other evening events as well. Some of these performances were even shown on local TV. The concerts stopped in December 2014 to prepare for more changes to the hall.
From 2012 to 2014, another church, Mars Hill Church, used the building for its services.
Preservation Story
For 25 years, saving the church was a big topic of discussion. Many groups were involved: the city, the First United Methodist Church, people who wanted to preserve old buildings, and developers.
The first attempt to save the church was in 1984. The city even named the sanctuary a landmark in 1985. However, a court decision in 1996 said that religious buildings didn't have to follow landmark rules.
In 2004, plans for a new tower on the site were approved by the city. This plan would have meant tearing down the nearly 100-year-old church. Both preservationists and church leaders were against this. The plan was never built, but it made the city ask the church about its future plans for the land.
The church needed to sell the land to move, but they didn't want the main sanctuary building to be destroyed. Discussions continued until 2007, when Kevin Daniels and his company, Nitze-Stagen & Co., came up with a solution.
Everyone agreed to the plan. The education wing, built in 1950, would be torn down. The main church sanctuary would be saved and given a new purpose. A new tower, called the F5 Tower, would be built in the empty space where the education wing used to be. The F5 Tower was built between October 2014 and May 2017.
Since 2009, the former church sanctuary has been a successful recital hall, hosting many concerts and events.
In Other Media
The outside of the Daniels Recital Hall appears in the video game The Last of Us Part II. In the game, it's shown as a building in a future version of Seattle after a big event. However, in the game, the building is used as a synagogue that players can explore.
External links
- Daniels Recital Hall
- First United Methodist Church of Seattle
